Benedek Csaba – H. Bathó Edit – Gulyás Katalin – Horváth László – Kaposvári Gyöngyi szerk.: Tisicum - A Jász-Nagykun-Szolnok Megyei Múzeumok Évkönyve 14. (2004)
Settlement Finds of the Roman Age from Jász-Nagykun-Szolnok County
JÁNOS CSEH SETTLEMENT FINDS OF THE ROMAN AGE FROM JÁSZ-NAGYKUN-SZOLNOK COUNTY Lids for pots made by hand on Sarmatian settlements Three materials of finds from the Middle Tisza Region originating in the period between the 1st—2nd centuries and the 4th —5th centuries have been chosen for publication by me on this occasion from the archaeological collection of the Museum Damjanich in Szolnok town. Amid these the site of two, together with circumstances of the finding, as well as the date of their getting into (sometime in the 80's years and the first half of the 90's) are regrettably unknown. We came upon them at the ordering resp. removing of the museum's store-rooms in the spring of the year 1996. Despite this deficiency their publication can not be said unnecessary, among other things in terms of the pottery dated back to the 4th —5th centuries resp. to the Hun Age from the Tisza Region. Though the third, in order of the presentation first ensemble of finds has minor speciality/importance, it is providing only a contribution to the settlement-history of Kengyel village in the Roman Period and somewhat to the potter's craft of the 2nd—4th centuries (Middle Sarmatic Period). The three materials are being linked together by the large-sized storing vessels, the clay buckets (translation word for word from Hungarian), the jars-pitchers found in each one. Considering the two potteries of smaller and bigger size of Kengyel we can emphasize the groovy decoration of the latter. This seems to have been characteristic in the Middle Sarmatian times for me, thus maybe we are not mistaken (leastways not very much), if we appoint this as the earliest among the three archaeological materials — at any rate there is nothing to the inconsistens with this statement. Ensemble A of unknown findspot has gotten to the second place, more or less under compulsion, because its dating from the Hun Age appears to be more uncertain than of the ensemble В of unknown site. Its pitcher-jar (Krausengefass) having typical collared rim is decorated with incised wavy lines among deepened lines. A larger cup resp. deep bowl of conical body with complete profile is of undecided technic of manufacture (made on throwing-wheel turned slowly?). This belongs to the series of pottery forming a separate group owing to its granulous clay (also) in the relics of the Roman Age from the Great Hungarian Plain. This type of vessels had en masse appeared in the Late Sarmatian Period and it is represented mostly by pots. Fragments of pots, jug? and bowls are among our finds, without anything that would be worthy of emphasis as speciality. For me the most intereasting pieces of material A are the potteries formed by free hands, namely a cup with holding-part, again all the more the well identifiable lids for vessels (I shall once more revert to these after the description of the finds). According to my own excavations performed around Kengyel village, ensemble A seems to be originated in the Hun Age (definitely) — last quarter of the 4th century and first half of the 5th century — the ensemble A. We may regard its two pieces as „leading/guiding finds", the pitcher decorated with striped polishing in zigzag and the bowl of conical body. The latter form of vessel is being represented by two further fragments, one of which points expressly towards the Roman Provincial pottery. In the material pots made by free hand are to be found as well. (Translation by the author) 28
