kovacstim@freemail.hu

Neolithic daub fragments collected from two archaeological sites (Vörs, Somogy county, Kup-Egyes, Veszprém county) between 1999 and 2003 were investigated.

Daub is the term used for different parts of a whattle-walled house (wall, floor, kiln). It can be preseved by occasional or intentional burning of the building. It is a common and frequent component of most archaeologic sites, however, it is typically not studied in details.

I have examined altogether 500 pieces from the two sites. After the macroscopical description I assorted them and chose 45 representative specimens for detailed petrographical microscopical analysis.

According to the microscopical analysis the raw material was clay with aleurite or fine-sand at both sites. The main difference is that the daub fragments at Vörs are not carbonatic, they may contain only a few detrital carbonate grains, but the ones from Kup have a carbonatic matrix.

At Vörs the matrix contains iron-oxide and it includes a great amount of 0,1-0,2 mm sized, subrounded, mono- and polycrystalline, metamorphic quartz, variable amount of micas (muscovite and biotite), a few grains of feldspar and metamorphic rock fragments, and rarely carbonatic fragments. Usual accessories observed are tourmaline, zircon and garnet.

According to the macro- and microscopical observations I could separate 3 groups among the daub fragments from Vörs. The pieces in the first group contain quite a lot of plant-detritus, they are porous and their average grain size is aleuritic. The colour of the groundmass can be reddish brown or gray depending on the atmosphere of the burning and the amount of the organic material. The less porous ones compose the second group, they contain only a few plant-detritus and more micas, their average grain size is coarser (aleurite-fine-sand). There are only two pieces in the third group, having a very fine grained structure (clay), and low porosity, which means that there were no plants in them. The surface of the first two groups often contains traces of smoothing or prints of smaller-bigger branches and planks.

At Kup the matrix is carbonatic but the clasts and accessories are quite similar to the ones at Vörs. The quantity of the clasts can be very diverse even in one piece. It suggests that at least two different types of raw material were used here, different in grain size and the quantity of the clasts. The two types of raw material occur also as mixed, observable as the two different kind of raw material was not homogenized perfectly.

The daub fragments at Kup can be separated into two main groups: The first includes pieces which are porous and their average grain size is aleurite, but they can contain some coarser grains as well. Those in the second group are compact and they usually have a floated, sometimes painted surface. It is possible to separate further sub-groups in the two main ones according to the grain size, the quantity of the plant-detritus and the structural marks (floated surfaces, moulds of branches etc.).

In the framework of the current project we are planning to study 10 pieces, selected on the basis of the petrographical observations, by more sophisticated analythical methgods: chemical analysis (NAA, XRF) and X-ray diffraction. These examinations can provide more information concerning the origin of the raw material, the technology of the manufacturing and the type of the carbonate (primary, secondary or artificial). We are also comparing the results with observations on local pottery and local sediments.