Fatuska János – Fülöp Éva Mária – ifj. Gyüszi László (szerk.): Annales Tataienses V. Környezetváltozás, termelés, fogyasztás: a történeti ökológia kérdései. Tata, 2006.

Torma Andrea: Középkori kutak archeobotanikai leleteinek összehasonlító értékelése: adatgyűjtés és interpretáció

Comparative analysis of the archaeobotanical finds of mediaeval wells - data gathering and interpretation Andrea Torma The study gives an overview of the so far explored archaeobotanical finds of mediaeval wells in Hungary. During the well excavations of the 1950s and 1960s Hungarian archaeobotanical research was in its infancy. Only since the 1960s did methodical data collection begin and the archaeobotanical collection established at the Museum of Hungarian Agriculture. Though several wells have been excavated since the 1990s, this study is based on the elaborated material of the collection. The water-logged fillings of wells, thanks to anaerob conditions, conserve botanical materials in an excellent condition. In comparison to samples taken from other, dry layers, they are far richer in species, and have conserved fruit residues and the remains of natural vegetation more frequently. The author presents the botanical material of five wells from various parts of the country, each testifying of the farming habits and natural environment of the particular regions: Buda Castle, Pécs-Postapalota, Lászlófalva-Szentkirály, Szécsény, Visegrád Castle Gardens. The comparative evaluation of the analysed wells does not draw a clearly marked boundary between the botanical finds of the various sites and ages; no substantial difference can be found either in terms of breeds or fruit remains. Among the grown fruits, nuts, plums, cherries, sour cherries, grapes, peaches and apricots were generally widespread. The seeds of apple and pear were found at Szécsény, the kernel of almond was only found so far at Buda castle. Fig, regarded as a grown fruit, appears at all assemblages. The wild peanut, growing in the edge plant communities of broad-leaved forests, was one of the most widely collected useful plants; with the exception of Szécsény, its remains were found at each site. The cereals retrieved from the wells were all found in a carbonised condition, with the exception of millet. 30