Abstract

This work deals with basic problems accompaning the use of red dye on the Polish Lowlands in the period aprox. between the 7th and 3 rd millenium B.C. (cultures of: Komornice, Chojnice-Pieńki, Janisławice, neolithic cultures of southern origin, culture of funnel shaped cups). The mineral was mined in Rydno in the vicinity of Skarżysko-Kamienna. The population of the Chojnice-Pieńki culture and of the Danubian Cultures, that is the population not living in the Rydno region, obtained it most probably through trade or acquired it from other territories. The mineral was then ground to powder, traces of which were found in the shape of tools and haematitic dust not only in Rydno, but in other sites of the above mentioned cultures. Prepared dye was use, according to archeological research in two ways: The first one was painting, ceramic vessels, carried on in the Lenguel-Polgaisk circle. The second one was dying of burials. There are examples from all mentioned cultures except the Komornice culture and the funnel-shaped vessels culture. The latter case is still more striking when we remember that all the cultures where the funel-shaped cups appear, used the red dye in their funeral ceremonies. There are four theorethical possibilities of solving this problem: 1. The reason for using the red dye came no longer into consideration; 2. The custom was continued, but in the face of a weak state of research was not discovered; 3. The custom was continued, the graves are known, but in the face of lacking characteristics we do not connect them with the funnel-shaped cups culture: 4. An equivalent of mineral dye arose a. unidentified by us; b. unpreserved. In the light of known archaeological facts points 3 and 4 should be taken into consideration. The work is supplemented with basic informations about widely understood anthropological problems of colours.