Dr. T. Tóth szerk.: Studia historico-anthropologica (Anthropologia Hungarica 16. Budapest, 1979)

ANTHROP. HUNG. XVI. 1978-1979. Data on the anthropology of the Arpadian age population of the plain between Rivers Danube and Tisza By Ildikó PAP Anthropological Department, Hungarian Natural History Museum, Budapest Abstract. The author examines the osteological material of 63 graves originating from the environs of Nagykőrös. The results of the general anthropological analysis and the evaluation of primary and secondary taxonomical characteristics are given, compared with several series from the Arpadian age (with 14 Tables and 4 Figures). A number of authors have studied the Arpadian age population of the plain between the Danube and the Tisza (Allodiatoris 1937, Nemeskéri 1947, 1948, Lipták 1954, 19 57, Bartucz-Farkas 1956, Lipták-Farkas 1967, Lotterhof 1968, Marcsik 1972). Some of the papers published recently have dealt with anthropological problems of this area, too (Farkas-Lipták 1967, Éry 1970, LiptákLotterhofMarcsik 1973, Tóth 1973, Lotterhof 1974, 1975). By studying the anthropological material from the environs of Nagykörös, though it contains only the bones of few graves, we hope to contribute with new data to the anthropology of the llth-13th century population of the plain between the rivers Danube and Tisza. THE CIRCUMSTANCES OF THE EXCAVATION The excavations were led by Béla Balanyi, former director of the "Arany János" Museum of Nagykőrös. .During the excavations in 1958/1959, 1960, 1961 and 1965, 63 WestEast oriented llth-13th century graves were opened up from the area of Gurmannhalom (16 graves), Boldogasszonyhalom (14 graves), Szőrhalom (4 graves), Csíkvár (6 graves), Középgógány (or Gógányszél, 5 graves), Ludas-dűlő (18 graves) (B. Balanyi'

s reports and excavation diary). The fact, that all the six different places originate from the Arpadian age, and belong to environs of Nagykőrös, permits, and the small number of opened up graves from each regions necessitates the common elaboration of the excavated anthropological finds. We must not neglect the fact that the excavation of the regions is only partial. Therefore our osteological material represents only a fragment of the Arpadian age population of Nagykőrös. Thus, from this material the Arpadian age reality can only be reconstructed with great carefullness. The anthropological material has been placed in the "Arany János" Museum of Nagykőrös. MATERIAL AND METHOD Out of the material of 63 graves, the crania of 46 individuals were suitable for anthropological study. 5 of them are those of youngage (1 Infans I, 2 Infans II, 2 juveniles). Of the 41 grown-ups 38 were suitable for detailed analysis (24 males and 14 females). The material is well preserved. The distribution of the population by age, sex and preservation is