Horváth László – H. Bathó Edit – Kaposvári Gyöngyi – Tárnoki Judit – Vadász István szerk.: Tisicum - A Jász-Nagykun-Szolnok Megyei Múzeumok Évkönyve 13. (2003)

The Plant and Textile Troves of the Cemetery of the Cuman Village in Karcag-Asszonyszállás

vegetable fragments (Artemisia sp., abrotanum?) found in the coffins. We do not know the purpose of the cemented scierocíums of sphacelia (Claviceps purpurea) found in great quantities in grave number 179 next to the skeleton. Without the pretence of completeness, we expound the contemporaneous beliefs, customs and superstitions attached to the subject. Textilé findings: brown felty woollen cloth pieces, calendered purple veil fabric remnants interwoven with bronzé thread, the matériái is wool (sheep). Next to this line (Linum sp.) dyed spins were alsó unearthed. Among the textilé findings somé floss silk remnants interwoven with gold thread proved to be the most interesting. In our short historical overview we point out the fact that silkworm breeding did not start in Hungary until the 17

lh century, but industrial silk production came to existence as laté as the reign of Marié Therese. At the same time our garb findings date back to the 15

th -16

th centuries. Based on this, one might think that these pieces of complicated fabric came to Hungary through Italian or French import. 86