Construction of a gas distribution pipeline
Site IDs: 45907, 72911
Kulcsszavak: őskor, bronzkor, réteganyag, római kor, réteganyag
On behalf of the Budapest History Museum, archaeological monitoring took place from December 2 to 11, 2020, during mechanical earthwork related to the construction of a section of a gas distribution pipeline along Bogdáni Road in District III, Budapest. (Fig. 1)
The monitored work was conducted on the southern side of Bogdáni Road, in its eastern section between Folyamőr Street and Ladik Street, covering a 135-meter-long segment within a 60 cm-wide utility trench, affecting a total area of 81 m². The excavation affected the area between the northern fence of the former distillery (‘BUSZESZ’ for short) and the road surface, at depths of 100–150 cm (109–108.5 a.B.S.l.), and at the connection pits, 150–180 cm (108.5–108.2 a.B.S.l.).
This area is well known archaeologically due to several previous excavations and observations in the surrounding vicinity. Based on findings from investigations related to developments at the former Distillery and the Hosiery Factory (‘Harisnyagyár’ in Hungarian) sites, prehistoric settlement, Roman period settlement and cemetery, as well as Árpádian Age settlement features and finds were expected.
In the western section of the pipeline, near Folyamőr Street, beneath the topsoil, a yellowish-brown sandy clay layer mixed with modern slag and debris appeared. This (possibly natural) fill contained scattered fragments of Roman coarse ware and terra sigillata dated to the 2nd–3rd centuries AD, visible in the top 10–20 cm of the layer. No archaeological features were discernible; thus, the finds are considered as stratigraphic stray finds and cannot be placed in context. (Fig. 2)
In the middle section of the trench, toward the Danube, conditions were similar: below disturbed humic layer, mixed with modern slag and debris, a brown clay layer appeared, occasionally containing traces of daub and small fragments of prehistoric—presumably Bronze Age (2500–900 BC)—pottery. This possible ancient humous layer was only about 10 cm thick. No archaeological features were visible here either, so the finds are likewise interpreted as isolated stratigraphic stray finds.
The easternmost section, near Ladik Street, contained a larger connection pit situated next to the suburban railway tracks. Here, only modern utility lines and modern filling were observed to a depth of 180–200 cm (103.5–103.3 a.B.S.l.).
While no archaeological features were identified during the monitoring, stray finds from the prehistoric and Roman periods were discovered, so the monitoring concluded with a positive result.
Contributor: Barbara Hajdu (archaeologist)
Barbara Hajdu