A Feature (Cx 96) of the Gáva Culture from Sânpaul–Usturiș (Cluj County): A First Assessment of Its Absolute Chronology Cover Image

Un complex (Cx 96) al culturii Gáva din situl de la Sânpaul–Usturiș (județul Cluj): o primă evaluare a cronologiei sale absolute
A Feature (Cx 96) of the Gáva Culture from Sânpaul–Usturiș (Cluj County): A First Assessment of Its Absolute Chronology

Author(s): Mihai Rotea, Nona Palincaș, Dinu Bereteu, Mihai Netea, Lavinia Grumeza, Ioniță Petiș, Ionuţ Isaia Jeican, Diana Bindea, Dana-Alexandra Valea, Gabriela Sava, Tiberiu Bogdan Sava, Mircea Răchită, Cristina Cordoş, Sebastian Danciu
Subject(s): History, Archaeology, Local History / Microhistory, Prehistory
Published by: COMPLEXUL MUZEAL BISTRIȚA-NĂSĂUD

Summary/Abstract: Feature 96 (Cx 96) from Site 9 at Sânpaul–Usturiș is a unique discovery in the Gáva culture. This feature is a pit in which were found: a partial human skeleton, one unattached human long bone, the complete skeleton of a hare, a part of a channeled amphora and various other potsherds, a small fragment of a hearth-surface, and a fragment of a sandstone with traces of burning. The characteristics of the feature shed new light on our knowledge of the ritual practices of the Gáva communities. Based on parallels of the pottery and the radiocarbon dates obtained for the human and hare skeletons, it could be established that the feature dates to the interval 985–843 cal BC. Correlations with other discoveries dated by radiocarbon allow the narrowing down of this interval to the first half of the 10th century BC. Therefore, we consider that this archaeological feature can be attributed to the end of the second phase or the beginning of the third phase of the Gáva culture — i.e., it belongs to the Early Iron Age at the chronological level corresponding to the Ha B1 horizon in the chronology based on metal objects.

  • Issue Year: XXXV/2021
  • Issue No: 34-35
  • Page Range: 17-43
  • Page Count: 27
  • Language: English
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