Belényesy Károly: Pálos kolostorok az Abaúji-Hegyalján (Borsod-Abaúj-Zemplén megye régészeti emlékei 3. Miskolc, 2004)

PAULINE FRIARIES IN THE ABAÚJ HEGYALJA REGION

METHODS AND OBSERVATIONS OF THE SURVEYS A significant branch of Pauline research is connected to topographical studies. Peculiarities, identified at various sites (environment, special ground plan, and size) provide adequate information to prove the presence and nature of the religious communities. The localized ruins, which are metrically describable at the site, need special approach. While the identification of the ruins is the peak in the process of discovery, the survey is an argument, which supports both analysis and localization. Moreover, the accurate survey of the landscape features facilitates the evaluation. Pauline monasteries in the Zemplén Region were founded usually on the borderland of populated areas, which had a crucial impact on the methods of both their recognition and documentation. Their research required fairly quick methods, which can also be used in extreme conditions. Since the methods of the present study were consciously defined and applied, the observations are worthwhile to summarize. Looking at the studied communities, the survey of the monastery at Gönc was chosen to exemplify the applied methods. Among the presented sites, this ruin is a presumably undisturbed building complex with a clear structure and immediate environment. The first attempts to research the ruin were carried out in May 1996,

158 when a 50 m long tape, and a compass was used during the survey. The site was measured based on nearly thirty control points. The main control station for the investigation became the concrete roof of a nearby well. From this location, with the help of the compass, moving into various directions the earthworks were surveyed.

159 On the basis of the collected data, the contoured layout of the site was later compiled (M = 1:500; Fig 8). The observations outlined a building complex of approximately 25m x 25m, and a fishpond north of it. On the basis of the acquired data, also the inner structure of the ruin complex was sketched. This draft pointed to the fact that the small cloister church was most probably located in the southern part of the complex, and the cloister buildings were situated north of it. Here I would like to express my gratitudes to Zoltán Kárpáti, who helped me. The deflection between both the control point and the researched feature was defined with the help of the, and the distance of the points were measured by tape. At the next step, this later point became the starting spot. Following this method, all characteristic features were measured. In the end we returned to the very first control point of the survey. The compiled ground plan was drawn on the basis of the recorded series of data. During the work, more control surveys were built in the work. The inaccuracy of the survey stayed bellow ten meters, which is not significant compared to the extension of the site. This first survey simply depicted the details that were recognized during the fieldwork, therefore, the representation, by emphasizing the main features of the site, contains substantial information. Nevertheless, this preliminary report showed only an inaccurate layout of the complex, hence it was supplemented by the systematic photography of the area (Fig 1-7, 11-16). In November 1996, this contoured ground plan was expanded with the analytical measurement of the earthworks.

160 This resulted that the former sketch was transformed into the survey of the ruins covered by earth and vegetation. This investigation aimed at a more accurate and realistic, rather than analytic representation of the site. All special features were documented, from which the main structure of the monastery was drafted (Fig 9). The research was completed with intensive photography again. In November 1998, the proposed task for the examination was to present the correct instrumental documentation of the complex.

161 This last ground plan became the most accurate one. The number of control points decupled, and there was no doubt about the accuracy of the instrument. The collected data was put and evaluated in a contoured network, which yielded the three-dimensional depiction of the research area. At the same time, the extension of the study territory was enlarged. Despite the fact that data, which were recorded by the instrumental survey, showed a more objective picture about the site, the appropriate evaluation of landscape features remained an important element in the investigation. Therefore, the ground plans of the two earlier investigations were used as preliminary studies during the third survey. These early plans represented a specifically false picture about the ruin area. Their information was focused on the topographical aspects of the site; they were aimed at interpreting the features, therefore, many small details were missing from them. Their greatest disadvantage was that they basically contained inaccurate, two-dimensional information, which cannot be evaluated without systematic photo documentation. Nevertheless, these methods can be carried out reasonably fast, with the involvement of two persons. Due to its simplicity and minimal tool requirement (one compass, and a tape), this technique can be used in extreme conditions, and despite the inaccuracy caused by the measurement of larger distances, they are eligible to represent the assessment of landscape features. The instrumental survey yielded the dimensional documentation of the monastery.

162 The structure of the Here I would like to thank all the work of Edit B. Sárosi and Gábor Tomka. 161 The survey was carried out by Balázs Holl (Archaeological Institute of the Loránd Eötvös University), with the help of a total station.