A kunok emlékanyagával foglalkozó kutatók számára ismert lelet az egyik Karcag–Orgondaszentmiklós... more A kunok emlékanyagával foglalkozó kutatók számára ismert lelet az egyik Karcag–Orgondaszentmiklóson feltárt temetkezésből származó kerek csat, melyen rovásjelek láthatóak. A kerek csatok jellegzetes elemei a 12–15. századi viseletnek, a tárgytípus virágkora a 13–14. századra tehető, hazánk területén főként a 14. század középső és utolsó harmadában voltak jelen. A feliratos kerek csatok használata számos európai területen kimutatható, fő elterjedési területük Franciaországtól Oroszországig, Finnországtól Montenegróig terjed (1. ábra). Magyarországon jelenleg 30 példány ismert 20 lelőhelyről, a Kárpát-medencében pedig 41 tárgy adatolt 25 lelőhelyről (2. ábra). Ez a szám még valószínűleg emelkedni a fog a fémdetektoros kutatás fellendülésének eredményeként. A legtöbb Kárpát-medencei feliratos kerek csaton keresztény tartalmú gótikus szöveget olvashatunk, de emellett öt rovásfeliratos, és egy „tamgaszerű díszítéssel” ellátott példányt is ismerünk (3. ábra). Az orgondaszentmiklósi rovásfeliratos csat (4. ábra 1) sokáig egyedülálló lelet volt, azonban az utóbbi években négy további csat is előkerült: Cséffa / Cefa-La Pâdura, középkori Radvány, Románia, Bihar megye (4. ábra 2); Békés megye, ismeretlen lelőhely (3. ábra 3); Mezőberény–Laposi kertek alja I. (4. ábra 4); Tótkomlós–Gyümölcsös, 53-as tábla, középkori Komlós (4. ábra 5). Az orgondaszentmiklósi, a Békés megyei, a mezőberényi és a komlósi csaton végzett XRF vizsgálat alapján valamennyi tárgy rézcink-ötvözetből készült, összetételüket több mint 85% Cu és 8–12% Zn tartalom jellemzi (5. ábra), ami a tombak elnevezésű ötvözettel azonosítható. Olykor változó arányban, de kis mennyiségben vannak jelen az egyéb alkotók: Pb (1,57–2,8%), Fe (0,54–1,004%), Sn (0,444–1,05%) és Ni (0,016–0,058%). A vizsgált tárgyak kémiai összetétele nagy hasonlóságot mutat, a mezőberényi és a komlósi csat esetében a Cu-Zn arányban látható egy kis eltérés a másik két lelethez képest (6. ábra). Viseleti módjukat az orgondaszentmiklósi és a radványi csat esetében lehetett megfigyelni: az előbbi esetben a medence tájékán, míg a másik esetben a váll környékén került elő. Feliratuk azonos jelekből áll és ugyanazt a három plusz két karakter felépítést mutatja, csupán a mintasor hosszúsága eltérő, ami a csatok méretbeli különbözőségéből ered. Alapvetően elfogadjuk Hakan Aydemir feloldási javaslatát, melynek jelentése ’Szedesz dicséret[é]-re / dicséret[é]-re / dicséret[é]-re / dicséret’. Ugyanakkor a párhuzamok miatt úgy véljük, hogy a „szedesz” szóként értelmezett jel nem rovásjel, hanem egy kereszt. Eszerint a kereszt által megjelenített kereszténység vagy a keresztfa, és így a Megváltó dicséretét hirdetheti a felirat. A rovásfeliratos csatok nemcsak a Kárpát-medencei, de általában véve az európai feliratos kerek csatok körében is egy különálló csoportot (altípust) képeznek, melyek elterjedési területe egy szűk régióban, a Maros-Körös köze területében határozható meg, de kis részben a Nagykunságot is érinti (7–8. ábra). Ezeket a tárgyakat a nyugat- és észak-európai társaik mintájára, azonban gyengébb kivitelben, és feltehetően helyben készítették. Használatuk a 14. század közepére – második felére tehető. Különleges feliratuk, valamint a történeti és régészeti adatok alapján viselőik között kunokat sejthetünk, akikhez a ferences térítés által kerülhettek ezek a tárgyak.
From Orgondaszentmiklós to Komlós
Recent finds of medieval buckles from the Maros–Körös köze reg... more From Orgondaszentmiklós to Komlós
Recent finds of medieval buckles from the Maros–Körös köze region. The circular buckle ornamented with runiform signs was excavated from grave no. 170 of the settlement cemetery in Karcag-Orgondaszentmiklós. For a long time the buckle was the only epigraphic memory of the Cumans who moved to Hungary and it once again directed the attention to the issue of Cuman literacy. According to the proposed interpretation, the signs are characters from the Szekler runiform alphabet and can be read as a text in Turkish or perhaps Cuman, yet the linkage between the Cuman and Szekler runiform scripts has not been revealed. Recently, newer finds, all excavated in the region of the Maros–Körös köze, have expanded the range of circular buckles with runiform signs. Having studied the buckles typically with religious content and Gothic inscriptions we have proposed to modify the text and identified Franciscans who both knew the Cuman language and the Szekler letters as the makers of the objects in the middle and second half of the 14th century. In addition, it was at that time that Franciscans succeeded to convert the Cumans who had been Christians only in externals. The presence of the memory group in the region also indicates that Cuman groups may have remained in the former Cuman settlement area even after the Battle of Hód (1282).
This study reports on an Árpád Period site in Mezőhegyes, where remains of an interesting structu... more This study reports on an Árpád Period site in Mezőhegyes, where remains of an interesting structure were unearthed. Based on the design of the brickwork feature and the significant amount of corrupted roof tiles found in and around it, the structure must have functioned as a roof tile kiln. The best analogies for these roof tiles are found primarily in France (e.g., in Pontigny, Vermenton and Auxerre) and in Egres (Igriș, present-day Romania). Based on the findings, the analogies, and the history of Egres, it seems that the roof tile kiln of Mezőhegyes operated in the 12th century and can be connected to the activities of the Cistercian Order.
A tanulmány egy mezőhegyesi Árpád-kori lelőhelyről számol be, ahol egy érdekes építmény maradvány... more A tanulmány egy mezőhegyesi Árpád-kori lelőhelyről számol be, ahol egy érdekes építmény maradványa látott napvilágot. A téglából épített objektum kialakítása, illetve a benne és körülötte talált jelentős mennyiségű rontott tetőcserép alapján tetőcserép-égető kemenceként funkcionált az építmény, melyhez hasonlót viszonylag keveset ismerünk. A Mezőhegyesen lelt tetőcserepek különlegesnek számítanak a magyarországi régészeti anyagban, párhuzamaikat különböző franciaországi épületkerámiák, valamint az egresi monostor újabban feltárt leletei között találtuk meg, ami egy érdekes kapcsolatrendszert vetít elénk.
Gellértegyháza and some related questions
The concept of the so-called Gellértegyháza-type cemet... more Gellértegyháza and some related questions
The concept of the so-called Gellértegyháza-type cemetery is well-known among archaeologists in Hungary. This term usually refers to cemeteries where the transition between an earlier pagan burial site and a subsequent phase with burials around a church can clearly be observed. In other words, at these sites, a former pagan burial place was later used as a Christian cemetery. Paradoxically, it has still not been clarified whether the eponymous site itself is indeed a “Gellértegyház-type” cemetery in this sense. The aim of this paper is to identify the controversies around the cemetery excavated in Orosháza–Rákóczitelep, Újosztás, which had been identified as the cemetery of the settlement called Gellértegyháza, and to provide some explanations where possible. The site is situated in the western outskirts of Orosháza, on the brow of a hill running from northwest to southeast. Only the northern and the southern parts of the hill are under agricultural cultivation today. Large-scale excavation works were carried out at the site of the former church and cemetery between 1949 and 1950, when the establishment of a military training ground was planned there. The middle part of the hill brow was removed. Today this area functions as the Gellértegyháza Historical Park (Map 1). The earthmoving activities uncovered some human bones, which was reported to the relevant authorities. Following this, archaeologist Elemér Zalotay unearthed 344 graves in 1951, and further 336 graves in 1952 [Map 2: 1–2]. Rescue excavations carried out by Irene Juhász in 1970 uncovered further two graves. A more recent field survey combined with metal detecting research revealed that the settlement was situated north from the cemetery and church, on the same hill brow. The dividing line between the settlement and the cemetery might have run somewhere by the northern border of today’s historical park [Map 3]. The revision of the archaeological documentation, the archival documents, and the archaeological finds contributed significantly to our knowledge about the cemetery excavated at Rákóczitelep compared to the observations presented in the publication from 1957. The validity of the information coming from the excavation carried out sixty-five years ago has been questioned, though the documents stored in the database of the Nagy Gyula Regional Museum (Orosháza), especially the photos taken during the excavation serve as reliable evidence regarding the ground plan of the church, the environment of the cemetery, and the location of the graves. Zalotay’s observations as presented in his notes are supported by the analysis of the finds. The most recent research confirmed that the cemetery fragment excavated at Orosháza–Rákóczitelep, Újosztás was in use for at least one hundred years, and during this period, three phases can be distinguished. The cemetery seems to have been established at the end of the 10th or the beginning of the 11th century, and the first burials still display the traces of pagan traditions (burial with horse, the presence of pagan symbols, everyday objects placed in the grave, etc.). Such traces could be observed, for example, in grave No. 374 [Table 2: 3; Table 6: 14; Table 7: 6; Table 8: 1; Table 9: 2–3]. Later, as a result of Christianization, the number of grave goods decreased, and it appears that pagan rites were gradually abandoned. In the second phase of the cemetery, the number of finds is significantly lower than in the first phase. Some characteristic finds are clothing accessories (an S-terminalled lockring, a few beads) and coins of King Solomon (1063–1074) and King László I (1077–1095) [Table 5: 1–3]. Sometime during the 11th century, they started to build a brick church with a horseshoe-shaped apse [Table 1: 1–4], which, from that time on, defined the arrangement of the newly established graves until the cemetery ceased to function. The graves from this third phase of the cemetery contained only a few finds which were mostly clothing accessories, such as a ribbed S-terminalled lockring, finger rings, earrings, a buckle [Table 6: 3; Table 7: 1; Table 6: 6; Table 7: 5] and in some cases 12th century anonymous coins were deposited with the dead [Table 5: 4–6]. Burials established in the first phase of the cemetery were scattered along the brow of the hill, in a northwest-southeast direction. Graves from the second phase were identified mostly at the southern part of the hill, while those from the third phase were located north from this area, around the church. Both the archaeological and the suggest that the three phases were consecutive, which testifies of the process of Christianization. Consequently, it is justified to label the burial site at Rákóczitelep as a “Gellértegyháza-type” cemetery, though the identification of the village connected to the cemetery as Gellértegyháza represents another research problem. Since this identification can neither be proved nor disproved according to our present knowledge, we suggest using the name Orosháza–Rákóczitelep, Újosztás for the archaeological site.
The paper deals with the 14th century annular buckles (or brooches) with runic inscriptions. We e... more The paper deals with the 14th century annular buckles (or brooches) with runic inscriptions. We examine the possible meaning of these texts and the relation of these objects to Cumans.
A pdf-ben az oldalszámok elcsúsztak, a cikk helyes terjedelme: 261-278. The page numbers in the pdf have slipped, the correct length of the article is 261-278.
The study summarizes the results of the archaeological and numismatic examination of the treasure... more The study summarizes the results of the archaeological and numismatic examination of the treasure trove of Kopáncs-puszta, which was partially found already in 1919 and then rediscovered in the course of metal detector research and rescue excavation in 2017-2018.
A tanulmány az 1919-ben részben már megtalált, majd 2017-2018 folyamán fémdetektoros kutatás és mentő feltárás keretében újra felfedezett Kopáncs-pusztai kincslelet régészeti és numizmatikai szempontú vizsgálatának eddigi eredményeit foglalja össze.
Short summary of the results of the excavation in Mezőhegyes in 2017, where we discovered the edg... more Short summary of the results of the excavation in Mezőhegyes in 2017, where we discovered the edge of a cemetery around a church and a roof tile kiln from the Arpadian Age in addition to an earlier ditch. Fragments of various roof tiles from the kiln and the area of the cemetery were also found in large quantities.
Rövid összefoglaló a 2017-es mezőhegyesi ásatás eredményeiről, melynek során egy korábbi árok mellett egy templom körüli temető szélső sírjait, és egy Árpád-kori tetőcserép-égető kemencét sikerült feltárnunk. A kemence környékéről és a temető területéről nagy mennyiségben különböző tetőcserepek töredékei is napvilágot láttak.
European University organised a round-table discussion. Many people are interested in searching f... more European University organised a round-table discussion. Many people are interested in searching for archaeological treasures, and the metal detector is one of the modern tools that can be used for this purpose. Yet not everyone is permitted to work with metal-detecting instruments. For private individuals, seeking finds at archaeological sites is actually illegal because, as they collect the items they seek, they destroy the sites. Only archaeologists are permitted to move objects at archaeological sites, and even they may only do so with a permit and with appropriate documentation. At the same time, the profession of archaeology has recognised the possible role that metal detectors and their highly-skilled amateur operators can play in modern research. The conversation concerned the new situation created by an amendment to the legislation regulating heritage protection, which has created an opportunity for amateur metal-detector operators to participate in archaeological research, and there are already several good examples of that form of cooperation. We invited to join the discussion archaeologists, museum managers and metal detector operators with experience and results in this field, whose collaboration may serve as an example for similar future initiatives.
The site is situated in the western outskirts of Orosháza, on a brow of hill in the northwest-sou... more The site is situated in the western outskirts of Orosháza, on a brow of hill in the northwest-southeast direction, of which only the north and the south part extend through the fields today. Between 1949 and 1950 large-scale excavation work was carried out on the site of the former church and cemetery, as a military training ground was planned to set up there. The middle part of the spine of the hill was removed then and now it currently operates as a historical park (Gellértegyháza Historical Park). During the earthworks human bones became found, which was reported to the competent authority. Then Elemér Zalotay revealed additional 344 graves in 1951, then 336 ones in 1952. In 1970, Irene Juhász also conducted a rescue excavation, discovering two more graves. In the recent past field survey and metal detection research were also conducted at the site, according to which it can be stated that the settlement was situated in the north to the cemetery and the church, on the other part of the same spine of the hill, whose southern part was a burial place. The border between the settlement and the cemetery might have spread somewhere on the northern edge of the today’s historical park. In archaeologist circles the concept of the so-called Gellértegyháza-type cemetery is well-known, which concept usually refers to those cemeteries in which both the early pagan antecedents and the subsequent burials around the church form a tangible and well-defined transition. In other words, the former pagan burial place became used as a Christian cemetery henceforth. However, it has still not been clarified whether the eponymous site itself is really a Gellértegyház-type cemetery. Based on recent research it can be affirmed that the part of the cemetery excavated in Orosháza- Rákóczitelep-Újosztás had been in use for 150-160 years at least, and during this time period we can distinguish three periods. The cemetery might have been opened in the end of the 10th and the beginning of the 11th century, and the first burials still show pagan traditions (burial with horse, the presence of pagan symbols, everyday objects placed in the grave etc.). Later on, as a result of Christian proselytizing the number of appendices decreased, the application of the pagan-type rites gradually disappeared. In the second phase, compared to the first, the number of finds is significantly lower, and pieces of wear (S-ended hair ring, few beads) as well as coins of Solomon (1063-1074) and Géza I (1074-1077) characterize these burials. Sometime during the 11th century brick churches with horseshoe-arched apse began to be built, which henceforward had played a central role regarding the organization of the newer graves until the cemetery finished to function. The graves in the third period contained finds sporadically which are usually pieces of wear such as ribbed S-ended hair ring, finger rings, ear rings, buckle and in some cases coins used as obulus, the coins of Béla II (1131-1141) and Géza II (1141-1162). The burials in the first period were situated sporadically on the spine of the hill in Northwest-Southeast direction, and the graves of the second period were formed mainly on the Southern part of the hill, while the deceased of the third period were laid to rest, to the North of the aforementioned period, in the surrounding area of the church. The archaeological and anthropological data also confirm that the three periods were in continuity with one another, and it illustrates well the process of becoming Christian. Based on these the burial site at Rákóczitelep can be called Gellértegyháza-type cemetery, though the term „Gellértegyháza” itself is debatable. In 2016 we carried out an excavation jointly with Zoltán Rózsa at the site with the help of the colleagues of the Orosházi Museum, archaeologist students from the University of Szeged and some local residents interested. During the excavation we succeeded in revealing some part of the cemetery around the church, including remains of 77 persons. We have not been able to verify completely the excavation results published by Zalotay due to high degree of movement of earth, however, we have managed to make important observations in terms of, for instance, burial traditions in the 11th and 12nd century, the superposition at the graves, the forms of tombs and wear elements. The most recent artifacts of the excavation include two coins (Béla II and Géza II), coffin pegs, iron clasps, rings and hair rings (among them ones with ribbed S-ending). Further findings to mention are the pottery fragments that were placed one at a time in the graves as well as brick fragments partly found in the graves and scattered. The cemetery extended over the verge of the IV segment opened in 2016 towards all corners therefore there will be possibility to carry on further research and answer still unclarified questions. Based on the so far revealed nearly 760 graves - not counting the many hundred destroyed burials - a long-functioned burial place emerges with great number of graves in front of us.
A kunok emlékanyagával foglalkozó kutatók számára ismert lelet az egyik Karcag–Orgondaszentmiklós... more A kunok emlékanyagával foglalkozó kutatók számára ismert lelet az egyik Karcag–Orgondaszentmiklóson feltárt temetkezésből származó kerek csat, melyen rovásjelek láthatóak. A kerek csatok jellegzetes elemei a 12–15. századi viseletnek, a tárgytípus virágkora a 13–14. századra tehető, hazánk területén főként a 14. század középső és utolsó harmadában voltak jelen. A feliratos kerek csatok használata számos európai területen kimutatható, fő elterjedési területük Franciaországtól Oroszországig, Finnországtól Montenegróig terjed (1. ábra). Magyarországon jelenleg 30 példány ismert 20 lelőhelyről, a Kárpát-medencében pedig 41 tárgy adatolt 25 lelőhelyről (2. ábra). Ez a szám még valószínűleg emelkedni a fog a fémdetektoros kutatás fellendülésének eredményeként. A legtöbb Kárpát-medencei feliratos kerek csaton keresztény tartalmú gótikus szöveget olvashatunk, de emellett öt rovásfeliratos, és egy „tamgaszerű díszítéssel” ellátott példányt is ismerünk (3. ábra). Az orgondaszentmiklósi rovásfeliratos csat (4. ábra 1) sokáig egyedülálló lelet volt, azonban az utóbbi években négy további csat is előkerült: Cséffa / Cefa-La Pâdura, középkori Radvány, Románia, Bihar megye (4. ábra 2); Békés megye, ismeretlen lelőhely (3. ábra 3); Mezőberény–Laposi kertek alja I. (4. ábra 4); Tótkomlós–Gyümölcsös, 53-as tábla, középkori Komlós (4. ábra 5). Az orgondaszentmiklósi, a Békés megyei, a mezőberényi és a komlósi csaton végzett XRF vizsgálat alapján valamennyi tárgy rézcink-ötvözetből készült, összetételüket több mint 85% Cu és 8–12% Zn tartalom jellemzi (5. ábra), ami a tombak elnevezésű ötvözettel azonosítható. Olykor változó arányban, de kis mennyiségben vannak jelen az egyéb alkotók: Pb (1,57–2,8%), Fe (0,54–1,004%), Sn (0,444–1,05%) és Ni (0,016–0,058%). A vizsgált tárgyak kémiai összetétele nagy hasonlóságot mutat, a mezőberényi és a komlósi csat esetében a Cu-Zn arányban látható egy kis eltérés a másik két lelethez képest (6. ábra). Viseleti módjukat az orgondaszentmiklósi és a radványi csat esetében lehetett megfigyelni: az előbbi esetben a medence tájékán, míg a másik esetben a váll környékén került elő. Feliratuk azonos jelekből áll és ugyanazt a három plusz két karakter felépítést mutatja, csupán a mintasor hosszúsága eltérő, ami a csatok méretbeli különbözőségéből ered. Alapvetően elfogadjuk Hakan Aydemir feloldási javaslatát, melynek jelentése ’Szedesz dicséret[é]-re / dicséret[é]-re / dicséret[é]-re / dicséret’. Ugyanakkor a párhuzamok miatt úgy véljük, hogy a „szedesz” szóként értelmezett jel nem rovásjel, hanem egy kereszt. Eszerint a kereszt által megjelenített kereszténység vagy a keresztfa, és így a Megváltó dicséretét hirdetheti a felirat. A rovásfeliratos csatok nemcsak a Kárpát-medencei, de általában véve az európai feliratos kerek csatok körében is egy különálló csoportot (altípust) képeznek, melyek elterjedési területe egy szűk régióban, a Maros-Körös köze területében határozható meg, de kis részben a Nagykunságot is érinti (7–8. ábra). Ezeket a tárgyakat a nyugat- és észak-európai társaik mintájára, azonban gyengébb kivitelben, és feltehetően helyben készítették. Használatuk a 14. század közepére – második felére tehető. Különleges feliratuk, valamint a történeti és régészeti adatok alapján viselőik között kunokat sejthetünk, akikhez a ferences térítés által kerülhettek ezek a tárgyak.
From Orgondaszentmiklós to Komlós
Recent finds of medieval buckles from the Maros–Körös köze reg... more From Orgondaszentmiklós to Komlós
Recent finds of medieval buckles from the Maros–Körös köze region. The circular buckle ornamented with runiform signs was excavated from grave no. 170 of the settlement cemetery in Karcag-Orgondaszentmiklós. For a long time the buckle was the only epigraphic memory of the Cumans who moved to Hungary and it once again directed the attention to the issue of Cuman literacy. According to the proposed interpretation, the signs are characters from the Szekler runiform alphabet and can be read as a text in Turkish or perhaps Cuman, yet the linkage between the Cuman and Szekler runiform scripts has not been revealed. Recently, newer finds, all excavated in the region of the Maros–Körös köze, have expanded the range of circular buckles with runiform signs. Having studied the buckles typically with religious content and Gothic inscriptions we have proposed to modify the text and identified Franciscans who both knew the Cuman language and the Szekler letters as the makers of the objects in the middle and second half of the 14th century. In addition, it was at that time that Franciscans succeeded to convert the Cumans who had been Christians only in externals. The presence of the memory group in the region also indicates that Cuman groups may have remained in the former Cuman settlement area even after the Battle of Hód (1282).
This study reports on an Árpád Period site in Mezőhegyes, where remains of an interesting structu... more This study reports on an Árpád Period site in Mezőhegyes, where remains of an interesting structure were unearthed. Based on the design of the brickwork feature and the significant amount of corrupted roof tiles found in and around it, the structure must have functioned as a roof tile kiln. The best analogies for these roof tiles are found primarily in France (e.g., in Pontigny, Vermenton and Auxerre) and in Egres (Igriș, present-day Romania). Based on the findings, the analogies, and the history of Egres, it seems that the roof tile kiln of Mezőhegyes operated in the 12th century and can be connected to the activities of the Cistercian Order.
A tanulmány egy mezőhegyesi Árpád-kori lelőhelyről számol be, ahol egy érdekes építmény maradvány... more A tanulmány egy mezőhegyesi Árpád-kori lelőhelyről számol be, ahol egy érdekes építmény maradványa látott napvilágot. A téglából épített objektum kialakítása, illetve a benne és körülötte talált jelentős mennyiségű rontott tetőcserép alapján tetőcserép-égető kemenceként funkcionált az építmény, melyhez hasonlót viszonylag keveset ismerünk. A Mezőhegyesen lelt tetőcserepek különlegesnek számítanak a magyarországi régészeti anyagban, párhuzamaikat különböző franciaországi épületkerámiák, valamint az egresi monostor újabban feltárt leletei között találtuk meg, ami egy érdekes kapcsolatrendszert vetít elénk.
Gellértegyháza and some related questions
The concept of the so-called Gellértegyháza-type cemet... more Gellértegyháza and some related questions
The concept of the so-called Gellértegyháza-type cemetery is well-known among archaeologists in Hungary. This term usually refers to cemeteries where the transition between an earlier pagan burial site and a subsequent phase with burials around a church can clearly be observed. In other words, at these sites, a former pagan burial place was later used as a Christian cemetery. Paradoxically, it has still not been clarified whether the eponymous site itself is indeed a “Gellértegyház-type” cemetery in this sense. The aim of this paper is to identify the controversies around the cemetery excavated in Orosháza–Rákóczitelep, Újosztás, which had been identified as the cemetery of the settlement called Gellértegyháza, and to provide some explanations where possible. The site is situated in the western outskirts of Orosháza, on the brow of a hill running from northwest to southeast. Only the northern and the southern parts of the hill are under agricultural cultivation today. Large-scale excavation works were carried out at the site of the former church and cemetery between 1949 and 1950, when the establishment of a military training ground was planned there. The middle part of the hill brow was removed. Today this area functions as the Gellértegyháza Historical Park (Map 1). The earthmoving activities uncovered some human bones, which was reported to the relevant authorities. Following this, archaeologist Elemér Zalotay unearthed 344 graves in 1951, and further 336 graves in 1952 [Map 2: 1–2]. Rescue excavations carried out by Irene Juhász in 1970 uncovered further two graves. A more recent field survey combined with metal detecting research revealed that the settlement was situated north from the cemetery and church, on the same hill brow. The dividing line between the settlement and the cemetery might have run somewhere by the northern border of today’s historical park [Map 3]. The revision of the archaeological documentation, the archival documents, and the archaeological finds contributed significantly to our knowledge about the cemetery excavated at Rákóczitelep compared to the observations presented in the publication from 1957. The validity of the information coming from the excavation carried out sixty-five years ago has been questioned, though the documents stored in the database of the Nagy Gyula Regional Museum (Orosháza), especially the photos taken during the excavation serve as reliable evidence regarding the ground plan of the church, the environment of the cemetery, and the location of the graves. Zalotay’s observations as presented in his notes are supported by the analysis of the finds. The most recent research confirmed that the cemetery fragment excavated at Orosháza–Rákóczitelep, Újosztás was in use for at least one hundred years, and during this period, three phases can be distinguished. The cemetery seems to have been established at the end of the 10th or the beginning of the 11th century, and the first burials still display the traces of pagan traditions (burial with horse, the presence of pagan symbols, everyday objects placed in the grave, etc.). Such traces could be observed, for example, in grave No. 374 [Table 2: 3; Table 6: 14; Table 7: 6; Table 8: 1; Table 9: 2–3]. Later, as a result of Christianization, the number of grave goods decreased, and it appears that pagan rites were gradually abandoned. In the second phase of the cemetery, the number of finds is significantly lower than in the first phase. Some characteristic finds are clothing accessories (an S-terminalled lockring, a few beads) and coins of King Solomon (1063–1074) and King László I (1077–1095) [Table 5: 1–3]. Sometime during the 11th century, they started to build a brick church with a horseshoe-shaped apse [Table 1: 1–4], which, from that time on, defined the arrangement of the newly established graves until the cemetery ceased to function. The graves from this third phase of the cemetery contained only a few finds which were mostly clothing accessories, such as a ribbed S-terminalled lockring, finger rings, earrings, a buckle [Table 6: 3; Table 7: 1; Table 6: 6; Table 7: 5] and in some cases 12th century anonymous coins were deposited with the dead [Table 5: 4–6]. Burials established in the first phase of the cemetery were scattered along the brow of the hill, in a northwest-southeast direction. Graves from the second phase were identified mostly at the southern part of the hill, while those from the third phase were located north from this area, around the church. Both the archaeological and the suggest that the three phases were consecutive, which testifies of the process of Christianization. Consequently, it is justified to label the burial site at Rákóczitelep as a “Gellértegyháza-type” cemetery, though the identification of the village connected to the cemetery as Gellértegyháza represents another research problem. Since this identification can neither be proved nor disproved according to our present knowledge, we suggest using the name Orosháza–Rákóczitelep, Újosztás for the archaeological site.
The paper deals with the 14th century annular buckles (or brooches) with runic inscriptions. We e... more The paper deals with the 14th century annular buckles (or brooches) with runic inscriptions. We examine the possible meaning of these texts and the relation of these objects to Cumans.
A pdf-ben az oldalszámok elcsúsztak, a cikk helyes terjedelme: 261-278. The page numbers in the pdf have slipped, the correct length of the article is 261-278.
The study summarizes the results of the archaeological and numismatic examination of the treasure... more The study summarizes the results of the archaeological and numismatic examination of the treasure trove of Kopáncs-puszta, which was partially found already in 1919 and then rediscovered in the course of metal detector research and rescue excavation in 2017-2018.
A tanulmány az 1919-ben részben már megtalált, majd 2017-2018 folyamán fémdetektoros kutatás és mentő feltárás keretében újra felfedezett Kopáncs-pusztai kincslelet régészeti és numizmatikai szempontú vizsgálatának eddigi eredményeit foglalja össze.
Short summary of the results of the excavation in Mezőhegyes in 2017, where we discovered the edg... more Short summary of the results of the excavation in Mezőhegyes in 2017, where we discovered the edge of a cemetery around a church and a roof tile kiln from the Arpadian Age in addition to an earlier ditch. Fragments of various roof tiles from the kiln and the area of the cemetery were also found in large quantities.
Rövid összefoglaló a 2017-es mezőhegyesi ásatás eredményeiről, melynek során egy korábbi árok mellett egy templom körüli temető szélső sírjait, és egy Árpád-kori tetőcserép-égető kemencét sikerült feltárnunk. A kemence környékéről és a temető területéről nagy mennyiségben különböző tetőcserepek töredékei is napvilágot láttak.
European University organised a round-table discussion. Many people are interested in searching f... more European University organised a round-table discussion. Many people are interested in searching for archaeological treasures, and the metal detector is one of the modern tools that can be used for this purpose. Yet not everyone is permitted to work with metal-detecting instruments. For private individuals, seeking finds at archaeological sites is actually illegal because, as they collect the items they seek, they destroy the sites. Only archaeologists are permitted to move objects at archaeological sites, and even they may only do so with a permit and with appropriate documentation. At the same time, the profession of archaeology has recognised the possible role that metal detectors and their highly-skilled amateur operators can play in modern research. The conversation concerned the new situation created by an amendment to the legislation regulating heritage protection, which has created an opportunity for amateur metal-detector operators to participate in archaeological research, and there are already several good examples of that form of cooperation. We invited to join the discussion archaeologists, museum managers and metal detector operators with experience and results in this field, whose collaboration may serve as an example for similar future initiatives.
The site is situated in the western outskirts of Orosháza, on a brow of hill in the northwest-sou... more The site is situated in the western outskirts of Orosháza, on a brow of hill in the northwest-southeast direction, of which only the north and the south part extend through the fields today. Between 1949 and 1950 large-scale excavation work was carried out on the site of the former church and cemetery, as a military training ground was planned to set up there. The middle part of the spine of the hill was removed then and now it currently operates as a historical park (Gellértegyháza Historical Park). During the earthworks human bones became found, which was reported to the competent authority. Then Elemér Zalotay revealed additional 344 graves in 1951, then 336 ones in 1952. In 1970, Irene Juhász also conducted a rescue excavation, discovering two more graves. In the recent past field survey and metal detection research were also conducted at the site, according to which it can be stated that the settlement was situated in the north to the cemetery and the church, on the other part of the same spine of the hill, whose southern part was a burial place. The border between the settlement and the cemetery might have spread somewhere on the northern edge of the today’s historical park. In archaeologist circles the concept of the so-called Gellértegyháza-type cemetery is well-known, which concept usually refers to those cemeteries in which both the early pagan antecedents and the subsequent burials around the church form a tangible and well-defined transition. In other words, the former pagan burial place became used as a Christian cemetery henceforth. However, it has still not been clarified whether the eponymous site itself is really a Gellértegyház-type cemetery. Based on recent research it can be affirmed that the part of the cemetery excavated in Orosháza- Rákóczitelep-Újosztás had been in use for 150-160 years at least, and during this time period we can distinguish three periods. The cemetery might have been opened in the end of the 10th and the beginning of the 11th century, and the first burials still show pagan traditions (burial with horse, the presence of pagan symbols, everyday objects placed in the grave etc.). Later on, as a result of Christian proselytizing the number of appendices decreased, the application of the pagan-type rites gradually disappeared. In the second phase, compared to the first, the number of finds is significantly lower, and pieces of wear (S-ended hair ring, few beads) as well as coins of Solomon (1063-1074) and Géza I (1074-1077) characterize these burials. Sometime during the 11th century brick churches with horseshoe-arched apse began to be built, which henceforward had played a central role regarding the organization of the newer graves until the cemetery finished to function. The graves in the third period contained finds sporadically which are usually pieces of wear such as ribbed S-ended hair ring, finger rings, ear rings, buckle and in some cases coins used as obulus, the coins of Béla II (1131-1141) and Géza II (1141-1162). The burials in the first period were situated sporadically on the spine of the hill in Northwest-Southeast direction, and the graves of the second period were formed mainly on the Southern part of the hill, while the deceased of the third period were laid to rest, to the North of the aforementioned period, in the surrounding area of the church. The archaeological and anthropological data also confirm that the three periods were in continuity with one another, and it illustrates well the process of becoming Christian. Based on these the burial site at Rákóczitelep can be called Gellértegyháza-type cemetery, though the term „Gellértegyháza” itself is debatable. In 2016 we carried out an excavation jointly with Zoltán Rózsa at the site with the help of the colleagues of the Orosházi Museum, archaeologist students from the University of Szeged and some local residents interested. During the excavation we succeeded in revealing some part of the cemetery around the church, including remains of 77 persons. We have not been able to verify completely the excavation results published by Zalotay due to high degree of movement of earth, however, we have managed to make important observations in terms of, for instance, burial traditions in the 11th and 12nd century, the superposition at the graves, the forms of tombs and wear elements. The most recent artifacts of the excavation include two coins (Béla II and Géza II), coffin pegs, iron clasps, rings and hair rings (among them ones with ribbed S-ending). Further findings to mention are the pottery fragments that were placed one at a time in the graves as well as brick fragments partly found in the graves and scattered. The cemetery extended over the verge of the IV segment opened in 2016 towards all corners therefore there will be possibility to carry on further research and answer still unclarified questions. Based on the so far revealed nearly 760 graves - not counting the many hundred destroyed burials - a long-functioned burial place emerges with great number of graves in front of us.
The international exhibition project Avars and Slavs is presented through two exhibitions: the Cr... more The international exhibition project Avars and Slavs is presented through two exhibitions: the Croatian exhibition Avars and Slavs south of the Drava river, and the Slovak exhibition Avars and Slavs north of the Danube. The exhibitions display the archaeological material from Croatian museums, private collections, also including a group of items found during recent archaeological excavations, as well as the items from Slovak museums and institutions. The aforementioned period is presented through carefully chosen jewellery items, warrior equipment, agricultural tools, pottery, and bone items.The exhibitions are the center of communication and interaction of the two distant, yet close Slavic countries, and show incredible similarities among the material found in Croatia and Slovakia.
The buckle found in the grave No. 170 of the Karcag–Orgondaszentmiklós cemetery is a characterist... more The buckle found in the grave No. 170 of the Karcag–Orgondaszentmiklós cemetery is a characteristic and well-known piece of the material of the Cuman cemeteries. The special feature of this buckle is its runic or similar inscription, which is why the research so far considered it a unique find. The possible solution(s) draw attention to such important issues as the literacy of the Cumans and its prevalence. In our poster, we would like to present more recent findings and observations about the buckle that we hope can nuance the image of it.
In our book review, we present a study volume, which discusses of "the great western campaign" of... more In our book review, we present a study volume, which discusses of "the great western campaign" of the Mongol Empire. The book edited by János B. Szabó and Dorottya Uhrin was published in 2022. The 37 studies written by 16 authors present the events between 1236 and 1242 in a broad Eurasian context.
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Papers by Gyöngyvér Bíró
A kerek csatok jellegzetes elemei a 12–15. századi viseletnek, a tárgytípus virágkora a 13–14. századra tehető, hazánk területén főként a 14. század középső és utolsó harmadában voltak jelen. A feliratos kerek csatok használata számos európai területen kimutatható, fő elterjedési területük Franciaországtól Oroszországig, Finnországtól Montenegróig terjed (1. ábra). Magyarországon jelenleg 30 példány ismert 20 lelőhelyről, a Kárpát-medencében pedig 41 tárgy adatolt 25 lelőhelyről (2. ábra). Ez a szám még valószínűleg emelkedni a fog a fémdetektoros kutatás fellendülésének eredményeként. A legtöbb Kárpát-medencei feliratos kerek csaton keresztény tartalmú gótikus szöveget olvashatunk, de emellett öt rovásfeliratos, és egy „tamgaszerű díszítéssel” ellátott példányt is ismerünk (3. ábra).
Az orgondaszentmiklósi rovásfeliratos csat (4. ábra 1) sokáig egyedülálló lelet volt, azonban az utóbbi években négy további csat is előkerült: Cséffa / Cefa-La Pâdura, középkori Radvány, Románia, Bihar megye (4. ábra 2); Békés megye, ismeretlen lelőhely (3. ábra 3); Mezőberény–Laposi kertek alja I. (4. ábra 4); Tótkomlós–Gyümölcsös, 53-as tábla, középkori Komlós (4. ábra 5).
Az orgondaszentmiklósi, a Békés megyei, a mezőberényi és a komlósi csaton végzett XRF vizsgálat alapján valamennyi tárgy rézcink-ötvözetből készült, összetételüket több mint 85% Cu és 8–12% Zn tartalom jellemzi (5. ábra), ami a tombak elnevezésű ötvözettel azonosítható. Olykor változó arányban, de kis mennyiségben vannak jelen az egyéb alkotók: Pb (1,57–2,8%), Fe (0,54–1,004%), Sn (0,444–1,05%) és Ni (0,016–0,058%). A vizsgált tárgyak kémiai összetétele nagy hasonlóságot mutat, a mezőberényi és a komlósi csat esetében a Cu-Zn arányban látható egy kis eltérés a másik két lelethez képest (6. ábra).
Viseleti módjukat az orgondaszentmiklósi és a radványi csat esetében lehetett megfigyelni: az előbbi esetben a medence tájékán, míg a másik esetben a váll környékén került elő. Feliratuk azonos jelekből áll és ugyanazt a három plusz két karakter felépítést mutatja, csupán a mintasor hosszúsága eltérő, ami a csatok méretbeli különbözőségéből ered. Alapvetően elfogadjuk Hakan Aydemir feloldási javaslatát, melynek jelentése ’Szedesz dicséret[é]-re / dicséret[é]-re / dicséret[é]-re / dicséret’. Ugyanakkor a párhuzamok miatt úgy véljük, hogy a „szedesz” szóként értelmezett jel nem rovásjel, hanem egy kereszt. Eszerint a kereszt által megjelenített kereszténység vagy a keresztfa, és így a Megváltó dicséretét hirdetheti a felirat.
A rovásfeliratos csatok nemcsak a Kárpát-medencei, de általában véve az európai feliratos kerek csatok körében is egy különálló csoportot (altípust) képeznek, melyek elterjedési területe egy szűk régióban, a Maros-Körös köze területében határozható meg, de kis részben a Nagykunságot is érinti (7–8. ábra).
Ezeket a tárgyakat a nyugat- és észak-európai társaik mintájára, azonban gyengébb kivitelben, és feltehetően helyben készítették. Használatuk a 14. század közepére – második felére tehető. Különleges feliratuk, valamint a történeti és régészeti adatok alapján viselőik között kunokat sejthetünk, akikhez a ferences térítés által kerülhettek ezek a tárgyak.
Recent finds of medieval buckles from the Maros–Körös köze region. The circular buckle ornamented with runiform signs was excavated from grave no. 170 of the settlement cemetery in Karcag-Orgondaszentmiklós. For a long time the buckle was the only epigraphic memory of the Cumans who moved to Hungary and it once again directed the attention to the issue of Cuman literacy. According to the proposed interpretation, the signs are characters from the Szekler runiform alphabet and can be read as a text in Turkish or perhaps Cuman, yet the linkage between the Cuman and Szekler runiform scripts has not been revealed. Recently, newer finds, all excavated in the region of the Maros–Körös köze, have expanded the range of circular buckles with runiform signs. Having studied the buckles typically with religious content and Gothic inscriptions we have proposed to modify the text and identified Franciscans who both knew the Cuman language and the Szekler letters as the makers of the objects in the middle and second half of the 14th century. In addition, it was at that time that Franciscans succeeded to convert the Cumans who had been Christians only in externals. The presence of the memory group in the region also indicates that Cuman groups may have remained in the former Cuman settlement area even after the Battle of Hód (1282).
The concept of the so-called Gellértegyháza-type cemetery is well-known among archaeologists in Hungary. This term usually refers to cemeteries where the transition between an earlier pagan burial site and a subsequent phase with burials around a church can clearly be observed. In other words, at these sites, a former pagan burial place was
later used as a Christian cemetery. Paradoxically, it has still not been clarified whether the eponymous site itself is
indeed a “Gellértegyház-type” cemetery in this sense. The aim of this paper is to identify the controversies around the
cemetery excavated in Orosháza–Rákóczitelep, Újosztás, which had been identified as the cemetery of the settlement
called Gellértegyháza, and to provide some explanations where possible.
The site is situated in the western outskirts of Orosháza, on the brow of a hill running from northwest to southeast.
Only the northern and the southern parts of the hill are under agricultural cultivation today. Large-scale excavation
works were carried out at the site of the former church and cemetery between 1949 and 1950, when the establishment
of a military training ground was planned there. The middle part of the hill brow was removed. Today this area functions
as the Gellértegyháza Historical Park (Map 1). The earthmoving activities uncovered some human bones, which
was reported to the relevant authorities. Following this, archaeologist Elemér Zalotay unearthed 344 graves in 1951,
and further 336 graves in 1952 [Map 2: 1–2]. Rescue excavations carried out by Irene Juhász in 1970 uncovered further
two graves. A more recent field survey combined with metal detecting research revealed that the settlement was
situated north from the cemetery and church, on the same hill brow. The dividing line between the settlement and the
cemetery might have run somewhere by the northern border of today’s historical park [Map 3].
The revision of the archaeological documentation, the archival documents, and the archaeological finds contributed
significantly to our knowledge about the cemetery excavated at Rákóczitelep compared to the observations presented
in the publication from 1957. The validity of the information coming from the excavation carried out sixty-five
years ago has been questioned, though the documents stored in the database of the Nagy Gyula Regional Museum
(Orosháza), especially the photos taken during the excavation serve as reliable evidence regarding the ground plan of
the church, the environment of the cemetery, and the location of the graves. Zalotay’s observations as presented in his
notes are supported by the analysis of the finds.
The most recent research confirmed that the cemetery fragment excavated at Orosháza–Rákóczitelep, Újosztás was in use for at least one hundred years, and during this period, three phases can be distinguished. The cemetery
seems to have been established at the end of the 10th or the beginning of the 11th century, and the first burials still
display the traces of pagan traditions (burial with horse, the presence of pagan symbols, everyday objects placed in
the grave, etc.). Such traces could be observed, for example, in grave No. 374 [Table 2: 3; Table 6: 14; Table 7: 6;
Table 8: 1; Table 9: 2–3]. Later, as a result of Christianization, the number of grave goods decreased, and it appears
that pagan rites were gradually abandoned. In the second phase of the cemetery, the number of finds is significantly
lower than in the first phase. Some characteristic finds are clothing accessories (an S-terminalled lockring, a few beads) and coins of King Solomon (1063–1074) and King László I (1077–1095) [Table 5: 1–3]. Sometime during the
11th century, they started to build a brick church with a horseshoe-shaped apse [Table 1: 1–4], which, from that time
on, defined the arrangement of the newly established graves until the cemetery ceased to function. The graves from
this third phase of the cemetery contained only a few finds which were mostly clothing accessories, such as a ribbed
S-terminalled lockring, finger rings, earrings, a buckle [Table 6: 3; Table 7: 1; Table 6: 6; Table 7: 5] and in some
cases 12th century anonymous coins were deposited with the dead [Table 5: 4–6]. Burials established in the first phase
of the cemetery were scattered along the brow of the hill, in a northwest-southeast direction. Graves from the second
phase were identified mostly at the southern part of the hill, while those from the third phase were located north from
this area, around the church. Both the archaeological and the suggest that the three phases were consecutive, which
testifies of the process of Christianization. Consequently, it is justified to label the burial site at Rákóczitelep as a “Gellértegyháza-type” cemetery, though the identification of the village connected to the cemetery as Gellértegyháza
represents another research problem. Since this identification can neither be proved nor disproved according to our
present knowledge, we suggest using the name Orosháza–Rákóczitelep, Újosztás for the archaeological site.
A pdf-ben az oldalszámok elcsúsztak, a cikk helyes terjedelme: 261-278.
The page numbers in the pdf have slipped, the correct length of the article is 261-278.
A tanulmány az 1919-ben részben már megtalált, majd 2017-2018 folyamán fémdetektoros kutatás és mentő feltárás keretében újra felfedezett Kopáncs-pusztai kincslelet régészeti és numizmatikai szempontú vizsgálatának eddigi eredményeit foglalja össze.
Rövid összefoglaló a 2017-es mezőhegyesi ásatás eredményeiről, melynek során egy korábbi árok mellett egy templom körüli temető szélső sírjait, és egy Árpád-kori tetőcserép-égető kemencét sikerült feltárnunk. A kemence környékéről és a temető területéről nagy mennyiségben különböző tetőcserepek töredékei is napvilágot láttak.
direction, of which only the north and the south part extend through the fields today. Between 1949
and 1950 large-scale excavation work was carried out on the site of the former church and cemetery,
as a military training ground was planned to set up there. The middle part of the spine of the hill
was removed then and now it currently operates as a historical park (Gellértegyháza Historical Park).
During the earthworks human bones became found, which was reported to the competent authority.
Then Elemér Zalotay revealed additional 344 graves in 1951, then 336 ones in 1952. In 1970, Irene
Juhász also conducted a rescue excavation, discovering two more graves. In the recent past field survey
and metal detection research were also conducted at the site, according to which it can be stated that
the settlement was situated in the north to the cemetery and the church, on the other part of the same spine of the hill, whose southern part was a burial place. The border between the settlement and the
cemetery might have spread somewhere on the northern edge of the today’s historical park.
In archaeologist circles the concept of the so-called Gellértegyháza-type cemetery is well-known,
which concept usually refers to those cemeteries in which both the early pagan antecedents and the
subsequent burials around the church form a tangible and well-defined transition. In other words, the
former pagan burial place became used as a Christian cemetery henceforth. However, it has still not
been clarified whether the eponymous site itself is really a Gellértegyház-type cemetery.
Based on recent research it can be affirmed that the part of the cemetery excavated in Orosháza-
Rákóczitelep-Újosztás had been in use for 150-160 years at least, and during this time period we
can distinguish three periods. The cemetery might have been opened in the end of the 10th and the
beginning of the 11th century, and the first burials still show pagan traditions (burial with horse,
the presence of pagan symbols, everyday objects placed in the grave etc.). Later on, as a result of
Christian proselytizing the number of appendices decreased, the application of the pagan-type rites
gradually disappeared. In the second phase, compared to the first, the number of finds is significantly
lower, and pieces of wear (S-ended hair ring, few beads) as well as coins of Solomon (1063-1074)
and Géza I (1074-1077) characterize these burials. Sometime during the 11th century brick churches
with horseshoe-arched apse began to be built, which henceforward had played a central role regarding
the organization of the newer graves until the cemetery finished to function. The graves in the third
period contained finds sporadically which are usually pieces of wear such as ribbed S-ended hair ring,
finger rings, ear rings, buckle and in some cases coins used as obulus, the coins of Béla II (1131-1141)
and Géza II (1141-1162). The burials in the first period were situated sporadically on the spine of
the hill in Northwest-Southeast direction, and the graves of the second period were formed mainly
on the Southern part of the hill, while the deceased of the third period were laid to rest, to the
North of the aforementioned period, in the surrounding area of the church. The archaeological and
anthropological data also confirm that the three periods were in continuity with one another, and it
illustrates well the process of becoming Christian. Based on these the burial site at Rákóczitelep can be
called Gellértegyháza-type cemetery, though the term „Gellértegyháza” itself is debatable.
In 2016 we carried out an excavation jointly with Zoltán Rózsa at the site with the help of the
colleagues of the Orosházi Museum, archaeologist students from the University of Szeged and some
local residents interested. During the excavation we succeeded in revealing some part of the cemetery
around the church, including remains of 77 persons. We have not been able to verify completely the
excavation results published by Zalotay due to high degree of movement of earth, however, we have
managed to make important observations in terms of, for instance, burial traditions in the 11th and
12nd century, the superposition at the graves, the forms of tombs and wear elements. The most recent
artifacts of the excavation include two coins (Béla II and Géza II), coffin pegs, iron clasps, rings and
hair rings (among them ones with ribbed S-ending). Further findings to mention are the pottery
fragments that were placed one at a time in the graves as well as brick fragments partly found in the
graves and scattered. The cemetery extended over the verge of the IV segment opened in 2016 towards
all corners therefore there will be possibility to carry on further research and answer still unclarified
questions. Based on the so far revealed nearly 760 graves - not counting the many hundred destroyed burials
- a long-functioned burial place emerges with great number of graves in front of us.
A kerek csatok jellegzetes elemei a 12–15. századi viseletnek, a tárgytípus virágkora a 13–14. századra tehető, hazánk területén főként a 14. század középső és utolsó harmadában voltak jelen. A feliratos kerek csatok használata számos európai területen kimutatható, fő elterjedési területük Franciaországtól Oroszországig, Finnországtól Montenegróig terjed (1. ábra). Magyarországon jelenleg 30 példány ismert 20 lelőhelyről, a Kárpát-medencében pedig 41 tárgy adatolt 25 lelőhelyről (2. ábra). Ez a szám még valószínűleg emelkedni a fog a fémdetektoros kutatás fellendülésének eredményeként. A legtöbb Kárpát-medencei feliratos kerek csaton keresztény tartalmú gótikus szöveget olvashatunk, de emellett öt rovásfeliratos, és egy „tamgaszerű díszítéssel” ellátott példányt is ismerünk (3. ábra).
Az orgondaszentmiklósi rovásfeliratos csat (4. ábra 1) sokáig egyedülálló lelet volt, azonban az utóbbi években négy további csat is előkerült: Cséffa / Cefa-La Pâdura, középkori Radvány, Románia, Bihar megye (4. ábra 2); Békés megye, ismeretlen lelőhely (3. ábra 3); Mezőberény–Laposi kertek alja I. (4. ábra 4); Tótkomlós–Gyümölcsös, 53-as tábla, középkori Komlós (4. ábra 5).
Az orgondaszentmiklósi, a Békés megyei, a mezőberényi és a komlósi csaton végzett XRF vizsgálat alapján valamennyi tárgy rézcink-ötvözetből készült, összetételüket több mint 85% Cu és 8–12% Zn tartalom jellemzi (5. ábra), ami a tombak elnevezésű ötvözettel azonosítható. Olykor változó arányban, de kis mennyiségben vannak jelen az egyéb alkotók: Pb (1,57–2,8%), Fe (0,54–1,004%), Sn (0,444–1,05%) és Ni (0,016–0,058%). A vizsgált tárgyak kémiai összetétele nagy hasonlóságot mutat, a mezőberényi és a komlósi csat esetében a Cu-Zn arányban látható egy kis eltérés a másik két lelethez képest (6. ábra).
Viseleti módjukat az orgondaszentmiklósi és a radványi csat esetében lehetett megfigyelni: az előbbi esetben a medence tájékán, míg a másik esetben a váll környékén került elő. Feliratuk azonos jelekből áll és ugyanazt a három plusz két karakter felépítést mutatja, csupán a mintasor hosszúsága eltérő, ami a csatok méretbeli különbözőségéből ered. Alapvetően elfogadjuk Hakan Aydemir feloldási javaslatát, melynek jelentése ’Szedesz dicséret[é]-re / dicséret[é]-re / dicséret[é]-re / dicséret’. Ugyanakkor a párhuzamok miatt úgy véljük, hogy a „szedesz” szóként értelmezett jel nem rovásjel, hanem egy kereszt. Eszerint a kereszt által megjelenített kereszténység vagy a keresztfa, és így a Megváltó dicséretét hirdetheti a felirat.
A rovásfeliratos csatok nemcsak a Kárpát-medencei, de általában véve az európai feliratos kerek csatok körében is egy különálló csoportot (altípust) képeznek, melyek elterjedési területe egy szűk régióban, a Maros-Körös köze területében határozható meg, de kis részben a Nagykunságot is érinti (7–8. ábra).
Ezeket a tárgyakat a nyugat- és észak-európai társaik mintájára, azonban gyengébb kivitelben, és feltehetően helyben készítették. Használatuk a 14. század közepére – második felére tehető. Különleges feliratuk, valamint a történeti és régészeti adatok alapján viselőik között kunokat sejthetünk, akikhez a ferences térítés által kerülhettek ezek a tárgyak.
Recent finds of medieval buckles from the Maros–Körös köze region. The circular buckle ornamented with runiform signs was excavated from grave no. 170 of the settlement cemetery in Karcag-Orgondaszentmiklós. For a long time the buckle was the only epigraphic memory of the Cumans who moved to Hungary and it once again directed the attention to the issue of Cuman literacy. According to the proposed interpretation, the signs are characters from the Szekler runiform alphabet and can be read as a text in Turkish or perhaps Cuman, yet the linkage between the Cuman and Szekler runiform scripts has not been revealed. Recently, newer finds, all excavated in the region of the Maros–Körös köze, have expanded the range of circular buckles with runiform signs. Having studied the buckles typically with religious content and Gothic inscriptions we have proposed to modify the text and identified Franciscans who both knew the Cuman language and the Szekler letters as the makers of the objects in the middle and second half of the 14th century. In addition, it was at that time that Franciscans succeeded to convert the Cumans who had been Christians only in externals. The presence of the memory group in the region also indicates that Cuman groups may have remained in the former Cuman settlement area even after the Battle of Hód (1282).
The concept of the so-called Gellértegyháza-type cemetery is well-known among archaeologists in Hungary. This term usually refers to cemeteries where the transition between an earlier pagan burial site and a subsequent phase with burials around a church can clearly be observed. In other words, at these sites, a former pagan burial place was
later used as a Christian cemetery. Paradoxically, it has still not been clarified whether the eponymous site itself is
indeed a “Gellértegyház-type” cemetery in this sense. The aim of this paper is to identify the controversies around the
cemetery excavated in Orosháza–Rákóczitelep, Újosztás, which had been identified as the cemetery of the settlement
called Gellértegyháza, and to provide some explanations where possible.
The site is situated in the western outskirts of Orosháza, on the brow of a hill running from northwest to southeast.
Only the northern and the southern parts of the hill are under agricultural cultivation today. Large-scale excavation
works were carried out at the site of the former church and cemetery between 1949 and 1950, when the establishment
of a military training ground was planned there. The middle part of the hill brow was removed. Today this area functions
as the Gellértegyháza Historical Park (Map 1). The earthmoving activities uncovered some human bones, which
was reported to the relevant authorities. Following this, archaeologist Elemér Zalotay unearthed 344 graves in 1951,
and further 336 graves in 1952 [Map 2: 1–2]. Rescue excavations carried out by Irene Juhász in 1970 uncovered further
two graves. A more recent field survey combined with metal detecting research revealed that the settlement was
situated north from the cemetery and church, on the same hill brow. The dividing line between the settlement and the
cemetery might have run somewhere by the northern border of today’s historical park [Map 3].
The revision of the archaeological documentation, the archival documents, and the archaeological finds contributed
significantly to our knowledge about the cemetery excavated at Rákóczitelep compared to the observations presented
in the publication from 1957. The validity of the information coming from the excavation carried out sixty-five
years ago has been questioned, though the documents stored in the database of the Nagy Gyula Regional Museum
(Orosháza), especially the photos taken during the excavation serve as reliable evidence regarding the ground plan of
the church, the environment of the cemetery, and the location of the graves. Zalotay’s observations as presented in his
notes are supported by the analysis of the finds.
The most recent research confirmed that the cemetery fragment excavated at Orosháza–Rákóczitelep, Újosztás was in use for at least one hundred years, and during this period, three phases can be distinguished. The cemetery
seems to have been established at the end of the 10th or the beginning of the 11th century, and the first burials still
display the traces of pagan traditions (burial with horse, the presence of pagan symbols, everyday objects placed in
the grave, etc.). Such traces could be observed, for example, in grave No. 374 [Table 2: 3; Table 6: 14; Table 7: 6;
Table 8: 1; Table 9: 2–3]. Later, as a result of Christianization, the number of grave goods decreased, and it appears
that pagan rites were gradually abandoned. In the second phase of the cemetery, the number of finds is significantly
lower than in the first phase. Some characteristic finds are clothing accessories (an S-terminalled lockring, a few beads) and coins of King Solomon (1063–1074) and King László I (1077–1095) [Table 5: 1–3]. Sometime during the
11th century, they started to build a brick church with a horseshoe-shaped apse [Table 1: 1–4], which, from that time
on, defined the arrangement of the newly established graves until the cemetery ceased to function. The graves from
this third phase of the cemetery contained only a few finds which were mostly clothing accessories, such as a ribbed
S-terminalled lockring, finger rings, earrings, a buckle [Table 6: 3; Table 7: 1; Table 6: 6; Table 7: 5] and in some
cases 12th century anonymous coins were deposited with the dead [Table 5: 4–6]. Burials established in the first phase
of the cemetery were scattered along the brow of the hill, in a northwest-southeast direction. Graves from the second
phase were identified mostly at the southern part of the hill, while those from the third phase were located north from
this area, around the church. Both the archaeological and the suggest that the three phases were consecutive, which
testifies of the process of Christianization. Consequently, it is justified to label the burial site at Rákóczitelep as a “Gellértegyháza-type” cemetery, though the identification of the village connected to the cemetery as Gellértegyháza
represents another research problem. Since this identification can neither be proved nor disproved according to our
present knowledge, we suggest using the name Orosháza–Rákóczitelep, Újosztás for the archaeological site.
A pdf-ben az oldalszámok elcsúsztak, a cikk helyes terjedelme: 261-278.
The page numbers in the pdf have slipped, the correct length of the article is 261-278.
A tanulmány az 1919-ben részben már megtalált, majd 2017-2018 folyamán fémdetektoros kutatás és mentő feltárás keretében újra felfedezett Kopáncs-pusztai kincslelet régészeti és numizmatikai szempontú vizsgálatának eddigi eredményeit foglalja össze.
Rövid összefoglaló a 2017-es mezőhegyesi ásatás eredményeiről, melynek során egy korábbi árok mellett egy templom körüli temető szélső sírjait, és egy Árpád-kori tetőcserép-égető kemencét sikerült feltárnunk. A kemence környékéről és a temető területéről nagy mennyiségben különböző tetőcserepek töredékei is napvilágot láttak.
direction, of which only the north and the south part extend through the fields today. Between 1949
and 1950 large-scale excavation work was carried out on the site of the former church and cemetery,
as a military training ground was planned to set up there. The middle part of the spine of the hill
was removed then and now it currently operates as a historical park (Gellértegyháza Historical Park).
During the earthworks human bones became found, which was reported to the competent authority.
Then Elemér Zalotay revealed additional 344 graves in 1951, then 336 ones in 1952. In 1970, Irene
Juhász also conducted a rescue excavation, discovering two more graves. In the recent past field survey
and metal detection research were also conducted at the site, according to which it can be stated that
the settlement was situated in the north to the cemetery and the church, on the other part of the same spine of the hill, whose southern part was a burial place. The border between the settlement and the
cemetery might have spread somewhere on the northern edge of the today’s historical park.
In archaeologist circles the concept of the so-called Gellértegyháza-type cemetery is well-known,
which concept usually refers to those cemeteries in which both the early pagan antecedents and the
subsequent burials around the church form a tangible and well-defined transition. In other words, the
former pagan burial place became used as a Christian cemetery henceforth. However, it has still not
been clarified whether the eponymous site itself is really a Gellértegyház-type cemetery.
Based on recent research it can be affirmed that the part of the cemetery excavated in Orosháza-
Rákóczitelep-Újosztás had been in use for 150-160 years at least, and during this time period we
can distinguish three periods. The cemetery might have been opened in the end of the 10th and the
beginning of the 11th century, and the first burials still show pagan traditions (burial with horse,
the presence of pagan symbols, everyday objects placed in the grave etc.). Later on, as a result of
Christian proselytizing the number of appendices decreased, the application of the pagan-type rites
gradually disappeared. In the second phase, compared to the first, the number of finds is significantly
lower, and pieces of wear (S-ended hair ring, few beads) as well as coins of Solomon (1063-1074)
and Géza I (1074-1077) characterize these burials. Sometime during the 11th century brick churches
with horseshoe-arched apse began to be built, which henceforward had played a central role regarding
the organization of the newer graves until the cemetery finished to function. The graves in the third
period contained finds sporadically which are usually pieces of wear such as ribbed S-ended hair ring,
finger rings, ear rings, buckle and in some cases coins used as obulus, the coins of Béla II (1131-1141)
and Géza II (1141-1162). The burials in the first period were situated sporadically on the spine of
the hill in Northwest-Southeast direction, and the graves of the second period were formed mainly
on the Southern part of the hill, while the deceased of the third period were laid to rest, to the
North of the aforementioned period, in the surrounding area of the church. The archaeological and
anthropological data also confirm that the three periods were in continuity with one another, and it
illustrates well the process of becoming Christian. Based on these the burial site at Rákóczitelep can be
called Gellértegyháza-type cemetery, though the term „Gellértegyháza” itself is debatable.
In 2016 we carried out an excavation jointly with Zoltán Rózsa at the site with the help of the
colleagues of the Orosházi Museum, archaeologist students from the University of Szeged and some
local residents interested. During the excavation we succeeded in revealing some part of the cemetery
around the church, including remains of 77 persons. We have not been able to verify completely the
excavation results published by Zalotay due to high degree of movement of earth, however, we have
managed to make important observations in terms of, for instance, burial traditions in the 11th and
12nd century, the superposition at the graves, the forms of tombs and wear elements. The most recent
artifacts of the excavation include two coins (Béla II and Géza II), coffin pegs, iron clasps, rings and
hair rings (among them ones with ribbed S-ending). Further findings to mention are the pottery
fragments that were placed one at a time in the graves as well as brick fragments partly found in the
graves and scattered. The cemetery extended over the verge of the IV segment opened in 2016 towards
all corners therefore there will be possibility to carry on further research and answer still unclarified
questions. Based on the so far revealed nearly 760 graves - not counting the many hundred destroyed burials
- a long-functioned burial place emerges with great number of graves in front of us.