International Symposium 

The Carpathian Basin and Its Role in the Neolithisation of the Balkan Peninsula 

Sibiu, 18-20 mai 2007 

The development of pottery styles at the Central European Linearbankeramik settlement of Balatonszárszó-Kis-erdei-dűlő in Hungary

Tibor Marton

The basic chronological sequence and stylistic variations of the Central European Linearbandkermik (LBK) in western Hungary have already been defined by archaeological research. Beyond the typological arguments, the appearance of certain stylistic groups separately at certain sites was another important factor in the characterization of the groups and the phases.

In the past few years a large LBK settlement was excavated at Balatonszárszó-Kis-erdei-dűlő. Through the investigation of a continuous and long-lived habitation site it became possible to study the development of pottery within one settlement. The ceramic material includes shapes and decorative motifs characteristic for both the earlier and later LBK periods, and through their distribution the internal chronology of the site can be reconstructed.

The ceramic material from the north-eastern part of the settlement can be identified as belonging to the earlier – the so-called Bicske-Bíňa – phase of the LBK. In the later phases the development of Keszthely type pottery is continuous and is associated with a minimal amount of Notenkopf pottery and an increasing amount of Zseliz/Želiezovce type pottery.

The main focus of this study is the transition between the earlier and later phases of the LBK and the formation of the Keszthely pottery style.