barbed points from harsova-tell

8/10/2019 Barbed Points From Harsova-tell

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ANALELE BANATULUI

Serie nou

ARHEOLOGIE ISORIEXIX2011


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Colegiul de redacie:

Dan Leopold CIOBOARU, director al Muzeului Banatului

Prof. dr. Florin DRAOVEAN, redactor ef

Zsuzsanna KOPECZNY, secretar de redacieLector dr. Ligia BOLDEA, Nicoleta DEMIANOMA, Prof. dr. Vasile DUDA, Conf. dr. VasileRMNEANU, Prof. dr. John Michael OSHEA (Michigan University, SUA), Prof. dr. Wolfram SCHIER(Freie Universitt Berlin, Germania), Lector dr. Clin IMOC, membri

Vigneta copertei: Wiliam Vastag

Analele Banatului, serie nou, continu publicaiile anterioare ale Muzeului Banatului din imioara:rtnelmi s Rgszeti rtesit, 18721918Gemina, 1923

Analele Banatului, 19281931ibiscus, 19711979

Orice coresponden se va adresaMuzeului Banatului, Piaa Huniade nr. 1, RO300002 imioara,

e-mail: [email protected]

Please send any mail to

Muzeul Banatului, Piaa Huniade nr. 1, RO300002 imioara,e-mail: [email protected]

out correspondence sera envoye ladresse:Muzeul Banatului, Piaa Huniade nr. 1, RO300002 imioara,


Richten Sie bitte jedwelche Korrepondenz an die Adresse:Muzeul Banatului, Piaa Huniade nr. 1, RO300002 imioara,


Responsabilitatea asupra coninutului materialelor revine n exclusivitate autorilor.

ISSN 1221678X

EDIURA MEGACluj-Napoca



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CUPRINS SOMMAIRE INHALT CONTENTS

LIGIA BOLDEA, Istoricului Costin Fenean, omagiu la mplinirea vrstei de 65 de ani .............................9

Lista lucrrilor tiinice publicate de Costin Fenean ...............................................................................13

ARHEOLOGIE I ISTORIE VECHE

WOLFRAM SCHIERActivitatea edilitar ca reectare a cunotiinelor complexe monumentale de anuri circulare(Kreisgrabenanlagen) din mileniul al V-lea . Chr. din Europa Central Construction as an Embodimentof Knowledge Monumental Circular Ditch Complexes (Kreisgrabenanlagen) in Central Europe in the 5th

Millennium BC.....................................................................................................................................21

MONICA MRGRI, DRAGOMIR NICOLAE POPOVICIProduction and Function of Barbed Points from the Gumelnia ell of Hrova (Constana County) .. 33Producia i funcia vrfurilor barbelate din aezarea Gumelnia de la Hrova (jud. Constana)...............43

MIHAI GLIGORRelaia om-cine n preistorie: resturi scheletice umane i de canide. Practici mortuare, dovezi arheologice

i posibile semnicaii Human-Dog Relationship in Prehistory: Human and Canids Bone Remains.Mortuary Practices, Archaeological Evidence and Possible Interpretations..................................................51

JOHN OSHEA, ALEX BARKER, LAURA MOA, ALEXANDRU SZENMIKLOSIArchaeological Investigations at Pecica anul Mare 20062009 .......................................................67Cercetri arheologice la Pecica anul Mare 20062009.......................................................................74

AMY NICODEMUSTe Bronze Age and Dacian Fauna from New Excavations at Pecicaanul Mare.............................79Fauna n epoca bronzului i epoca dacic n lumina noilor cercetri arheologice de la Pecicaanul Mare...84

ALEXANDRU SZENMIKLOSI, ANDREI BLRIE, ZSUZSANNA KOPECZNYDescoperirile arheologice din hotarul localitii Gaj (Serbia). Colecia Almsy Archaeological Findings

At the Border Area of Gaj (Serbia). Almsy Collection.............................................................................85Archologische Funde an der Grenze der Ortschaft Gaj (Serbien). Almsy Sammlung............................96

PHILIPPE HENRI BLASENDe getis apud Nasonem... la poesie d'Ovide comme source pour l'tude des getes De getis apud nasonem ...Ovids Poetry as Source for the Study of the Getae..................................................................................109

ALEXANDRU FLUURCldirile comandamentului din castrul de legiune traianic de la Berzobis Headquarters Buildings in therajanic Legionary Fortress at Berzobis.................................................................................................145

ADRIAN BEJAN, LIVIU MRUIA, DANIELA NASE

Un mormnt cu podoabe de aur din epoca sarmatic timpurie descoperit la Snnicolau Mare Selite(jud.imi) A Sarmatian Grave with Gold Adornments Found at Snnicolau Mare Selite (jud. imi)....161


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CIPRIAN GLVANPremisele, geneza i evoluia presei de limb german din Banat ntre anii 17711867 Te Genesis andDevelopment of German Language Newspapers in Banat. 17711867...................................................359

Anfnge und Entwicklung der deutschsprachigen Presse Aus Dem Banat. 17711867............................369

MIODRAG MILIN

Srbii la 18481849, n Banat i Vojvodina Te Serbs from Banat and Vojvodina in 18481849....377RADU ARDELEAN

Districtele medievale din Banat n viziunea lui Viceniu Grozescu ??????.......................................................................................................................................................... 401Les contres roumaines/valaques autonomes du moyen age en Banat vues par Viceniu (Vinsant) Grozescu(18381897) ......................................................................................................................................420

NICOLEA DEMIANMedalii i diplome ale meterului Peter Schwarz din Jimbolia n colecia Muzeului Banatului din imioara Medals and Diplomas Awarded to Peter Schwarz from Jimbolia Found in the Collections of the Banat

Museum in imioara..........................................................................................................................419

ADRIAN DEHELEANUnceputurile aviaiei romne Te Beginnings of Romanian Aviation................................................431

CARMEN ALBEROcupaia srb din Banat n memorialistica bnean Serbian Occupation in Banat Memories(19181919) ......................................................................................................................................449

MIODRAG CIURUCHINMicarea naional romneasc pentru unirea Banatului cu Romnia (februarieaugust 1919) Te NationalRomanian Movement for the Union of the Whole Banat with Romania (FebruaryAugust 1919)............ 457

VASILE DUDA

Alegerile parlamentare din anul 1919 n judeul Cara-Severin 1919 Parliamentary Elections inCara-Severin County..........................................................................................................................467

VASILE RMNEANUActivitatea Primriei imioara n anul 1934Activity of the Mayoralty of imioara in 1934.......... 477

RADU PIUANDin istoricul activitii Partidului Naional-Popular n Banat n anul 1946 From the History of P.N.P.'S

Activity in Banat in the Year 1946........................................................................................................493Bref historique de l'activit du Parti National-Populaire banatien pendant l'anne 1946.........................501

VASILE RMNEANU

19651969: Banatul ntre liberalism i tendine autoritariste Te Banat Between Liberalism andAuthoritarian endencies..................................................................................................................... 503

ANONIO FAURReectarea n memorialistic (19461976) a activitii de salvare de la moarte a evreilor din Ungaria iransilvania de nord (1944)Te Actions to Save Hungarian and Northern ransylvanian Jews from Deathas Tey Were Reected in Memorial Writings (1944).............................................................................523

EUSEBIU NARAISituaia nanciar-bancar n judeul Severin (19441948) (II)Te Financial-Banking System in theRegion of Severin (19441948) (II).....................................................................................................529La situation nancire-bancaire dans le dpartement de Severin (19441948) (II).................................539


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ANALELE BAN AULUI, S .N., ARHEO LOGIE ISORIE, XIX, 2011

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RECENZII

I. C. BLEAN, Cteva precizri cu referire la unele aseriuni cuprinse n nota de recenzare a volumuluiTe

Prehistory of Banat (Editors-in-chief Nikola asi and Florin Draovean), I. Te Palaeolithic and Mesolithic(Edited by Florin Draovean and Borislav Jovanovi), EA Te Publishing House of the Romanian Academy,Bucharest, 2011, 245 p., 77 g., ISBN: 978-973-27-2057-8,

semnat de Elena-Cristina Niu, AnnalesdUniversit Valahia rgovite, ome XIII, Nr. 1, 2011, p. 9198 ..........................................................545

VASILE RMNEANU, Costin Fenean, Sub steag strin. Comunitii i Partidul Comunist din Romnian Arhiva Kominternului. (19191924), Editura Enciclopedic, Bucureti, 2011, 1095 p. ......................553

ZSUZSANNA KOPECZNY, Istvn Petrovics, A kzpkori emesvr. Fejezetek a Bega- parti vros 1552eltti trtnetbl, Capitulum IV, JatePress, Szeged, 2008, 164 pp. .........................................................559

ABREVIERI BIBLIOGRAFICE ............................................................................................................. 567


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ANALELE BANAULUI, S.N., ARHEOLOGIE ISORIE, XIX, 2011http://muzeulbanatului.ro/mbt/istorie/publicatii/ab.htm

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Hrova-tell(Constana County) lies on the

current territory of the town, is approxi-mately 13 m high and occupies an area of approx.200 150 m, while the anthropic sediments areapproximately 11.20 m thick (Plate I). As regardsthe prehistoric habitation levels, the oldest vestigesbelong to the Boian and Hamangia cultures (rsthalf of the 5th millennium B.C.), continuing withthe cultures of Gumelnia (second half of the 5thmillennium B.C.) and Cernavoda I (early 4th mil-lennium B.C.)1.

Te rst archaeological researches were con-ducted in 19612, but, starting with 1993, the exca-vation strategy changed fundamentally3, by testingthe informational level of the various types of strati-graphic units discovered during research so as to allowthe elaboration of a sampling strategy appropriatefor the purposes of the investigation. Given that theresearch is carried out in a tell, therefore a multilayer* Universitatea Valahia din rgovite, Facultatea de tiineUmaniste, str. Lt. Stancu Ion, nr. 3436, rgovite, jud.Dmbovia, e-mail: [email protected].**Muzeul Naional de Istorie a Romniei, Calea Victoriei,nr. 12, sector 3, 030026, Bucureti, e-mail: mirel_d_n_p@

yahoo.com.1Galbenu 1962, Popovici et alii1992, Popovici-Rialland 1996.2 Galbenu 1962.

3 Popoviciet alii19982000, Randoin et alii19982000.

settlement, with an extremely complicated stratig-

raphy, it mainly aimed to evaluate the content ofthe different SUs, which consisted of either indoor(rarely) or outdoor occupational remains. Screeningof the sediments from other contexts was performedonly in exceptional cases (occupational SUs insidedwellings, remains resulted from using combustionstructures etc.). In this sense, the samples were, pri-marily, water sieved in screen columns in order toobtain signicant data.

Tis is the reason why only those pieces fromarchaeological campaigns undertaken after 1993have, in this study, a clear stratigraphic position,

which could provide a true picture as to what theirfunction was at that particular moment (frac-tured item abandoned among household wastes;an unnished item, stored in order to be subse-quently nished; a still usable harpoon comingfrom a burnt/not burnt dwelling, a passage area,habitation level etc.).

Description of the inventoryWith the Gumelnia culture, harpoons are those

artifacts made of hard animal material on which

we have the most extensive data, especially due totheir inventorization by E. Coma4. A signicant lot4 Coma 1986.

PRODUCTION AND FUNCTION OF BARBED POINTS FROM THEGUMELNIA TELL OF HROVA CONSTANA COUNTY

Monica Mrgrit*, Dragomir Nicolae Popovici**

Keywords: eneolithic, harpoon, antler, operational sequence, hypothetical function.Cuvinte cheie: eneolitic, harpon, corn, secven operaional, funcie ipotetic.

Production and function of barbed points from the Gumelnita tell of Hrova (Constana County)(Abstract)

For the Neo-Eneolithic of the Romanian territory, barbed points (harpoons) represent the type of artifact belongingto the osseous materials industry on which we have most information. Te lot we had at our disposal for this study,

coming from the settlement from Hrova-tell, is made up of 19 harpoons (coming from the diggings of theperiod 19892008), made of Cervus elaphusantler. In this study we have tried to identify how the raw materialwas obtained, turned into nished pieces (processing techniques), the economy of these nished pieces (the wayshow they were used and their role in the economy), and nally the eventual repairs of the fractured pieces andtheir reintegration in the economy of the community. We also provide a series of experimental and ethnographicexamples, in order to illustrate that the general denomination of harpoon is incorrect, when extended to des ignateall the points with barbs. Te ethnographic comparisons, which at rst seemed to offer a key to understanding howthese weapons were used, in the end complicate the problem by demonstrating that prey can be hunted in differentways and that the same weapon can be used with different hunting methods.


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seems to be that of Cscioarele (Clrai County),where early archaeological campaigns revealed noless than 24 harpoons with bilateral barbs, asymmet-rically disposed5, subsequent researches leading tothe discovery of new harpoons, without specifyingtheir number or morphological characteristics6. Forthe Gumelnia settlement, one unilateral harpoonwith two barbs7 and 7 bilateral harpoons, with avaried morphology of barbs, are mentioned8. Wecan also mention the two harpoons from Cuneti(Clrai County)9, the six harpoons from Vrti(Clrai County)10or the harpoon from angru11.Te harpoons from the Luncavia settlement12or the22 harpoons, of which two can be considered unn-ished items, those from the settlement of Borduani-Popin13, also belong to the Gumelnia culture.

At the settlement of Hrova-tell we have

identied 19 harpoons made from Cervus elaphusantler, of which 6 are intact, 9 are proximal frag-ments, 1 mesial fragment, 2 distal fragments anda mesially fracturedd harpoon, with an additionalunnished piece. Te analyzed lot comes from thepatrimony of the National Museum of RomanianHistory and that of Carsium Museum of Hrova.

Morphology. Morphological criteria of establish-ing the various types of harpoons are quite numer-ous, but, unfortunately, no functional variety couldbe deduced from this typology. Te only indicator,

signicant indeed, is suggested by the unilateralityor bilaterality of barbs, the number of barbs andthen by their morphology. Tus, we have estab-lished two main groups: unilateral harpoons andbilateral harpoons.

Unilateral harpoons (type A)- subtype A1 (with straight barbs)- subtype A2 (with convex barbs) 3 specimens- subtype A3 (with sharp barbs)Bilateral harpoons (type B)- subtype B1 (with straight barbs)- subtype B2 (with convex barbs) 8 specimens

- subtype B3 (with sharp barbs) 4 specimensIndeterminate 4 specimens

Subtype A2 3 specimensTe rst specimen is distally broken (Plate II/1).

It has a straight prole, probably made on a beam.

5 tefan 1925.

6 Dumitrescu 1965.

7 Dumitrescu 1924.

8 Dumitrescu 1925, g. 66/2026.

9 Popescu 1938.

10

Coma 1986.11 Berciu 1935.12 Micu-Maill 2006.

13 Mrgrit et alii2010.

Te proximal part has a cone-shaped morphol-ogy, with convergent straight-lined edges, circularsection. Its ends are marked by two asymmetricprotuberances, with convex edges which served forhafting. Te mesial part section corresponds, infact, to the general section of the harpoon, meas-ured at the widest side. It is elliptical (massive shaftwith elliptical section and convergent convex-sidedbarbs). Te edges of the shaft are convex conver-gent. Te barb morphology is dened by the char-acter of the distal edge. Te harpoon in question hasa unique barb, with both edges convex. Te execu-tion technique is specic to harpoons, i.e. clearingbarbs and protuberances by sawing (Plate II/67),but has some particular elements as well. Teproximal end was sharpened by small chippings,around the entire circumference, without the later

shaping (Plate II/5). On top of the upper edge ofthe barb, there are obvious signs of rather irregularlongitudinal scraping, which may represent earlypoint arranging action. On the opposite side, overa small portion, a quite deep transversal scrapingwas applied, meaning that there was a barb therethat had fractured and the surface was refurbishedto allow the further use of the harpoon. Te distalextremity is fractured in saw teeth (Plate II/4),probably by usage.

Te second harpoon is a mesial fragment

(Plate II/2), with elliptical section and convex-concave shaft edges. Te harpoon has a uniquebarb, slightly broken at the top, far from the shaft,with the distal edge convex and the proximal oneconcave. Te item was intensely burnt, whichdestroyed any sign of shaping.

Te last harpoon of this category has astrongly curved morphology and was made on aneye tine (Plate II/3). It has a proximal side withstraight-lined convergent rims, a circular cross-sec-tion and a convex extremity. Te two protuber-ances are triangular, with straight-concave rims

and a convex-concave section. At mesial level, therims are convex convergent, the section elliptical.Te piece has two convex barbs, with convex-concave edges, far from the shaft. Te distal parthas convex convergent rims, a circular section, aslightly broken extremity. Te morphometry of thespecimen is as follows: length 15.1 cm; averagebreadth 1.6 cm; average thickness 1.3 cm. Atproximal level, the base was tapered by longitudi-nal scraping. Barbs are set at the far end of the shaftand preserve no trace of clearance, having been

probably retouched from the inside. Te distalpart was also created by longitudinal, convergingscraping, starting above the last barb. Also at distal


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level, on the upper side, the item has a few shorttransversal incisions. Pearling was removed fromthe entire surface of the harpoon by polishing.

Subtype B2 is represented by two intact andsix fragmented specimens

Te rst specimen has a curved prole, theproximal side has convex convergent edges, a cir-cular section, convex extremity (Plate III/1). Teprotuberances have straight-lined concave rims, atriangular morphology, convex-concave section.At mesial level, sides are rectilinear parallel, sectionis plano-convex, with 2 slightly asymmetric barbs,having convex-rectilinear edges. Te distal sidepresents convex convergent edges, a plano-convexsection, pointed end. Te dimensions of the pieceare: length 13 cm, average breadth 1.8 cm,

average thickness 1.2 cm. Te ends were taperedby longitudinal scraping and barbs and protuber-ances were smoothed out by cutting.

Te second specimen (Plate III/2) has the prox-imal part with slightly concave convergent sides,circular section, convex extremity. Te mesial partpresents convex-convergent sides with convex-concave section. Barbs are asymmetric, with bothedges convex, far from the shaft. Te distal part hasconvex-convergent edges, circular section, pointedend. Morphometrical data are: length of 12 cm,

breadth and thickness of 1.4 cm. Tis harpoon isparticular within the whole assemblage of Hrovasettlement, as it presents a hafting system which isentirely different from protrusions existing with theother harpoons. Te proximal part is an extensionof the shaft, being crafted by longitudinal scrap-ing, around the circumference. Te proximal endwas smoothed out by polishing. Barbs are placedfar from the shaft and do not preserve any trace ofbeing smoothened. Te distal part was also createdby longitudinal convergent scraping, started fromthe last barb.

With the fractured specimens (Plate III/35),proximal parts have a conical morphology, withrectilinear convergent edges (3) and concave con-vergent edges (3). Te end is pointed (1), convex(3), rectilinear horizontal (1) and slightly fractured(1). Protuberances are symmetric, with triangular(5) and rectangular (1) morphology. At this level,cross-section is convex-concave (2), plano-convex(2), rectangular (1) and biconvex (1). One of theitems has bilateral incisions transversally disposedto the axis, parallel, with an asymmetric V-prole,

possibly to ease up gripping. Te mesial part hasrectilinear parallel (2) and rectilinear convergent(4) edges, cross-sections are convex-concave (2),

plano-concave (2), biconvex (1) and indetermi-nate (1). Barbs are symmetric on one of the speci-mens and asymmetric on the others. Te distaledge is convex (6) and the proximal is convex (3)or concave (3). Te distal part is preserved on onespecimen only, having biconvex cross-section,concave convergent edges and convex extremity.

One of the specimens (Plate IV/1), slightlyfractured at distal level, has two rows of asymmet-ric barbs, very close to the shaft, that were madeby cutting from both sides, at a very closed angle.In addition, the microscopic study has shown that,after cutting, the inside was polished, thus remov-ing the traces resulted from clearance (Plate IV/7).Te piece was entirely shaped on the lower side.Te distal part has a languette fracture, on twoplanes, which appears to be of functional nature

(Plate IV/45). On the lower side, just below thefracture, the initiation of a transversal incision isobvious (Plate IV/6), therefore we can advancethe idea that sectioning the piece below the frac-ture and rearranging the point must have beenintended, but the action was abandoned.

Subtype B3 is represented by four specimens,of which three are intact and the fourth is fracturedat proximal level.

As regards the rst intact specimen (Plate IV/2),

the proximal part has concave convergentedges, circular cross-section, convex extremity.Protuberances are triangular, with plano-convexcross-section, rectilinear concave edges. Te mesialpart has trapezoidal section, rectilinear conver-gent edges. It has two rows of asymmetric barbs,with rectangular morphology. Te distal part hasconvex-convergent edges, cross-section is circular,the end is slightly rounded. Te item is 13.9 cmlong, its average width 1.4 cm, average thicknessof 1.1 cm.

Te second intact specimen was made entirely

on beam, having strongly marked pearling(Plate IV/3). Te proximal part has rectilinearconvergent edges, rectangular cross-section, recti-linear horizontal extremity. owards the end, thereare two symmetric trapezoidal protuberances,with plano-convex section. Barbs are asymmetric,with rectilinear edges, close to the shaft. At distallevel, edges have a rectilinear-convergent morphol-ogy and the extremity is rectilinear horizontal.Morphometric data are: length 21.4 cm, averagewidth 2.3 cm, average thickness 1.1 cm. Te

removal techniques applied on barbs and protu-berances is identical to those present with the otherspecimens. Te proximal part was prepared by


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longitudinal scraping, the distal, by direct percus-sion. Te specimen did not go through a nishingstage, therefore we have wondered if maybe it wasstill under production.

Te third specimen was produced on an eye tine(Plate V/1). Te proximal part has concave-conver-gent edges, slightly irregular extremity (Plate V/4),rectangular cross-section. Protuberances are sym-metric, one with rectangular, the other with tri-angular morphology. At mesial level, edges areconvex convergent, with rectangular cross-section.Barbs are symmetric, two of them being intact, theother two destroyed. Te distal part has convexconvergent edges, biconvex cross-section, irregu-lar attened end. It is 19 cm long; 2 cm wide and1 cm thick, on the average. Barbs and protuber-ances of the proximal part were cleared by applying

on them the typical method of successively deep-ened cutting by the sawing technique (Plate V/6).Te point was shaped in continuation of barbs, byconvergent longitudinal scraping (Plate V/5). Tepoint is extremely peculiar as it has a pronouncedlydeformed and dull aspect (Plate V/3).

Te fractured specimen (Plate V/2) has barbspositioned far from the shaft and asymmetricallydisposed, while cross-section is biconvex. Te distalpart has convergent convex edges, pointed end,circular cross-section. Cuts made to clear barbs are

visible (Plate V/10) and so are the small longitu-dinal chippings performed towards the extremity,on the entire circumference, to sharpen the point(Plate V/9), which were overlapped by scraping.Te proximal part has a saw teethfracture, prob-ably at the hefting level (Plate V/8).

IndeterminateFour of the specimens fall into this category,

but we cannot identify the morphology of barbs(Plate VI/1). wo are proximal fragments, whichhave not preserved any barbs, with the third one,

distally fractured as well, traces of two symmetri-cally disposed barbs are still visible. At the proximalpart, morphology is conical, with concave (2) andconvex convergent edges (1), a slightly fractured(1), rectilinear (1) and convex (1) extremity. Tetwo protuberances are symmetric, with a rectangu-lar morphology in the rst two specimens, while,with the third, one of the protuberances is damagedand the other has a trapezoidal morphology.

Tis category also includes a distal fragment,which preserves the traces of two symmetric,

entirely fractured barbs. At proximal level, a pro-tuberance with rectangular morphology was pre-served (the other seems not to have been there at

all). Te piece is fractured longitudinally, thereforecross-section at this level remains unknown tous. At distal part, the point is preserved, having atapered morphology.

Unnished piece

By initiating the procedure of clearing thebarbs, this piece illustrates the intention of turningit into a harpoon (Plate VI/2). Te transversaldebitage of the antler was done by indirect percus-sion, still visible at the proximal end, while, at theopposite extremity, a exion fracture is apparent.Longitudinal debitage was done by percussion. Onone side, the procedure of clearing the barbs wasstarted, by sawing. We believe that the inappropri-ate dimensions of the blank (it was too short) forsuch a piece led to abandonment.

ConclusionsGetting the raw materialAll harpoons found at the Hrova-tell settle-

ment were made from Cervus elaphus antler. Wehave wondered why this particular raw materialwas chosen to make a weapon, considering that,for instance, lithic weapons could inict moreserious injuries14. Tere may be several reasons tojustify this option:

mechanical properties of the antler an

optimal elasticity/hardness ratio15

, whichabsorbs shocks better, thus making itresistant to impact;

pieces made of hard animal material can bemore easily repaired after fracturing;

anatomical constraints of matter: in thiscase, a wider blank was needed as a pre-form of the future harpoon and the antlercould provide such debitage akes;

last but not least, cultural options of thegroup.

Te antler could be obtained by harvesting or a

sub-product of hunting. According to experts, theshed antler was more suitable for manufacturing; asit was at its maximum growth, the area of cross-sec-tions with compact tissue (used for processing)was much wider. Indeed, we were able to identifywithin the assemblage a predominance of remainsfrom shed antlers, while the antler from the skullwas rather sporadic. Supply is local, consideringthat in this settlement a lot of Cervus elaphusboneshave been identied, being the second most huntedanimal, after the boar16. Te presence of the shed

14 Arndt-Newcomber 1986.

15 Guthrie 1983, Gregor 1985, Averbouh, 2000.

16 Blescu et alii2005.


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antler meant organizing harvesting expeditions notfar from the settlement, a short time after the deerhad lost its antlers. Te antler grows from Apriluntil July (when it reaches maximum calcica-tion) and falls at the end of winter (in March foradult specimens)17. It is attacked by rodents, carni-vores, even deer, then by invertebrates, short afterit falls18; however, the Hrova community neededit in good shape. We have already highlighted theparticular resistance of antler weapons and tools,so renewal of the set of objects was done quiterarely and, as the set of manufactured antlers fromHrova-tell illustrates, it was customary to have asurplus of raw material, in the form of rather mor-phologically and morphometrically standardizedblanks. Terefore, we believe that expeditions werenot very frequent; still there was neither a question

of a crisis of raw matters, despite the seasonalavailability of the antler.

echniqueExperts agree that prehistoric technology

depends, rst of all, on cultural attitudes subsumedunder a fundamental experience, including individ-ual and collective actions with consequences accu-mulated over time19. Regrouping all the elementsresulted from a operation sequence waste, unn-ished pieces and nished objects offers the key to

analytically decoding manufacturing methods andtechniques specic to a certain human group.Te study of debitage procedures has led us

to the conclusion that, for harpoon manufactur-ing, attened blanks were used, resulting from atransversal and longitudinal debitage of the matterblock. Beams or parts of eye tines were used forthese blanks, as, normally, obtaining a blank witha signicant width to allow clearing of barbs wasintended. Starting from debitage blocks (blanks,waste) and from nished pieces that preserve suchsigns, we have identied the following clearing

procedures, possibly used to produce blanks forfuture harpoons: a transversal debitage subordi-nating a scheme of transformation by sectioning(by far, the most frequently used within the assem-blage of Hrova-tell settlement) and a longitudi-nal debitage, to which a scheme of transformationby bipartitioning subordinates. In the rst case,the techniques used are: removal by direct percus-sion and removal by indirect percussion (attestedon the unnished piece), always associated eitherwith a bending or a direct percussion for nal

17 Provenzano 2001.

18 Averbouh 2000, 2005.

19 Lemonnier 1993, Dobres 1995, Luik-Maldre 2007.

separation, each of them leaving specic traceswhich allow diagnosing. With longitudinal deb-itage procedures, technique used is removal byindirect percussion (Plate VI/3).

For volume modication procedure (Plate VII) namely clearing barbs and protuberances, theonly identied technique was sawing. For the clear-ing of barbs, an operation which consists of pro-gressively deepened incisions, alternatively, on bothsides, the direction of the incisions determines themorphology of the future barbs. With barbs whichare positioned far from the shaft, having a taperedmorphology, the purpose was to create a spacebetween barbs, by removing an approximately rec-tangular shape remnant. Tus, sawing is appliedstarting from three levels: the proximal edge of therst barb, the space between barbs and the distal

edge of the next barb. Te second procedure, whichseems more adequate for convex-concave barbs, isto create two incisions by sawing, representing thedistal edge of a barb and the proximal edge of theother one, both gradually deepened so that theyreunite (technique present on the unnished piece).

As regards surface modication procedures(arranging extremities), scraping was the mostfrequently used technique. It may be peripheral,thus obtaining a conical or bifacial end, in order toget a circular shape; points are cleared after barbs,

especially those which are set in continuation ofthe distal edge of the last barb. Scraping can givethe nal shape of the object, being, sometimes, theonly phase of shaping. Te next technique, presentwith these procedures, is removal by direct percus-sion (small overlapped akes), suitable both forclearing of the point and of the proximal extrem-ity. With some specimens, these two techniquescombine with polishing, applied on the entiresurface of the piece, until the removal of pearlingand retouching the surface.

Te proximal part has two types of hafting.

Te rst and most representative refers to theextremities provided with protrusions, which aremade using the same technique as that of barbs;the second has a proximal part in continuation ofthe shaft, shaped through scraping. Ethnographicexamples prove that these different morphologiesof the proximal part do not necessarily depend ona xed or mobile hafting and that20, sometimes,these variations do not mean anything other thanthe search for optimal solutions to a problem21,such as nding a shape suitable for the various

uses. In addition, none of these weapons, despite20 McClellan 1975.

21 Scheinsohn 2010.


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the morphological variability, present any specicelement that should allow us to ascertain their sin-gularity, but, rather, we can only imagine an inven-tory of weaponry of the entire group.

Production

It refers to the main types of tools present inan industry and how they reect economic activi-ties. raditionally, professional literature has linkedharpoons to shing. Studies have shown that,along with hunting, shing and clam harvestingwere the main food resources of the community atHrova-tell. Among those species suitable for thistype of shing are catsh, zander, cyprinids andeven carp, during spawning22.

Statistics show that the harpoon was the mainmanufactured typological category, made of deer

antler, which offers us a picture of the positionoccupied within the community economic life. Teadvantages of this type of weapon are as follows: itremains well xed after being thrust into the preysbody, by means of barbs, and, at the same time, itallows recovering the prey, by means of the haftattached to it, which may explain the Hrova-tellcommunitys preference to use it.

able no. 1 Numerical weight of the different typological

categories made of antler

ypological categories Number ofitems

Numericalweight

Harpoon 19 28%

Hammer 1 2%

Bevelled objet 4 6%

Point 3 4%

Mattock 2 3%

Chisel 8 12%

Handle 10 15%

Indeterminate item 20 30%

22 Blescu et alii2005.

Te study of the assemblage aimed to integrateinto an economic cycle, including manufacturing,using and maintenance. In this sense, it is of greatimportance to highlight an activity of weapon main-tenance, therefore of restoration after fracturing.

When an object is deteriorated, it can be recov-ered or abandoned, if the type of fracture makesrestoration impossible. Recovery can be achievedin two ways23:

- Repairing, if the tool can be reconditioned,preserving its original shape and function.

- Recycling, if its original shape and functioncannot be preserved.

As for the harpoons found at the settlement ofHrova-tell, we have not identied a systematicpreoccupation for reconditioning fractured pieces.Te only examples, falling into the rst category

repairing , are a harpoon of A2 subtype, whosesurface was retouched by scraping at the level ofthe fractured barb, and a harpoon of B2 subtype,which has a functional languette fracture, at distallevel, where there was an attempt to repair thepoint, by removing the fractured surface, but theoperation was not nished.

Hypothetical functionIn the present primitive world, the harpoon

is used both for shing (Amerindians, Eskimos),

and for catching aquatic birds and even mammals,while crossing a water (Eskimos), pinnipeds(Patagonia)24or even arboreal animals monkeys(Agta population of the Philippines)25. We mightbe reproached that such a comparison (Neolithic primitive world) could be exaggerated, consideringthe differences in time and space. Te situation iscompletely different, if we start from the fact thatthe harpoon accompanies the entire evolution ofmodern man, being invented by the rstHomosapiens sapiens26, and is still used in various ecologi-cal environments (Arctic areas, Australia, South

and North Americas, the Pacic).Te experimental studies conducted by Pokines

and Krupa27prove extremely useful in identifyingcertain usages in order to verify the functionalityof harpoons, studies that have proven the precisionand resistance of this weapon. With the specimensof Hrova-tell settlement, fractures are especiallypresent at distal level, perhaps because the pointremained in the prey and the haft with the hunter.

23 Goutas 2008.

24

Scheinsohn 2010.25 Bion Griffi n 1997.26 Yellen et alii1995.

27 Pokines-Krupa 1997.


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Furthermore, other experiments carried out byM. Ptillon28have shown that nature and positionof impact fractures are specic to a certain type ofhafting xed or movable.

As regards the analyzed set, proximal extrem-ity presents a tamping, with small cavities resultedfrom matter losses, covered by polish, whichproves prolonged usage. Microscopic study hasrevealed series of micro-striation, which seem tohave resulted from repeated irregular friction,hence the assumption of a movable hafting system(Plate V/4).

Te distal end is, in most of the cases, fractureden languette oblique fracture, developed towardsthe distal extremity, specic to projectiles butthe saw teeth fracture is also present. Tese twotypes are seen by experts as being of functional

nature, belonging to exion fractures29. In one ofthe specimens we have identied a principal frac-ture, accompanied by a second, shorter one, placedon the opposite side (Plate IV/45), resulting,according to experimental studies30, from fractur-ing of the distal part in several fragments, at themoment of impact. Another type of change inthe distal extremity, after use, is characterized bya bifacial tamping, which gave the irregular aspectof the extremity (Plate V/3). In this case, the piecekept being used without being repaired, hence

the emouss aspect (which supports our assertion

28 Ptillon 2008.

29 Legrand 2000, Ptillon 2006.

30 Stodiek 2000.

regarding the lack of systematic preoccupation ofmaintaining the equipment).

Tis study, along with that conducted on the setof harpoons discovered at the BorduaniPopinset-tlement (Ialomia County)31, raises the issue of thegeneric name of harpoon, covering the entire range ofbarbed points, an issue approached by other authorsas well32. It is the ethnographic comparisons, whichinitially seemed to offer the key to understanding theusage of these weapons, that have complicated thedebates, proving that an animal could be taken downin various manners and the same weapon could beused in various ways. We are still in the debatingstage, as we cannot make a functional separation ofthe different types of barbed points.

Archaeological and cultural context

Since the beginning of the article, we havepointed out the inequality of information, a situ-ation that was generated by older excavations,where the principle of elevation passes was applied.Tus, for pieces found in campaigns prior to 1993,we were not able to identify the context of theabandonment. Moreover, with some of the piecesat Carsium Museum of Hrova, the informationis imperfect. Percentage data show that harpoonspredominate mainly in contexts related to dwell-ings or habitation levels, illustrating that they were

still used, at that moment.

31 Mrgrit et alii2010.

32 Rust 1943, Clark 1975, Feustel 1980, Weniger 2000,

Ptillon, 2008.

able no. 2 Arheological context of harpoons from the Gumelnia tell of Hrova

No.Morphological

typeYear Area Layer SU Square

Arheologicalcontext

1Subtype A2

1997 10 5345 L5 Habitation level2 1999 13 3970 M8 Burnt dwelling 3 MINAC (no. 308) passim 4

Subtype B2

1991 F3 MINAC 394135 MINAC (no. 309) passim 6 1996 10 3067 L4 MINAC 394237 1992 C D2 MINAC 394068 2001 13 11836 L8 Burnt dwelling 9 1996 4 Stratigraphic prole10 2003 8 10007 F5 Habitation level11 1999 3 6371 F3 Habitation level12

Subtype B3

1989 H4I4 MINAC 3941013 1990 F2 MINAC 3951614 2008 2 7514 E2 Passage area 15 1996 9 3233 K5 Habitation level16

Indeterminate

1999 13 3970 M8 Burnt dwelling 17 2003 10 10956 M4 Habitation level18 1989 K4 19 1996 13 3594 M8 Dwelling


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Out of the lot under analysis, except one (pieceno. 7 subtype B2 coming from a Boian culturalcontext), all the items were discovered in contextsbelonging to Gumelnia culture, A2 stage. Tissituation brings to light the possibility that at leastthis subtype may have been used along the evolu-tion of both of these cultures.

As far as the items attributed to the GumelniaA2 stage are concerned (18 pieces), 11 have adenite stratigraphic context, which allows forsome preliminary observations. So, 4 pieces werediscovered in the destruction levels belonging todwellings 50 and 58 (burnt dwellings) and in thedestruction level of dwelling no. 44 a dwellingwhich was not destroyed by re, but was aban-doned. All the other items discussed here werefound in occupational levels external to the dwell-

ings, only one being discovered in a passage area(piece no. 14). Somewhat surprising is also the factthat for the latter, we noticed both the presenceof fragmentary, abandoned pieces, which could nolonger be used, and also the presence of some itemsthat, at least apparently, could still be used. It isdiffi cult to advance denite conclusions concern-ing this situation.

In the case of the items presenting burningmarks (no. 2, 8, 9, 11, 16 and 17), which is some-times strong, it can be noticed that these marks

could be due to the fact that they were discoveredin the destruction levels of dwellings no. 50 and 58(no. 2, 8 and 16), which are burnt dwellings. It isobvious that the items burnt when the respectivedwellings burnt as well. Te items no. 9, 11 and 17come from external occupational levels and theirpreservation condition under these circumstancesallows for some further observations. Tey may besuggested by the context provided by the item no.17, which was discovered in a stratigraphic unit inwhich burnt adobe (in a signicant proportion) wasalso found along with other anthropic elements.

Tis situation suggests the fact that the respectivesediment may have come from a built structurewhich caught re and whose remains were, for areason that would be hard to mention here, depos-ited in the respective area (so, we can presume thatthe adobe burnt along with the dwelling it was partof). So, there is a possibility for these items to havecome from contexts that ended up in this way. Tesituation is not exceptional considering the factthat during the diggings, on numerous occasions, itwas possible to note, in occupational levels external

to the dwellings, the existence of certain materialscoming from the construction of different struc-tures or coming from demolitions, leveling, etc.

If we look at the discovery context of the dif-ferent items, according to their typological clas-sication, a few more observations are necessary.Even though the items that make up this lot arenot very numerous, one can say that there is a sig-nicant possibility that the subtype B2 (amountingto a frequency of 38.8% in the total of the itemsattributable to Gumelnia cultural context) maybe considered the type used most by the commu-nity from Hrova. In point of statistic frequency,we can notice that the following in this hierarchyare subtype B3 22.2% and A2 16.6%. Eventhough these numbers may change in time, we ndthe difference between them signicant in point ofits general data. Although during this stage of ouranalysis we do not aim to advance hypotheses con-cerning the eventual chronological evolution of the

production of these items or concerning their valuefrom the viewpoint of the peculiarities of eachcommunity in point of their production and use,we must highlight the fact that these possibilitiesexist and in the future they should be checked out.

In the same sense, out of the analysis of thedata provided by the typological determinations,in correlation to the stratigraphic situations, whatdraws our attention is the fact that in the caseof the items discovered respectively in dwellingsand dwelling remains, there is a certain structur-

ing. Here, we refer to the fact that in the caseof the dwelling no. 50, two items were found.Unfortunately, only one of them (no. 2) was possi-ble to determine with a higher degree of certaintyfrom a typological viewpoint, namely the sub-typeA2, the other one being undeterminable (no. 16).In the debris of the dwelling no. 58, where justone item was discovered (no. 8), this item couldbe attributed to the sub-variant B2. It is possi-ble for this situation to be relevant, especially ifwe consider the possibility that the existence ofthe typological variants might express a certain

functional specialization of the types determinedand implicitly of the inhabitants of the respec-tive dwellings. In exchange, the presence of all thethree typological sub-types signaled within theexternal occupational levels can only be normalwithin this context, highlighting the fact that theywere used at the same time by all the members ofthis community.

AcknowledgmentsTis work was supported by a grant of the

Romanian National Authority for ScienticResearch, CNCS UEFISCDI, project numberPNII-RU-E201130133.


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