A Herman Ottó Múzeum évkönyve 53. (2014)
Régészet - Tóth Krisztián: Noteworthy Findings of the Roman Age and Early Migration Period from Borsodszirák, Northestern Hungary. First Investigations
176 Tóth Krisztián Martin Jahn, who first outlined their types apropos of the analysis of vandal vessels in 1926 (Richthoikn 1931, 257). The ones from Borsodszirák are massive. The diameter of their rims are between 26—32 cm, the thickness of their wall is 1.7 cm, and they are decorated with incised wavy lines and stamped motifs (Fig. 8. 5—6). Their research has been expounded in detail by Mihály Párducz and József Korek (PArducz—Korek 1958, 30—31). Later Lamiová-Schmiedlová dealt with them in relation to the Eastern Slovakian specimens, and dated them between the 2nd to 4th century A.D. (Lamiová-Schmiedlová 1969, 475-477). These so- called Nordic-type storage vessels spread only at the northern part of the Carpathian Basin (IstvAnovits 1993,20—21). So far the rectangle X stamping with pine- branch pattern seems to be an unknown combination. The formal type of the hand-made sherd with stamped pentapetalous flower motif could not be identified. However, similarly decorated fragment has recently been found at other site in the Sajó Valley as well, but it is yet unpublished and too small, fragmentary pieces to surely determine their forms.3 The magnetic survey Geophysical surveys have been carried out in two locations in December 2014 (Fig. 9). On a smaller area at the western part of the Roman Age settlement (the middle part of the site), where the bust was discovered, nearly a hectare (0.9 ha) has been examined. A magnetic feature disturbing the survey was a reinforced concrete column with a magnetic field, which obscured a small area. On the studied area sporadic anomalies of archaeological objects occurred. Especially around the place where the bust was discovered, round pits can be reported, therefrom to the north a few scattered anomalies appeared, which can even suggest sunken-featured buildings. The other surveyed area targeted the finding place of the Roman Age metal objects, where 1.8 hectare has been assessed (Fig. 10). There was no magnetic feature here that could affect the survey. The measurement yielded extremely interesting results. It turned out that in the south-western corner of the river terrace we can calculate with many objects, the majority of which can be in superposition with each other. This salience of the terrace is surrounded by a ditch, namely a single ditch system at the western part, and a double one eastward. The diameter of the enclosure is 180 1 1 A similar potsherd was found during a field survey at a recently discovered site near Sajókeresztúr (Sajókeresztúr-Dél). meters. This structure probably belongs to the Bronze Age setdement. Unfortunately, the objects from the Roman period could not be connected to magnetic anomalies for several reasons. On the one hand the area is under cultivation, so the finds are constantly „migrating” in the upper soil layer. On the second hand the range of the horizontal dispersion of the handheld GPS measuring device we used was several meters. Parallel to the geophysical measurement a systematic metal detector survey was also carried out on the larger (1.8 ha) measured area, but only the half of that could be transacted. The exciting Roman Age objects which came to light during this survey could not be included in this paper due to the limit of space. SUMMARY The site near Borsodszirák called Egres-dűlő became known in 1998, when the bronze Bacchus bust have been taken to the Museum of Miskolc (Herman Ottó Múzeum). In the same year Tamás Pusztai, an archaeologist of the museum carried out a field survey with Tamás Szűcs, who submitted the artefact, on the course of which ceramic sherds from the Neolithic, Bronze Age, Roman and Migration Period and the early 10th century have been collected. A silver belt fitting also belonged to the latest period, which unfortunately cannot be found in the collection of the museum any more. In 1999 Tamás Szűcs visited the site again, and has brought 19 pieces of ceramic fragments, mainly from the Roman and Early Migration Period into the museum. However, from among the findings of the examined period only the finding place of the bust has become known. In 2012 I surveyed the site with my colleague István Koncz, on the course of which we concluded that Roman and early migration period pottery can be collected from the middle to the southeastern section of the site. At this time we have found an iron plate (Fig 3, 6). In the spring of 2013 we succeeded to determine precisely the boundaries of the periods of the site during a half-day field survey with Agnes Király (archaeologist) and Csaba Lakatos (metal detectorist). Then we refined the spreading of the ceramic artefacts relevant to the archaeological periods (Fig 2. purple polygon). In addition, inside the site we could isolate two Neolithic and a Bronze Age settlements (Fig 2). We also collected 10th century A.D. findings from the area covered by Bronze Age sherds. Since we have been informed that the sites were roamed by illegal metal detectorists, we have I
