Múzeumi Füzetek Csongrád 4. - Szent István Királyi Vármegyeszékhelye Csongrád. Ismertető a Tari László Múzeum időszaki kiállításához 2000. április 28 - augusztus 10. (Csongrád, 2001.)

St. István's county town: Csongrád

Seniorates (the church theory units) and the royal counties generally coincided with each other. As a rare exception the northern part of Csongrád county was part of Vác Bishopric and the southern territory of the county belonged to the Kalocsa Archdiocese. In Csongrád county the King's most significant property was Szeged which functioned as a salt-depot. More of the King's fishing places were recorded here. We can also consider properties which were owned by the prince. Saint István ordered in his second Law-Book that every ten villages had to build a church together. The foundation, supply and function of the church was precisely determined. During Árpád'

s age the processional cross was the chief requisite of the liturgy, the pieces of which were found under the ruins of the churches around Csongrád. At the present border of Csongrád town, outside of Elles church centre, three smaller village parish churches were discovered. They are characterised by an angled sanctuary and nearly square nave. The building materials were clay, meadow limestone and handmade well-fired brick. The ceiling was wooden with cane or shingled roof. Only Christians were buried into the cemeteries next to the churches. The early medieval places of residence, small villages were established beside springs on the banks of rivers, streams or lakes in the countryside. According to documentation there numbered nearly one hundred. On the bases of archaelogical field-prospecting about two hundred period settlements can be estimated in the Csongrád county. Their inhabitants kept animals, farmed, grew fruit and fished in the river. The majority of the populatin lived in pit-houses built with purlin and props dug 80-120 cm deep in the ground. A small number also live in houses on the ground. In the first exibition hall the previously analysed early Medieval county history is displayed. In the second hall the followed are displayed which relate to Saint István: - local, completed and planned works of fine-art - photographs of Saint István'

s statues from the local churches - a medallion by Sándor Dudás - a wood-carving by Sándor Simmer - a plan of a millenium sculptural group by Béla Tóth