Sarris_et_al._2004_JAS_Geophysical Prospection and Soil Chemistry at the Early Copper

7/29/2019 Sarris_et_al._2004_JAS_Geophysical Prospection and Soil Chemistry at the Early Copper

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Geophysical prospection and soil chemistry at the Early Copper

Age settlement of Veszto-Bikeri, Southeastern Hungary

Apostolos Sarrisa, Michael L. Galatyb, Richard W. Yerkesc*, William A. Parkinsond,Attila Gyuchae, Doc M. Billingsleyb, Robert Tatec

aLaboratory of Geophysical-Satellite Remote Sensing and Archaeo-Environment, Institute for Mediterranean Studies, Foundation of Research and

Technology, Hellas (F.O.R.T.H.), Rethymno, Crete, GreecebDepartment of Sociology/Anthropology, Millsaps College, 1701 North State Street, Jackson, MS 39210-0001, USA

cDepartment of Anthropology, Ohio State University, 245 Lord Hall, 124 West 17th Avenue, Columbus, OH 43210-1394, USAdDepartment of Anthropology, Florida State University, 1847 West Tennessee Street, Tallahassee, FL 32304-3359, USA

e

Munkacsy Mihaly Muzeum, Bekescsaba, Hungary

Received 21 October 2003; received in revised form 23 November 2003; accepted 1 December 2003

Abstract

Geophysical prospection and soil chemical analyses were conducted at the Early Copper Age (ECA, ca. 45003900 cal BC

[Antiquity 76 (2002) 619, Journal of Field Archaeology (2004) in press] site of Veszto-Bikeri as part of the Koros Regional

Archaeological Project investigations of the NeolithicCopper Age transition on the Great Hungarian Plain. The goal of these

investigations was to locate and map subsurface features and activity areas at the settlement. Vertical magnetic gradient

measurements defined the extent and layout of the structures and features across the settlement and revealed that previously

unidentified concentric ditches enclosed the site. Excavations confirmed the locations of most of the wall trenches, postholes, ditches,

and pits detected in the geophysical survey. The soil chemical survey recorded high concentrations of phosphate around theperimeter of the site, some of which were associated with a midden. With the geophysical survey, details of the plan and organization

of the Early Copper Age settlement were revealed that could not be discerned from surface artifact distribution patterns and test

excavations. The soil chemistry survey results showed a contrast between the cleaner center of the site (near the structures) and

the ring of debris at the edge of the site (near the circular enclosures). The continuation of such nondestructive investigations at other

ECA sites will help improve models of settlement organization during the NeolithicCopper Age transition.

2004 Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Keywords: Hungary; Copper Age; Remote sensing; Geophysical survey; Soil chemistry

1. Introduction

Nondestructive geophysical surveys can detect sub-

surface features such as pits, middens, walls, foun-

dations, ditches, hearths, kilns, animal pens, pottery

concentrations and burned structures [1,25,29]. This is

done by measuring the physical properties of soils such

as their magnetic susceptibility or electrical resistance on

or below the surface, and by recording concentrations of

chemicals such as phosphorus, nitrogen, calcium, and

carbon in the soil [1,35,11,18,25,26,2830].Soil resistance techniques can be used to identify

walls, ditches, and other features that contrast with the

surrounding soil matrix in porosity, density, and water

content. Magnetic methods are best suited for finding

features that contrast with the surrounding soils in the

concentration of the magnetic minerals they contain.

Features such as pits, wall trenches, hearths, kilns,

burned soils, habitation structures, and ditches filled

with organic remains alter the magnetic susceptibility of

the soil and are good targets for magnetic surveys.

Magnetic surveying techniques have been used to

locate and map buried features at several Neolithic and

* Corresponding author. Tel.: +1-614-292-1328;

fax: +1-614-292-4155

E-mail address: [email protected] (R.W. Yerkes).

ARTICLE IN PRESS

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doi:10.1016/j.jas.2003.12.007


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Bronze Age settlements in Southeastern Europe

[2,9,17,26]. At Veszto-Bikeri (Figs. 1 and 2), controlled

surface collections and test excavations indicated that

burned wattle-and-daub structures, circular pits, and

wall trench features were present, but the layout and

extent of these features was not clear [22,23]. Thus, it

was decided that magnetic prospection techniques

should be employed to record subsurface features and

activity areas, given the geomorphological context of the

low hill where this Early Copper Age (ECA) settlementwas located and the expected subsurface targets

[2123,25]. A high-resolution magnetic survey covering

over 5000 m2 of the area surrounding the central exca-

vation blocks (Fig. 2), was conducted in the period of

June 30July 3, 2002 [25,29].

Also in summer 2002 an Oakfield soil probe was used

to collect soil samples at 10 m intervals within a 9400 m2

grid at the center of the site and from transects extending

100 m east and 100 m south of the site (Fig. 3, [4]). These

samples were analyzed for levels of Molybdate Reactive

Phosphorous (MRP) using the methods described by

Murphy and Riley [20]. The pattern of phosphate con-

centration in the soil provided information on site

activities and organization that complemented the

results of the magnetic survey. Undergraduate field

school students were active participants in both phases

of these remote sensing investigations.

2. The Veszto-Bikeri Site

The Koros Regional Archaeological Project was

initiated to study Early Copper Age (ECA) settlementorganization, land use, and subsistence on the Great

Hungarian Plain [2123]. In 2000, Hungarian and

American archaeologists and students tested the ECA

Tiszapolgar Culture settlement at Veszto-Bikeri. This

site is located just south of the well-known tell site of

Veszto-Magor [7,12]. Veszto-Bikeri sits on a low hill

overlooking an old channel of the Koros River near the

modern town of Veszto, Hungary (Figs. 1 and 2).

Unlike most shallow Tiszapolgar settlements where

cultural deposits were destroyed by modern plowing

[6,7,10,13,14,21], the surface materials at Veszto-

Bikeri retained their spatial integrity, suggesting that

N

0 100 km20050

Krs r.

Veszto-Bikeri

x

Fig. 1. Map of the Carpathian Basin showing the location of Veszto-Bikeri.

A. Sarris et al. / Journal of Archaeological Science 00 (2004) 1132


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sub-surface features remained intact [22,23]. The 2000

test excavations confirmed this, and parts of threewattle-and-daub structures were exposed in three

22 m units (the fourth test unit penetrated a midden at

the southern edge of the site). In 2001, larger block

excavations in the central area of the site uncovered the

dirt floors of two of these structures (Features 4 and 5).

The structures had been burned and leveled by the

Tiszapolgar inhabitants, and are marked by layers of

daub fragments in a clay matrix overlying a thin clayey

silt floor deposit that contains small flecks of burnt

daub, ECA ceramics, burnt bone, lithic artifacts, and

flecks of charcoal. In one of the structures (Feature 4)

some flat-lying sherds and a burned and crushed

Tiszapolgar vessel were found at the interface between

the daub layer and the top of the floor deposit. With theexception of an intrusive Hungarian Conquest period

burial (10th century AD), all material that was found in

and around the structures dates to the ECA Tiszapolgar

Culture [22,23]. The 2001 field school excavations pro-

vided information about the use and destruction of the

wattle-and-daub structures, but no traces of their walls

or interior posts were encountered. It was not clear if

these structures were small, freestanding houses, or if

they were rooms that were part of larger longhouse

structures [7,12,22,23].

Some of the architectural features of the structures in

the central area of the site were revealed during the 2002

Fig. 2. Contour map showing the topography of Veszto-Bikeri and excavation blocks from the 20002002 seasons. Contour lines represent 10 cmintervals.

A. Sarris et al. / Journal of Archaeological Science 00 (2004) 113 3


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field season. A burned structure (Feature 14) was un-

covered just east of Feature 4, and we exposed a large

wall trench that ran along the northern edge of both

Feature 4 and Feature 14. Another large wall trench was

uncovered running along the western edge of Feature 4,

and some deep pits at the corners of the wall trenches

were excavated, but no internal postholes, hearths,

ovens, or kilns were found inside of the wall trenches.

The form and extent of these wattle-and-daub structures

and the location and layout of features associated with

the structures was still not clear, so the magnetic and soil

chemistry surveys were undertaken in order to locate

and map all of the structures, features, and activity areas

at Veszto-Bikeri.

3. Magnetic prospection methods

Magnetic measurements deal with anomalies or

alterations of the earths uniform geomagnetic field.

Subsurface targets with magnetic properties different

from those of the surrounding soil matrix change the

local magnetic field and create an anomaly in the

measurements. The magnetic anomalies are directly

related to the magnetic susceptibility of the soil or

Fig. 3. Map showing the location of phosphate samples (black dots), their relative values, and excavations blocks from the 20002002 seasons atVeszto-Bikeri. Higher phosphate values are represented by darker colors, lower values are indicated by lighter colors.



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feature. Areas with enhanced magnetic susceptibility

(with respect to the surrounding soil matrix) are

measured as positive anomalies, while areas with lowerconcentrations of ferrous oxides (and reduced magnetic

susceptibility) are represented as negative magnetic

anomalies. Features such as pits, wall trenches, burned

soils, structures, and ditches have a different magnetic

susceptibility than the surrounding soil matrix. These

features are usually characterized by an increase in

susceptibility, which creates a weak magnetic field and

alters the local magnetic field [1,26,30].

Proton or caesium magnetometers are used to

measure total magnetic field strength, while proton,

caesium, or fluxgate gradiometers are used to measure

the vertical or horizontal gradient of the total magneticfield or one of its components. At Veszto-Bikeri, a

Geoscan FM36 Fluxgate Gradiometer was used to

measure the vertical gradient of the local magnetic field,

namely the difference of the vertical component of the

magnetic field at two different heights. The two gradi-

ometer sensors (spaced 0.5 m apart) are very sensitive to

anomalies up to 1.5 m below the surface. The instrument

is able to read the vertical gradient of the magnetic field

with an accuracy of 0.1 nT/m. The magnetic survey was

conducted by walking from South to North along 0.5 m

spaced transects and taking measurements every 0.5 m

or 0.25 m (Fig. 4).

3.1. Magnetic data processing procedures

The magnetic data did not need to be corrected fordiurnal variations of the earths magnetic field, but all

data were characterized by a constant shift of the

average value within each survey grid. This was due to

the shifting of base/reference stations and the balancing

of the instrument. Pre-processing of the raw data was

necessary so that there would be a common base level

(0-level base line) for all survey grids. Each day, the raw

data were entered into a laptop PC and each data set

was coded by a survey grid number and given the

appropriate coordinates within the site grid system.

Statistical analysis of the common rows between

adjacent survey grids and the average level of theseadjacent grids were calculated in order to provide a

correction factor for each new grid.

A kriging interpolator with a linear variogram was

used to produce a grid of the magnetic data and to

produce contour and gray scale maps of the survey

results. Selective despiking techniques were used in some

cases to isolate the extreme values that masked the

anomalies of interest. Selective compression of the

dynamic range of values was also employed to isolate

anomalies close to the background level. A mask file was

created to isolate the central excavation blocks where

magnetic survey was not conducted (Fig. 5). High-pass

Fig. 4. Photograph of Apostolos Sa rris collecting magnetometric data at Veszto-Bikeri in July, 2002.



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(gradient) filters and the calculation of first horizontal

derivatives helped emphasize the high frequency compo-nents of the geophysical maps. Interpretation maps were

made based on the features that were identified as the

data were processed. Both color and gray scale geo-

physical maps were produced. Hot colors (red shades) in

color maps and light (white) colors in gray scale maps

represent areas of high (positive) magnetic intensity.

Cold colors (blue shades) and dark (black) colors

represent low intensity anomalies [25].

4. Results of the geophysical survey

The mosaic of geophysical grids measured at 0.5 m

intervals showed a systematic drift, which was especially

evident in the western and southern edges of the settle-

ment (Fig. 5), but some subtle anomalies are present inthe central area. When the data were rectified to the

0-level base line, the concentric curvilinear features at

the site margin and the rectangular wall trench struc-

tures in the central area are more clearly delineated. The

0-level base line rectification is generally used to remove

the drift of the measurements along the traverses. Even

better resolution was obtained by re-surveying sections

of the site at a 0.25 m interval (Fig. 5). When this was

done, the boundaries of the circular and rectangular

features are sharper and other anomalies could also be

defined. These methods produced a regular pattern of

anomalies that revealed the layout of the subsurface

Fig. 5. Synthetic image of the rectified data resulting from the 0.5 m and 0.25 m sampling interval at Veszto-Bikeri.



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features at the site even though there were no visible

traces of these circular enclosures or rectangular wall

trench features on the modern ground surface.

The geophysical signature of the circular enclosures

indicated that they were concentric ditches [25,29]. Mag-

netic data indicated that the diameter of the inner ditch

is approximately 65 m and the outer ditch is about

75 m. The non-uniform magnetic signature of these

circular features suggested that there were postholes

within the trenches. The inner ditch was better

defined, probably because it was deeper. While the

ditches seem to encircle the settlement, their magnetic

signal is weaker in the west and southwest (Figs. 5 and 6)

where they may have been partly eroded through

cultivation or periodic flooding of the channel, which

flows nearby. The extremely low (dark) anomaly in the

northeastern corner of Fig. 5 that interrupts the ditches

was caused by the long steel rod that was set in the

ground at the datum point where the total station is

setup.

Fig. 6. Diagrammatic representation of magnetometric anomalies at Veszto-Bikeri. Interpretation of magnetometric anomalies: A1A11architectural remains; A12A13possible architectural remains; B1, B3, B4, B15metal anomalies (probably modern); B16, B17, B18, B20,B21pits or hearths; B6, B8, B9, B10possible pits or hearths; B2, B7, B12, B23possible pits; B14possible kiln or oven; C1, C3anomaliesassociated with ditches; C2anomaly possibly associated with flooding of canal.



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4.1. Confirmation of the circular ditches

Two long trenches were laid out in 2002 to bisect the

ditches and establish ground truth for the features

(Block 5 was 15 m1 m and Block 6 was 10 m1 m, see

Fig. 2). Excavations confirmed that the inner and outer

ditches were located exactly where they were mappedduring the geophysical survey. As predicted, several

postholes were exposed within the inner, deeper ditch

(Fig. 7). In the two long excavation trenches, segments

of this inner ditch were 0.8 m wide and extended up to

1.3 m below the present surface, and as much as 0.65 m

below the base of the plow zone. The postholes within

the inner ditch range in diameter from 0.2 to 0.3 m and

extend another 0.5 m beneath the bottom of the trenches

(1.551.8 m below the surface). The postholes were

placed relatively close together, suggesting that they may

have been associated with a substantial palisade (exca-

vation of a 10 m20 m block in the southeast corner

of the site during the 2003 summer field school

exposed more of the circular ditches and postholes in the

locations predicted by the geophysical survey). The

outer ditch is irregular, 0.60.8 m wide, and was cut to

depth about 1.0 m below the present ground surface.

No obvious postholes were found in the 1-m segments of

the outer ditch exposed in the two long excavation

blocks. A third, narrow, shallow ditch was exposed

midway between the inner and outer ditches (Fig. 7).

The fact that this ditch was so narrow and shallow,

and contained few artifacts and no burned daub,

explains why it was not detected in the magnetic

survey. Both the inner and outer ditches containedsome Tiszapolgar ceramics, burned daub, bone, char-

coal, and shell. The artifact density in the trenches is

much lower than what was found in the wall trenches

and structures in the center of the settlement, but

only ECA artifacts were found in the ditch fill. Radio-

carbon assays on charcoal in the ditches provided

dates that are contemporary with other carbon-14

samples from the site, and all date to the Early Copper

Age [23].

4.2. Rectangular structures

Processing and filtering of the magnetic data allowed

us to define portions of at least eleven rectangular

structures in the central area of the site (A1A11 on Fig.

6). The enhanced magnetic signal associated with these

architectural features is due to the presence of burned

daub and artifacts in the fill of the wall trenches, as well

as the depth and width of these linear features. The

isolated low (light) magnetic anomalies within the wall

trenches are related to the traces left by postholes [25].

Short segments of the wall trenches associated with

anomaly A1 were exposed in Block 1, a 22 m test unit

excavated in 2000 [22,23]. This structure (A1) is about

10 m long (NS) and 5 m wide (EW). A smaller

structure (A2) measuring 43 m lies off the SW corner

of anomaly A1 [25].

Anomaly A3 was located just west of the central

excavation block (Fig. 6). The eastwest linear feature

along the northern edge of this anomaly lines up with

the wall trench exposed along the N439490 grid line inthe Block 2 excavations (excavation of an 8 m12 m

block west of Block 2 during the summer of 2003

exposed large wall trenches in the exact locations where

the linear anomalies were recorded during the magnetic

survey. This long trench is either the north wall of a

large compound that contains two freestanding

structures (Features 4 and 14), or the wall of a long-

house with two large rooms [22,23]). Anomaly A3 also

includes linear features that seem to represent the west-

ern and southern walls of the longhouse (excavation

o f t h e 8 m12 m block west of Block 2 in 2003

confirmed this). A smaller square structure measuring33 m was identified adjacent to the north wall of

anomaly A3 (Fig. 6). The other architectural anomalies

(A5, A6, A7, A8, A10, and A11) form a tight arc

around the central excavation blocks (Fig. 6). None of

the linear features mapped by the magnetometer

survey overlap, and our excavations suggest that

while all of the structures at Veszto-Bikeri probably

were not inhabited or used at the same time, they were

all built or modified during a continuous occupation

episode.

4.3. Possible pits, kilns, or hearths

Several isolated circular anomalies have an NS axis

of symmetry that indicates that they were caused by the

presence of metal objects in the soil (B1 and B3 on Fig.

6). The high magnetic gradient anomaly (>250 nT/m)

identified at B15 was caused by a large metal fragment,

which masked an area of more than 44 m on the grid.

Anomaly B5 has a similar magnetic signature, and the

original high magnetic values near A6 also suggest the

presence of a metal fragment. In contrast, the lower

values of the vertical magnetic gradient (up to 30 nT/m)

in the area of B14 suggest that this anomaly mayrepresent a kiln, oven, or large hearth (excavations at

this location in summer 2003 revealed a series of super-

imposed thermal features that may be kilns or ovens).

Lower values (up to 7 nT/m) were recorded for mono-

pole anomalies B16, B17, B18, B19, B20, and B21, which

are all located slightly down slope along the western

edge of the feature concentration in the center of the site

(Fig. 6). These may be the geophysical signatures for a

series of smaller hearths, kilns, or ovens [25]. Anomalies

along the eastern edge of the central feature cluster

(B6, B8, B9, B10, B11, and B13) may identify similar

features.



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Fig. 7. Photograph (A), plan (B), and profile (B) of Block 5 at the end of the 2002 season, showing the ditches that correspond to circular magneto


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4.4. Settlement layout and organization

A few isolated anomalies lie outside of the central

cluster (Fig. 6). Several of these (B2, B7, B12, B22, and

B23) are located within the inner and outer circular

ditches, and two of them (B7 and B12) may be related to

discontinuities or entrances. Anomaly C3 near B7 mayalso mark an entranceway through the circular enclo-

sures [25]. Excavations will be undertaken during future

field seasons to determine what kinds of features are

located in the eastern and western arcs around the

central structures.

The signatures of the anomalies identified as A12

and A13 are not as distinctive. They are located near

(west of) a portion of the Veszto-Bikeri site where

human remains were found on the surface [21]. None the

less, the magnetometry survey revealed that there is a

dense concentration of anomalies at the center of the

site, and parts of several of these features were exposed

in the 2000, 2001, and 2002 excavations. While the

distribution of burned daub and artifacts on the surface

showed us where to find the rectangular structures

[22,23], there was no visible trace of the concentric,

circular ditches. The identification of these features

during the magnetic survey changed our interpretation

of the site. Bognar-Kutzian [7] had suggested that pali-

sades and defensive features became superfluous dur-

ing the Early Copper Age. This was a time when she

believed more peaceful conditions prevailed and there

were widespread interactions across the Great Hungar-

ian Plain. The triple enclosure around Veszto-Bikeri

suggests that times may not have been so peaceful afterall. Small portions of trenches or ditches have been

exposed at the handful of Tiszapolgar settlements

that have been partially excavated [7,21], but at Veszto-

Bikeri we have the first evidence that the entire settle-

ment was enclosed. We plan to employ geophysical

survey at other ECA sites to determine if concentric

circular ditches are present there as well.

The magnetic survey also revealed rectangular

anomalies (structures) in a dense cluster at the center of

the area encircled by the concentric ditches. The area

immediately surrounding the structures contains

anomalies that may represent kilns, ovens, hearths, orpits. Between the structures (and other features) at the

center of the settlement and the ditches surrounding

the settlement, there are relatively fewer magnetic

anomalies, suggesting that the area between the ditches

and the structures may have been free of subsurface

features and may have been used for keeping

domesticated animals and dumping trash (see below).

5. Soil chemistry survey at Veszto-Bikeri

The soil chemistry survey conducted by Doc Billingsley

and Michael Galaty [4] provided complementary

information about the layout and organization of the

Veszto-Bikeri site. Soil analysis provides information

about the chemical composition of anthropic soils at the

microscopic and elemental levels. Residues left over

from human activities or as byproducts of human occu-

pation may remain as chemical traces in soils, providing

evidence of human activity even when the artifactsassociated with these activities been cleaned up and

removed [18,19,27].

One of the most archaeologically significant compo-

nents of soil chemistry is the analysis of phosphorus, an

element that leaches from bones and organic tissues and

concentrates in locations where organic materials were

left to decay. In its phosphate ion form, phosphorus

becomes a relatively immobile compound in soils

(especially clays) and relative concentrations of phos-

phate in the soils at a site can be used to distinguish

between clean living and working areas, and locations

such as middens, dumps, stalls, and pastures where

organic residues were concentrated [3,8,18,19,24,27].

Soil chemistry survey is another nondestructive method

of data collection, and laboratory analysis of the

samples of sediment relies on inexpensive, simple, low-

hazard methods of chemical extraction and colorimetric

techniques [15,18,20].

Since Veszto-Bikeri is a single component ECA site

[22,23], interpretations of soil survey data are simplified

since most of the features at the site can be attributed to

the Tiszapolgar occupation. As noted above, geophysi-

cal prospection, surface collections, and previous exca-

vations showed that the site consisted of a central cluster

of large compounds or longhouse structures made ofwattle-and-daub. Magnetic signatures for kilns, ovens,

hearths and pits were mapped just outside of the central

cluster. An open space separated this central living area

from a midden ring or dumping zone that was enclosed

by a triple ring of concentric ditches and palisades.

Preliminary analyses of the faunal and floral remains

showed that the ECA inhabitants of Veszto-Bikeri

hunted, fished, and collected wild plants, and also raised

domesticated plants and animals (including barley,

wheat, sheep, goats, pigs, and cattle [21,23]. Soil survey

data was examined, and areas of high phosphorus

concentration were found outside of the central livingarea, suggesting the presence of animal pens or middens

where large quantities of organic waste materials would

have leaked phosphates into the soil.

5.1. Field sampling methods

Soil chemistry survey was conducted by collecting

samples at 10 m intervals along an 8080 m grid over

the site (Fig. 3). Additional samples were collected along

two 100 m transects that extended east and south

beyond the site limits. In addition, nine control points

were sampled to establish the natural background levels



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of phosphorus to be expected in the area near the site [4].

At each 10 m grid point (or control point) soil was

extracted from the buried cultural layer 0.450.50 m

below the surface using an Oakfield coring device. A

second soil sample was taken from a shallower depth

(0.150.20 m bs) at each point to test for modern

disturbances. The two 5 cm soil core segments weretaken from the sampling tube at the desired depths and

collected in sterilized twist-and-seal Whirlpak bags.

5.2. Laboratory methods

The quantifiable colorimetric analysis of available

Molybdate Reactive Phosphorus (MRP) content in each

soil sample was accomplished using a modification of

the methods outlined by Murphy and Riley [20]. This

method provides for the determination of extractable

particulate phosphorous (MRP) in soil samples using a

single solution. As directed by the Murphy and Riley

method [20], a mixed reagent consisting of 5 N sulphuricacid, ammonium molybdate, 0.1 M ascorbic acid, and

potassium antimonyl tartrate was prepared. Six-ml por-

tions of this solution were added to labeled test tubes,

each containing 1 g of pulverized and dried soil, and

stirred to promote solution of the soluble portion of the

sample. After a minimum of 20 min the test tubes were

centrifuged and a 5 ml aliquot of the bluish decantate

was transferred to a test tube specially calibrated for use

in a Beckman Spectrocolorimeter (Spec-20). This photo-

metric test tube was diluted to 10 ml with distilled,

de-ionized water and agitated to promote homogenous

color diffusion. The photometric test tube was placed inthe Spec-20 colorimeter and the light transmittance and

absorbance at 800 nm was measured and recorded. The

values returned are standardized and quantified, as they

are reported using a Spec-20 colorimeter. The data

attained from laboratory analysis were entered into

spreadsheets for further interpretation.

6. Results and interpretation

The extractable phosphorous (MRP) values at the

sample points on the site grid were used to create

contour maps (Fig. 3) [8]. The areas with the highestMRP levels are located at the perimeter of the site, while

consistently low levels were found in the central area

of the site. This pattern is consistent with the model

for agricultural settlements where residents removed

organic waste (high in phosphates) from living quarters

and deposited their trash in ring middens at the

perimeter of the site [16]. The low MRP levels in the area

around the central structures indicates that organic

waste was not a constituent of the daub that covered the

walls of these structures [4].

However, higher levels of MRP were also recorded in

the area where possible kilns, ovens, pits, or hearths

were mapped during the magnetic survey (Fig. 6,

anomalies B9, B10, B16, B17, B18, B19, B20, B21). The

extractable phosphorus (MRP) levels near these prob-

able cooking and food storage features were higher than

the levels in and near the structures, but lower than the

levels at the perimeter of the site. This suggests that not

as much organic refuse accumulated near these features.The highest MRP levels or hot spots at the perimeter

of the site where no features have been identified may

indicate that domesticated livestock were kept at these

locations [8,27]. Further excavations are needed to

confirm these hypotheses.

6.1. The southern and eastern transects

Extractable phosphorus (MRP) levels were also

recorded in the two transects extending 100 m east and

south of the site to establish settlement boundaries and

provide additional background values. In the south

transect for the entire 100 m, MRP levels drop to withinthe natural background values that were established

using the random samples that were collected away from

the site (see above). This establishes the southern bound-

ary of the settlement at the line of concentric ditches and

also implies that modern agricultural practices have not

affected the background levels of MRP. The eastern

transect contains several points within these natural

background limits, however, approximately 55 m east of

the outer circular ditch (grid point 664190) east and

extending 70 m to the end of the transect (at grid point

E664260), extractable phosphorous (MRP) rises to

levels similar to the highest concentrations found at theperimeter of Veszto-Bikeri (Fig. 3). However, since only

modern debris is found on the surface here, and no

Neolithic or Copper Age sites were recorded at this

location during the Hungarian pedestrian surveys

[7,10,13,14], the high MRP values here are probably

associated with recent farming activities.

7. Conclusions

Nondestructive geophysical prospection and soil

chemical analysis at the site of Veszto-Bikeri provided

new data that have helped us reconstruct the layout andorganization of a small dispersed agricultural settlement.

Controlled surface collections and test excavations

established the integrity of the site and the fact that

it was only occupied during the early Copper Age

(Tiszapolgar culture 45003900 cal BC [22,23]). How-

ever, prior to the magnetic and soil chemical surveys, the

boundaries of the site and the number and organization

of the Tiszapolgar households at the site were not

known. This work has shown that at the Veszto-Bikeri

site a central cluster of 10 or 12 wall trench compounds

and structures made of wattle-and-daub are flanked on

the east and west by kilns, ovens, hearths and pits. An



12/13

open space separates this central living area from a ring

midden or dumping zone that is enclosed by a triple ring

of concentric ditches and palisades (Figs. 3 and 6, and

Fig. 7). Livestock may have been penned or tethered

inside these enclosures.

While further excavations are needed to establish

ground truth for the entire settlement layout, a workingmodel of an ECA settlement and its organization has

been created and employed in our ongoing studies of the

NeolithicCopper Age transition on the Great Hungar-

ian Plain (ca 4500 BC). This transformation is marked

by dramatic changes in house form, site layout, settle-

ment distribution, and mortuary customs. The transition

was part of a broad wave of culture change that spread

across southeastern Europe [2123]. Late Neolithic/

Early Copper Age populations dispersed and aban-

doned the large villages and tells that had been inhabited

for generations and adopted new lifestyles. This trans-

formation affected nearly every aspect of social organi-

zation, from households and villages to regional

cultures. By combining the results of nondestructive

surveys with excavated data, we can reconstruct the

layout and internal organization of the small, dispersed

Early Copper Age (ECA) sites that were inhabited after

the large nucleated Late Neolithic (LN) settlements were

abandoned. It appears that each of the large household

groups that lived together at tells and large nucleated

sites moved to a new location and established a separate

settlement. Our data suggest that the households at the

large Late Neolithic sites become separate Early Copper

Age sites (hence the seven-fold increase in site numbers

from the LN to ECA periods in the Koros River Valley[21]). The rooms within the large LN houses become

discrete structures at the ECA settlements. While the

causes of these changes are still unclear, the results of

our nondestructive surveys and our excavations at

Veszto-Bikeri have provided us with a framework for

future investigations.

Acknowledgements

Doc Billingsley and Robert Tate, the undergraduate

participants in this study, were supported by a grant

from the National Science Foundation Research Experi-ences for Undergraduates (REU) Program. Additional

support for the project was provided by the National

Science Foundation US-Hungarian Cooperative

Research Program, the Magyar-Amerikai Kutatasi

Egyuttmukodes Program, the Wenner-Gren Foundation

for Anthropological Research, Ohio State University,

Florida State University, and Millsaps College.

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Sarris_et_al._2004_JAS_Geophysical Prospection and Soil Chemistry at the Early Copper