Eszter Solnay (Institute of Archaeological Sciences) and Anett Gémes's study presents the preliminary analysis of an Early Copper Age (4400–3900 cal BC) settlement and a grave group consisting of nine burials from the site of Tiszagyenda–Vágott-halom in the Middle Tisza Region. The aim of the research was to provide a detailed description and evaluation of the settlement features, burials, pottery assemblage, and human remains.
The site of Tiszagyenda–Vágott-halom was excavated between 2010 and 2011 during the construction of the Nagykunság Water Reservoir, on an elevation next to an old watercourse of the River Tisza. A total of four Early Copper Age pits and nine burials were uncovered. Since the settlement features and the graves could not be clearly separated spatially, the latter were defined as a grave group within the settlement rather than as a formal cemetery.
The nine burials correspond well to the contemporary burial traditions of the Middle Tisza Region. The skeletal remains represent one child (infans II), one juvenile, three females, and four males. The deceased were generally laid in a flexed position: females mostly on their left side and males on their right, with the grave orientation being east–west or southeast–northwest. The majority of grave-goods consisted of pottery vessels, though beads, stone tools, and bone or copper objects were also found. Beads were more frequent in female burials, while males were typically associated with copper, bone, or stone implements.
The pottery assemblage shows a great variety of vessel forms, including jugs, conical and S-profiled bowls (both with and without a pedestal), and barrel-shaped vessels. In several burials, usually near the skull or the chest, a so-called “basic set” was observed, consisting of one necked vessel (jug or necked pot) and one neckless bowl. Necked vessels were most likely used for transporting liquids, short-term storage, or keeping valuable goods, while bowls were primarily intended for individual consumption. These observations suggest that these vessels were strongly associated with the deceased individual, regardless of their age or sex. Barrel-shaped vessels occasionally showed traces of secondary burning, indicating their use for cooking prior to deposition, while pedestalled bowls may have been used for communal consumption.
Women died at a younger age, between 21–23 and 35 years, whereas men died between 35 and 55 years of age. The most common pathological feature was the imprint of cartilage wear observed on various joint surfaces, which can be associated with genetic predispositions, age, sex, and increased physical activity, as is also the case with the observed spondylodiscitis, i.e., the osteological manifestation of intervertebral disc inflammation. In addition, inflammations potentially linked to childbirth or infectious diseases were observed. In terms of dental pathology, tooth wear was very frequent, presumably caused by the consumption of improperly ground grains. Furthermore, dental caries, abscesses or cysts, and premortem tooth loss were also identified.
Figure: Plan and grave-goods- of one of the male graves (Solnay–Gémes 2025, Fig. 5.)