Achaeometrical Research in Hungary II., 1988
PROSPECTING and DATING - Balázs ERDÉLYI: Data to the chronology of the history of a settlement: thermoluminescent dating of Tapolca chuchill
1. The neolithic layer 4368 B.C.(± 289, ± 382, BME TL-Tap. 8,9) 2. The Roman-aged layer A.D. 195 (± 14, ± 109 , BME TL-Tap. 2,4) 3. The late medieval layer A.D. 1644(± 17, ± 21,BME TL-Tap. 1,6) Thus the layers dated from the middle of the fifth millennium B.C. from the A.D. 2 nd century. Similarly we can draw interesting conclusions in connection with the age of Samples No. 3 and 5. Data interpretation There is no need to give a more special explanation about the data of the neolithic age as well as the Roman one. In case of the Roman aged data we would add that the existingor found (?) -relics, walking surfaces are from the early Roman Period, though besides the early Roman (2 nd-3 rd century) potsherds, late Roman fragments were also excavated from the destruction layer. Data from the middle and the late Middle Ages are of much more interest to us because these are either in tune with prevailing assumptions or refute them. During the course of excavations, there were many signs of the fact that Tapolca settlement had already existed during in the early Period of the Árpád Dynasty. In 1986, many inhumation graves without grave furniture were recovered along the southern part of the 13 th century church (partially from below the church wall). An S-ended lock-ring also come to light in the same place, altough it was found amoung rather disturbed conditions. (TÖRŐCSIK 1988: 17-18.) Presumably these graves are the funerals of the 11 th century Tapolca population, and represent the so-called commons. According to coeval documents it was Béla the Third, who started to endowing the lands of the „Vérbulcsú" or „Lád" -clan wich had become royal estates as they had been confiscated during the rebellion by Koppány. In the immediate vicinity of Tapolca, these estates were given as a royal grants to the Pannonhalma Abbey, the Veszprém Bishopric, or later chapter, as well as to the „Atyusz" and „Tomaj" clans. Exception include the estates that remained royal- or rather castle-estates in the future too. Tapolca also belonged to these estates until the beginning of the 13 th century (TÖRŐCSIK, VMMK 18, 1987: 162). With the knowledge of the age of Sample 3, and the dimensions of the limepit we can safely suppose that significant constructions had already taken place on the church hill during the reign of St. Stephen, the first Christian king of Hungary. Presumably that was the period when the church and the later endowed royal manor house (curtius) were also built. We have presumed the existence of this latter on the basis of the excavated building remains found in the school yard. The dates obtained for Samples 1 and 6, howewer, raise the question wether the excavated buildings indeed originate from the 13' century. The excavated cellar seems to be connected with the constructions of György Széchenyi, Bishop of Veszprém, as is attested by a letter written by Tamás Nádasdy's dated to 1656, in which he said that a castle stood in Tapolca that has never been fortified (TÖRŐCSIK, 1988: 29.). The moat (that can be seen in its restored state) was also built that. Our view is also supported by Evlia Chelebi, a Turkish traveller, who almost called Tapolca a „very strong plank fort" (TÖRŐCSIK, 1988: 31.) almost at the same time. The building, discovered in 1989, originated with the covering over of the cellar-foreground that stands between it and the palace-building at constitued the main point of the fortified castle and the northern wall of the castle. More signs of secondary usage could be observed during the course of excavation and subsequent restoration. Among others the floor-level was deepened and consequently the doorway in the southern wall was walled in. It is conceivable that it was the entrance of the cellar that belonged to 59
