Novák László Ferenc (szerk.): Gazdálkodás az Alföldön. Földművelés - Az Arany János Múzeum közleményei 9. (Nagykőrös, 2002)

Határhasználat - Vályi Katalin: Ember és környezet Szermonostor fénykorában

technique in the Árpádian Age. Pike dominates the carnivorous fish species, although it is possible that the 1597 scales came from a single large specimen.

The fish remains suggest that fishing, as a complementary activity of food procurement, did not play a major role. It seems possible that fish was only eaten during Lent or other days of fasting, or at the time of spawning.

(6) The seed remains indicate that a wide variety of plants were cultivated at Szer.

Plant remains from the well at Szer

English name

Latin name

occurrence

use

cherry

Cerasus avium

sporadic

fruit

walnut

Juglans regia

rare

food, oil

hawthorn

Cratageus sp.sporadic

medicine

bulrush

Typha

rare

textile or stuffing material

sloe

Prunus spinosa

sporadic

medicinal, fruit

hazelnut

Coryllus avellana

rare

food, oil

peach

Persica vulgaris

several dozen

fruit

Casaba melon

Cucumis melo

sporadic

fruit

saligot

Trapa natans

several dozen

food

prune

Prunus domesticus

sporadic

fruit

There is little in the way of evidence for fruit consumption and fruit production from medieval settlements (Fonyód-Bélatelep, Szentkirály). The finds from the Buda wells offer a slightly different picture than what can be gleaned from rural settlements and probably reflect the varied trade activity of that town.

Interestingly enough, plant finds are rare from the excavated monasteries, even though the emergence of medieval horticulture and various advances in plant cultivation in general are usually attributed to foreign monks who settled in Hungarian monasteries and introduced various practices brought with them from their home countries. However, the finds from the excavated monasteries do not reflect this advanced horticulture and fruit cultivation. Twelve sacks of grain were found in 13th century contexts at Pásztó, wheat, rye and millet has been reported from 16th century contexts at Kaposszentjakab. The remains of peas, fava beans and lentils from both sites indicated the presence of vegetable gardens. Fruit finds, the remains of walnuts, are only known from Vértesszentkereszt. However, these walnut finds are inconclusive as to whether fruit was grown at monasteries.

The single good comparative material comes from the Sankt Gallen monastery. The 9th century plan of the monastery shows not only the groundplan of the different buildings, but also offers a detailed picture of the gardens of the monastery, together with the various plants that were grown in them. The monastery gardens had twelve different species of fruit trees and sixteen different species of plants. In addition, there was a separate medicinal garden where twelve different herbs were grown.

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