Alpár Dobos Coriolan Horaţiu Opreanu

MIGRATION PERIOD AND EARLY MEDIEVAL CEMETERIES AT FÂNTÂNELE

(Bistrița-Năsăud County)

ROMANIAN ACADEMY

INSTITUTE OF ARCHAEOLOGY AND ART HISTORY CLUJ-NAPOCA

Series

Patrimonium Archaeologicum Transylvanicum

Editors

Sorin Cociş

Adrian Ursuţiu

Volume 5

INSTITUTE OF ARCHAEOLOGY AND ART HISTORY CLUJ-NAPOCA

ALPÁR DOBOS CORIOLAN HORAÞIU OPREANU

MIGRATION PERIOD AND EARLY MEDIEVAL

CEMETERIESAT FÂNTÂNELE(BISTRIÞA-NÃSÃUD COUNTY)

MEGA PUBLISHING HOUSE

Cluj-Napoca, 2012

With contributions of Szilárd Sándor Gál and Eszter Horváth

Descrierea CIP a Bibliotecii Naţionale a RomânieiDOBOS ALPÁR     Migration period and early medieval cemeteries at Fântânele / Alpár Dobos, Coriolan Horaţiu Opreanu. - Cluj-Napoca : Mega, 2012    Bibliogr.     ISBN 978-606-543-259-8

I. Opreanu, Coriolan Horaţiu

902(498 Fântânele)

Editura Mega | www.edituramega.ro

e-mail: mega@edituramega.ro

© The Authors, 2012

Tehnoredactare:Crina Sincovici

IN MEMORY OF ION HORAŢIU CRIŞAN AND FLORIN MEDELEŢ

Ion Horațiu Crişan (left) and Florin Medeleț (right) troweling the princely grave at Cugir

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CONTENTS

Foreword................................................................................................................................ 9

I. Introduction .....................................................................................................................11

II. The graves from the Migration Period .........................................................................13II.1. Burial customs .........................................................................................................13

II.1.1. Orientation ..................................................................................................13II.1.2. Dimensions, depth, and shape of the graves ................................................ 14II.1.3. Animal graves ............................................................................................. 14

II.2. Analysis of grave-goods............................................................................................15II.2.1. Grave 1 VWZ ...............................................................................................15II.2.2. Pit 3 ............................................................................................................15II.2.3. Grave 1 ....................................................................................................... 16II.2.4. Grave 4 .......................................................................................................17

II.3. Chronology ............................................................................................................ 20

III. The Early Medieval Cemetery ...................................................................................... 21III.1. The structure of the cemetery ............................................................................... 21III.2. The population...................................................................................................... 21III.3. Later interventions ............................................................................................... 22III.4. Burial customs ...................................................................................................... 28

III.4.1. Orientation ............................................................................................... 28III.4.2. The graves ................................................................................................. 29

III.4.2.1. Dimensions, depth, and shape of the graves .................................. 29III.4.2.2. Interior structures ......................................................................... 29

III.4.3. The position of the skeletons ......................................................................31III.4.4. Double burials (?) ......................................................................................31III.4.5. Coffi ns ...................................................................................................... 32III.4.6. Animal bones ............................................................................................ 32

III.4.6.1. Animal bones in human graves ...................................................... 32III.4.6.2. Animal grave................................................................................. 33III.4.6.3. Contexts 20 and 39 ....................................................................... 34

III.4.7. Empty graves ............................................................................................. 35III.5. Analysis of grave-goods ......................................................................................... 35

III.5.1. Personal ornaments and jewellery ............................................................. 35III.5.1.1. Earrings ......................................................................................... 35III.5.1.2. Beads ............................................................................................ 36III.5.1.3. Buckles and belt accessories .......................................................... 37III.5.1.4. Leg garters (‘Wadenbindengarnituren’) ............................................ 42

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III.5.2. Weapons and weapon accessories .............................................................. 43III.5.2.1. Spearheads .................................................................................... 43III.5.2.2. Arrowheads ................................................................................... 46III.5.2.3. Shield-boss .................................................................................... 47III.5.2.4. Pyramidal strap-retainer ............................................................... 47

III.5.3. Tools ......................................................................................................... 49III.5.3.1. Knives ........................................................................................... 49III.5.3.2. Scissors ......................................................................................... 50III.5.3.3. Spindle-whorl ............................................................................... 50

III.5.4. Other objects ............................................................................................ 50III.5.5. Pottery .......................................................................................................51

III.5.5.1. Wheel-thrown pottery ................................................................... 54III.5.5.2. Hand-made pottery ....................................................................... 56

III.6. Chronology ........................................................................................................... 58

IV. Conclusions ................................................................................................................... 59

V. Catalogue of graves........................................................................................................ 63

References ........................................................................................................................... 81

Appendix 1. Osteological analysis of human remains (by Szilárd Sándor Gál) ................ 93

Appendix 2. Optical microscope investigation of the glass fi nds discovered at Fântânele (by Eszter Horváth) ..................................................................... 97

Abbreviations .....................................................................................................................101

Plates ...................................................................................................................................103

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FOREWORD

Starting with the early 1970s Fântânele (Bistrița-Năsăud County) has been a well-known site in the archaeological literature referring to the Migration Period and Early Middle Ages in Transylvania. Although the excavations carried out on the hill called Dâmbul Popii by the research team lead by Ion Horaţiu Crişan have never been published exhaustively, the site was included in several synthesis works on the topic of the archaeological material from Transylvania belonging to the Migration Period, respectively to the 6th–7th centuries. The main goal of the present volume is to fi ll this gap by publishing all the known data regarding the mentioned discoveries based on the original documentation (written and drawn record) on one hand, and on the grave-goods identifi ed with a few exceptions in the depot of the Institute of Archaeology and Art History, Cluj-Napoca, on the other hand.

Due to the fact that the majority of the skeletal material discovered at Fântânele was also preserved in the mentioned location, it was possible to carry out anthro-pological investigations on a part of them (Appendix 1), for which we are grateful to Szilárd Sándor Gál. For the optical microscope investigation of the glass inlays discovered in graves 1 and 6 (Appendix 2) we would like to thank Eszter Horváth.

A substantial part of this research was accomplished with the fi nancial support off ered to Alpár Dobos by Domus Hungarica Scientiarium et Artium in the frame of a Junior Fellowship awarded in November – December 2011 at Budapest, to whom the authors are thankful. The drawing of the archaeological material was done by Narcisa Șugar (Institute of Archaeology and Art History, Cluj-Napoca). The authors would also like to thank dr. Sorin Cociș and dr. Adrian Ursuțiu (Institute of Archaeology and Art History, Cluj-Napoca) for the possibility of publishing these results in the series Patrimonium Archaeologicum Transylvanicum.

The authors,Cluj-Napoca, 01.10.2012

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IINTRODUCTION

The excavations at Fântânele (Hungarian: Szászújős, Újős; German: Neuösch, Eisch, Bistriţa-Năsăud County) began in 1969. The fi nd-spot called Dâmbul Popii is located on the south-western part of the village, near the reformed church (Pl. 1). The main task of the research team lead by Ion Horaţiu Crişan and composed of Tudor Soroceanu and Florin Medeleţ1 was the investigation of the cremation cemetery dated in the La Tène Period identifi ed in 19672 on this plateau. The fi eld research lasted until 1976 and resulted, beside the excavation of the mentioned cemetery from the La Tène Period, in the identifi cation of several groups of inhumation graves dated in diff er-ent periods. From methodological point of view the excavation consisted of 1 m wide trenches of diff erent lenght; between these a 0.3 m space was left (Pl. 56).

The fi rst group of archaeological features discussed in the present volume was unearthed in 1972 consisting of one human and four animal graves. On the grounds of the archaeological material they were dated in the Migration Period and therefore the human grave was named grave 1 VWZ (Völkerwanderungszeit), while the animal graves were considered pits and num-bered from 2 to 5. Unfortunately, the exact position of these features is unknown since none of them was marked on the general plan of the excavation. The only information comes from the written record where it is mentioned that they had been discovered in trench I excavated in order to verify the area of the new reformat cemetery which was planed to be opened at the end of the same year. On the grounds of this information the graves in question can be roughly located on the territory of the actual cemetery (Pl. 1). It seems that they formed a small group of graves; however, it is not clear enough if the three trenches excavated with this purpose man-aged to cover the whole area of the modern cemetery excluding the possibility of the existence of other, unobserved graves.

In the next year another grave belonging to the Migration Period was discovered which, on the basis of its topographical position, seems to be an isolated burial. In order to distinguish it from the Scythian and La Tène graves, a new numbering was started using Roman numerals, thus the discussed burial became grave I. Another small group belonging to the Migration Period and consisting of four burials was identifi ed in 1974. In spite of the relatively great distance from grave I they were considered to be part of the same cemetery and were numbered continuously, i.e. II–V.

In 1975, eastwards from the previously mentioned area, several graves were also identifi ed which can be dated in the 6th–7th centuries; however, the chronological diff erence between these and graves I–V was not recognized immediately by the leaders of the excavation. In the course of 1975–1976 there were unearthed 59 graves belonging to this Early Medieval cemetery which

1 George Marinescu (1970–1973), Ştefan Dănilă (1970), Teodor Câmpan (1973) and Coriolan Horaţiu Opreanu (1976) were also part of the fi eld research team.

2 DĂNILĂ 1974, 465.

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were numbered continuously from VI to LXV3. For practical reasons it was decided to renumber the graves, using in this volume Arabic numerals instead of Roman ones. On the other hand, the numbering of grave 1 VWZ and pits 2–5 were not changed.

Since the end of the excavations no monographic publication has been published and, because of the quite complicated situation presented above, several confusions appeared in the archaeological literature, mainly regarding to the number4 and the dating of the graves. The fi rst archaeological reports, referring to the excavations from 1972–1974, mentioned the burials belonging to the Migration Period, without the exact number of the discovered graves5. Later, these burials were considered to be part of the Early Medieval cemetery which was dated in the 5th–6th centuries.6

The only burial which was exhaustively published by the leaders of the excavation in 1991 is grave 47 which, at the same time, is the richest one discovered at Fântânele–Dâmbul Popii. Later, it was included in Radu Harhoiu’s monograph on the Early Migration Period in Romania as well.8 Both the graves from the Migration Period and the cemetery from the 6th–7th century were discussed in the PhD thesis of Corneliu Gaiu, without off ering an exhaustive description9. A few artefacts discovered in the latter one were included also in the Catalogue of the exhibition organized on the topic of the Gepids in Transylvania in 201110.

3 Grave XXVIII turned out to be the same as grave 93 dated in the Scythian Period.4 Regarding the number of the graves the confusions were created, among others, by the fact that not all the authors

discussed separated the Migration Period graves and the Early Medieval ones. Thus the number of the burials belonging to the Migration Period varies between one and three (one: HARHOIU 1999–2001, 151, Nr. 41/a.1; HARHOIU 2004–2005, 311, Nr. 37/a1; GEPIZII 2011, 36, nr. 46/b1; two: HOREDT 1977, 267, Nr. 10; two or three: GAIU 1999a, 194, nr. 8/a; three: DĂNILĂ 1974, 470; CSEH 1990, 69, 31/A), while the number of the ones dated in the 6th–7th centuries oscillates between 41 and over 100 (41: HARHOIU 1999–2001, 151, Nr. 41/a.2; 46: HOREDT 1977, 267, Nr. 10; CSEH 1990, 69, 31/B; 60: GAIU 1999a, 194, nr. 8/b; 61: GEPIZII 2011, 36, nr. 46/b2; over 100: EAIVR 1996, 127 – considering all the excavated graves to be part of the same cemetery).

5 MORINTZ 1973, 375, no. 62; DĂNILĂ 1974, 470; STOIA 1975, 285, no. 79.6 STOIA 1976, 277, no. 51/a; STOIA 1977, 363, no. 55. 7 CRIȘAN – OPREANU 1991.8 HARHOIU 1998, 174, Nr. 38.1, Taf. LXXXVIII/C.9 GAIU 1999a, 194–195, nr. 8.10 GEPIZII 2011, 139–142, nr. 129–137. The artefacts were borrowed by C. Opreanu to C. Gaiu for an exhibition

at Bistrița. C. Gaiu published them under his name in the Catalogue without asking permission from the owner (Institute of Archaeology and Art History Cluj-Napoca – C. Opreanu), breaking the deontological rules without any explanation.

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APPENDIX 2OPTICAL MICROSCOPE INVESTIGATION

OF THE GLASS FINDS DISCOVERED AT FÂNTÂNELE

By Eszter Horváth

In autumn 2011 optical microscope investigations were carried out on six objects discovered in the row-grave cemetery at Fântânele preserved in the archaeological collections of the Institute of Archaeology and Art History, Cluj-Napoca. Out of them three are mounts decorated with inlays coming from grave 1, while other three belonged to grave 6 representing loose inlays discov-ered without mounts. The examinations took place at the Institute of Archaeology of the Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, Department of Archaeometry and Archaeological Methodology and were carried out with binocular stereomicroscope and refl ected microscope equipped with digital camera. The aim of the non-destructive analysis was to identify and document the techno-logical characteristics of the objects as well as the material of the inlays. A more detailed evalua-tion of the results is intended to appear in a forthcoming paper.

ANALYSIS OF THE INCRUSTED MOUNTS (Pl. 5/1/2–4; Pl. 36/5–7)

On the grounds of the reddish-brown colour detectable under the greenish patina the material of the mounts can be identifi ed as copper-alloy; however, in lack of chemical analytical examinations its type and exact composition remains unknown. The mounts were cast in one piece and were fastened with the help of a rivet. In several places on the surface of all the three objects traces of gilding can be observed (Pl. 53/1). Taking into account the thinness of the coat-ing it seems likely that fi re gilding was the applied method. In order to verify this, more exactly to detect the presence of mercury in the composition of the gilding, chemical examinations would be necessary.

In the kidney-shaped mounts reddish inlays are set, excepting one of the pieces (Pl. 5/1/4; Pl. 36/7). In this case the inlay had been lost possibly before the funeral took place and therefore it off ered an ideal opportunity for analyzing the inner part of the mount. The relatively thick golden layer identifi ed on the base of the mount of standard champlevé type355 served for increas-ing the luster of the inlay. The golden layer strongly adheres to the inner side of the mount fol-lowing even its uneven surface; it grows thinner on the edges (Pl. 53/2). On the surface there are no traces of hammering or levelling. Based on these observations the presence of a backing foil can be excluded; instead, the golden layer was probably created, like in the case of the exterior surface, by fi re gilding. The gilding was applied directly on the surface of the copper alloy base without showing any trace of backing paste.

355 This term – French “champ levé” (raised plan), referring originally to enamel works – applies to cells cut out from

or carved into the metal base. In standard champlevé technique, the cells for inlays were cast together with the whole object. Mounts may have been made before casting, carved into the wax model. HORVÁTH 2012a, 215.

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Originally the inlays of the other two mounts, which survived, were probably translucent, but due to the corrosion of the surface they became opaque; therefore the analysis of their inclu-sions was not possible (Pl. 36/5–6). Despite this, their material could be identifi ed without any doubt: the corroded surface of the inlays, the air-bubbles reaching the surface, as well as the shell-like, conchoidal fractures on the edges indicate exclusively that the inlays were made of glass (Pl. 53/3–4). The arched, shallow scratches observable on the surface can be interpreted as traces of the selective dissolution caused by the inhomogeneity of the raw material on one hand and of abrasion on the other (Pl. 53/3, 5). The opaque and semi-opaque crust can be considered the trace of the early stage of laminated weathering (Pl. 53/6)356. The actual state of the inlays suggests that the original quality of the glass was not outstanding; unfortunately there was no possibility to identify its components and colouring agents.

The even upper surface of the glass inlays was probably fi nished by grinding or polishing. In the same time, this technique was not applied on the edges of the glass plates. One of the inlays (Pl. 36/5) follows relatively regular the kidney-shaped outline of the mount and on its edges traces of retouching can be identifi ed (Pl. 53/7), while the edges of the other one (Pl. 36/6) are quite irregular, its dimensions and shape were produced through rough chipping (Pl. 53/8). Similar to the material, the technological marks of the inlays suggest a low-quality execution.

ANALYSIS OF THE LOOSE INLAYS (Pl. 38/5–7)

The inlays of irregular rectangular and trapezoidal, respectively right-angled triangular shape were discovered without the objects they belonged to; however, their unusual structure off ers precious information regarding the original mount. The upper layer of the inlays is con-stituted by an extremely thin (0.4–0.8 mm), transparent plate which was fi xed on a thick (4.5–5.5 mm) base of reddish or yellowish nuance. Out of the three inlays only the rectangular one preserved this original structure (Pl. 54/1). This object presents between the plate and the base a very thin backing foil (approx. 30 µm) which in the section has a silvery glitter, while from above has a golden shine (Pl. 54/2). In the case of the trapezoidal inlay the upper transparent plate got off from the base, and the backing foil preserved only fragmentary (Pl. 54/3, 10). Despite of this state of preservation a similar structure to that of the rectangular inlay seems to be convincing. The transparent plate of the triangular inlay broke off as well; on this piece no traces of the back-ing foil could be observed. In this case one can only presume that the structure was the same.

On the grounds of the microscope examinations it seems probable that the backing foil was made of gilded silver, while for the fi xing of the individual layers a reddish, resin-like binder was used. These presumptions can be demonstrated by instrumental analytical measurements. Similar to the mounts from grave 1, the material of the transparent plates and of the reddish and yellowish bases is glass. On the surface of the thin plates the characteristic air-bubbles and irides-cence can be observed (Pl. 54/4–5). On the base also cooling striae were identifi ed originating from the solidifying process of the melted glass (Pl. 54/6–7).

On the thick glass pieces, identifi ed as the base of the inlays, neither trace of polishing nor of chipping could be observed. While their back is totally fl at, but quite roughly shaped, the edges are slightly irregular, but have a relatively uniform surface (Pl. 54/8–9). On the grounds of these observations the following manufacturing process might be reconstructed: the melted glass was cast in a form with rough base and during the solidifying process, when the material was still soft, the edges were cut with a sharp tool, obtaining the required shape. A wavy impression observed on one of the ends of the trapezoidal inlay suggests that the backing foil was fi xed on the surface at this stage, too, i.e. when the glass was still in soft condition (Pl. 54/10). This phenomenon is not detectable on the other two pieces.

356 For the characteristics of the glass identifi able with optical microscope see MANUTCHEHR-DANAI 2009, 385.

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The inlays have approximately the same height which suggests that they were used as deco-ration for the same object. On the basis of the shape and dimensions of the inlays, this was prob-ably a jewel or personal ornament decorated in cloisonné technique357. In comparison with the Early Medieval inlay decorated objects known so far, the structure identifi ed during the present analysis seems to be unique358. The fact that the glass plates representing the upper layer are so thin is by itself unusual, but even more interesting is that the space underneath the plates and the backing foil was not fi lled with backing paste; instead, thick glass bases were used with this purpose. It is possible that this solution was the result of a kind of experiment which, due to the lack of the convincing analogies, in the present state of research can be considered a unique attempt of a creative craftsman.

References

ARRHENIUS 1985 B. Arrhenius, Merovingian Garnet Jewellery. Emergence and Social Implications, Stockholm, 1985.

HEINRICH-TAMÁSKA 2006 O. Heinrich-Tamáska, Die Stein- und Glasinkrustationskunst des 6.  und 7. Jahrhunderts im Karpatenbecken, MAA 8, Budapest, 2006.

HORVÁTH 2012a E. Horváth, Cloisonné Jewellery from the Lombard Pannonia. Technological Evidence of Workshop Practice. In: V. Ivanišević – M.  Kazanski (eds), The Pontic-Danubian Realm in the Period of the Great Migration, Paris – Beograd, 2012, 207–241.

HORVÁTH 2012b E. Horváth, Ékkő- és üvegbetétes tárgyak a Kárpát-medence hun kori és kora Meroving-kori leletanyagában, PhD dissertation (manuscript), Budapest, 2012.

MANUTCHEHR-DANAI 2009 M. Manutchehr-Danai, Dictionary of Gems and Gemology, 3rd edition, Berlin – Heidelberg – New York, 2009.

357 The term of this mounting technique is derived from the French word “cloison” (partition, barrier). Cloisonné work is defi ned with reference to two criteria: it is made of separating walls that are soldered to each other. It is composed of thin metal stripes soldered together so as to form cells, and inlays are set into these cells. HORVÁTH 2012a, 210.

358 ARRHENIUS 1985; HEINRICH-TAMÁSKA 2006; HORVÁTH 2012b.

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