Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports xxx (xxxx) 102982 Contents lists available at ScienceDirect Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/jasrep Bucrania revisited: Exploring the chaîne opératoire of bucranium fgurines of the Körös culture from the 6th millennium Attila Kreiter a, ⁎ , Zoltán May b , Ákos Pető c , Mária Tóth d , Bernadett Bajnóczi d , László Máté a , Orsolya Viktorik a , Lénárd Szabó e , Antal Sklánitz e , Zsuzsanna Mészáros Kis e , Mária Gődény f , Zsolt Cseri f , Pál Raczky g a Hu ngarian Nation al Mu seum, La borato ry for Applied Research, H-1113 Buda pest, Daróci u, Hu ngary b Institute of Ma terials and Environmental Ch emistry, Research Centre for Natural Sciences, Plasma Ch emistry Research Grou p, H-1117 Budapest, Ma gyar tudó sok kö rútja 2, Hu ngary c Szent István University, Fa culty of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, Institute for Natural Resources Co nservation , H-2100 Gödö llő, Páter Károly utca 1, Hungary d Institute for Geological and Geochemical Research, Research Centre for Astronomy and Earth Sciences, H-1112 Budapest, Budaörsi út 45, Hu ngary e Continental Automotive Hungary Kft. H-1106, Napmátka u. 6, Hungary f National Institute of Oncology, H-1122 Budapest, Ráth György u. 7–9, Hungary g Eötvös Lo ránd University Institute of Archaeological Sciences, H-1088 Budapest, Mú zeum krt. 4/B, Hu ngary ARTICLE INFO Keywords: Körös culture Early Neolithic Figurine Bull/cow representation Bucrania Ceramic technology Phytolith ICP-OES/MS XR D Chaff temper Chaîne opératoire ABSTRACT An Early Neolithic, Körös culture settlement was excavated in 1977 –78 at Szolnok-Szanda in the heartland of the Great Hungarian Plain in Hungary. The eastern part of House 4 yielded three stylised bucranium fg- urines which were originally attached to a four-legged table-like stand. A similar fgurine came to light in 19 77 at Szajol-Felsőföld, lying a few kilome tres from this site. This fgurine is highly fragmented and only its upper part remained. The practice of domestication and animal husbandry are important topics in the Early Neolithic of the Carpathian Basin. However, the technology of cattle representations and the social role of cattle have not been analysed systematically in Hungary. Two of the fgurines from Szolnok were not completely recon- structed, revealing that they were created in multiple phases. In order to better understand the construction of the fgurines, computed tomography (CT), microscopic fabric analysis, geochemical analyses (ICP-OES/MS and XRD), and phytolith analysis were undertaken. The various techniques employed in the analysis of the fgurines yielded a wealth of information that opens new avenues of interpretation concerning how these objects were made and how they may have been utilised. The results indicate that the fgurines from Szolnok were created during two distinct manufacturing episodes, and that the fgurines were fred after the frst manufacturing episode, implying that they were utilised, which was followed by another building episode and fring. The application of interdisciplinary methods highlights the complexity of these fgurines and the operation of symbolic systems represented by these objects in the Early Neolithic of Hungary. 1. Introduction One of the most exciting moments during the investigation of the Körös site at Szolnok-Szanda, Tenyősziget-Dersi-gát (Kalicz and Raczky, 1982) came during the excavation of the burnt debris of one of the settlement’ s buildings on May 12, 1978, when the fragments of burnt clay fgurines were discovered in the north-eastern corner of House 4 (Fig. 1: 1, 2, 4). The fa bric of the fgurine fragments resembled that of burnt daub, but they actually belonged to three unique clay fg- urines (Figurines 1–3 in this study), each modelled in the form of a stylised horn set in the centre of a four-legged stand (Kalicz and Raczky, 1981, Pl. 1, Pl. 2, Pl. 3, Pl. 4, Pl. 5, 1–2). A fragment of a similar fgurine was also found in the burnt debris of House 2, excavated in 1977 (Kalicz and Raczky, 1981, Pl. 5, 3a–b). Yet another similar horned ⁎ Corresponding author. E-mail address: attila.kreiter@gmail.com (A. Kreiter). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jasrep.2021.102982 Received 14 December 2020; Received in revised form 31 March 2021; Accepted 5 April 2021 2352-409/© 2021