Site ID: 15757
Keywords:: Prehistory, Middle Bronze Age, Late Bronze Age, Migration Period, Sarmatian, layer finds
After receiving a report through István Vida (Hungarian National Museum) from Péter Molnár, a non-professional volunteer, a metal detector survey was carried out in an approximately 400×300 m area of arable land about 500 metres west of the Soroksár–Várhegy archaeological site in District XXIII of Budapest on 31 January 2020.
The site, which extends to both sides of Gyáli Stream and whose prehistoric topographical features are still clearly identifiable in aerial photographs, was first investigated in 1959, when the remains of a Late Iron Age settlement were unearthed in a rescue excavation north of the stream. The full extent of the site was determined in a field survey conducted by Katalin Melis in 1969, later corroborated by aerial imagery. In 1987–88, excavations preceding the construction of the M0 motorway were carried out in several parts of the site. These revealed not only parts of a fortified settlement of the Middle Bronze Age Vatya culture (2000–1450 BC; Endrődi–Gyulai 1999) but also a Late Iron Age burial dated to the La Tène C2 phase (200–150 BC; Pető 1999, fig. 3), remains of a Sarmatian settlement (1st–5th centuries AD; Pető 1991, Pető 1992), and traces of an Árpádian Age settlement. The remains of a medieval church and several associated graves were also uncovered beyond a previously localised 14th–15th century village (Melis 1992).
In recent years, the Department of Prehistoric and Migration Period Archaeology of the Budapest History Museum launched a non-invasive research programme to specify the spatial and chronological extents of this multi-period site. The first related survey, prompted by the discovery of a Bronze Age gold hair ornament (a so-called Lockenring) at the site took place in 2017. The field collecting survey yielded Middle Bronze Age, Iron Age, and medieval finds from within and around the fortified settlement encircled by a complex system of ditches.
As a direct continuation of this research, more Late Bronze Age clothing accessories (primarily cast bronze bracelets) were found on the previously unexplored western side of the site in 2020. Our primary goal was to recover additional artefacts belonging to this find group. Moreover, we aimed at constructing a comprehensive digital terrain model of the entire site.
Stray pottery associated primarily with the Bronze Age and the Migration Period (Sarmatian) was collected from the surface in three distinct zones. One obsidian flake, although prehistoric, could not be dated more precisely.
Using metal detectors, we recovered 19 bronze artefacts of archaeological age. While some could not be precisely dated, the majority were identified as Late Bronze Age ring ornaments (bracelets and rings), similar to earlier finds, and associated with the Kurd horizon (1250–1100 BC). Most of the remaining artefacts were dated to the Middle Bronze Age and the Roman Imperial Period.
László Rupnik and Gábor Váczi (ELTE-RI) captured drone images suitable for creating a digital terrain model of Várhegy and the adjacent area in the west.
We plan to conduct additional non-invasive investigations to glean more data for refining the interpretation of the Late Bronze Age assemblage, and decide whether it represents a hoard or the remnants of a cemetery destroyed by ploughing, as well as to gain deeper insights into the extent and topographical layout of this multi-period site.
Contributors: Gábor Szilas, Farkas Márton Tóth (lead archaeologists of the project), Flóra Lamm (archaeologist); Gábor Váczi (archaeologist, ELTE Institute of Archaeological Sciences), László Rupnik (archaeologist, ELTE Institute of Archaeological Sciences), Lajos Sándor (metal detector survey, Sandex Ltd), Gábor Ehmann (civilian volunteer), Péter Molnár (civilian volunteer)
Gábor Szilas – Farkas Márton Tóth
References:
C. Elischer 1963 • C. Elischer, Brigitta: A Budapesti Történeti Múzeum leletmentései és ásatásai az 1959. évben. (C. Elischer Brigitta leletmentése). [Rescue Excavations and Digs by the Budapest History Museum in 1959. (Rescue excavation by Brigitta C. Elischer).] Budapest Régiségei 20 (1963) 534.
Endrődi – Gyulai 1999 • Endrődi, Anna – Gyulai, Ferenc: Soroksár-Várhegy – A Fortified Bronze Age Settlement in the Outskirts of Budapest. Communicationes Archaeologicae Hungariae 1999, 5–25.
Irásné Melis 1992 • Irásné Melis, Katalin: Kerekegyháza középkori falu Budapest határában. [The Medieval Village of Kerekegyháza on the Outskirts of Budapest.] In: Régészeti kutatások az M0 autópálya nyomvonalán II. (BTM Műhely 6.) [Archaeological Research along the Route of the M0 Motorway II. (BTM Workshop 6.)] Budapest, 1992. 71–175.
Pető 1991 • Pető, Mária: Római kori (szarmata) település Soroksáron. [Roman Period (Sarmatian) Settlement in Soroksár.] Budapest Régiségei 28 (1991) 223–235.
Pető 1992 • Pető, Mária: Szarmata falvak a dél-pesti síkságon (Beszámoló az M0 autópálya nyomvonalán 1987–1989-ben végzett leletmentésekről). [Sarmatian Villages on the Southern Pest Plain (Report on the Rescue Excavations Carried Out Along the M0 Motorway Route between 1987–1989).] In: Régészeti kutatások az M0 autópálya nyomvonalán II. (BTM Műhely 6.) [Archaeological Research along the Route of the M0 Motorway II. (BTM Workshop 6.)] Budapest, 1992. 7–39.
Pető 1999 • Pető, Mária: Újabb adatok a Pesti-síkság kelta kori történetéhez. [New Data on the Celtic-Period History of the Pest Plain.] Budapest Régiségei 33 (1999), 381–387.