A Nyíregyházi Jósa András Múzeum évkönyve 50. (Nyíregyháza, 2008)

Régészet - Jakab Attila - Jankovics Norbert: A nagyhalászi Pusztatemplom

century Calvinists took over the church. At the end of the 18

,h century it was demolished and building material was used for the new Calvinist church erected in the centre of the village. Analysis of the unearthed foundation walls makes it possible to outline the history of building and the conceptual reconstruction of the ground plan can be made. The earliest church was three-aisled, its nave, consisting of three sectors, was separated with a smaller eastern and a stronger western pair of pillars. In the east a long chancel joined the nave terminating in a semicircular apse. Original plan suggested a Western type of façade of great prestige that appears in Hungarian architecture from the mid-12

th century. This type is characteristic for churches used by monk communities. At the same time, middle towers with open porch similar to the Nagyhalász one were met mainly at vicarages of the 13

th century. The solution of filling the space with side-rooms behind the rectangular side-aisle and near the long chancel with projection to east, became typical in Hungary in the 12

th century. A well planned and built example is the former abbey church in Boldva (Borsod County). During the 13

th century the principle of the ground plan of Nagyhalász continued to exist in several versions, including churches of Felsőörs (north of Lake Balaton) and Halmágy in Transylvania. Carved stones found in the course of the excavation attest to also Early Gothic elements of the walls. A fragment of a capital belonging to a pillar completed with cylindrical three-quarter column, is an example for a rare solution coming from the Early Gothic architecture of Northern France, that appeared in Hungary in the first quarter of the 13

th century (Pannonhalma, Esztergom, Kalocsa) and spread in the second quarter of this century (Bélapátfalva). The system of the ground plan and stylistic relations of the carved works together date the church of Nagyhalász to the second quarter of the 13

th century. In the next five centuries of the history of the church, it was significantly reshaped. However, it is difficult to identify the re-building phases. It can be definitely stated that in the 18

lh century only part of the church reminded the one from the 13

th century. A braided silver ring found as stray find during the excavation can be dated to the 1 l

lh century. The same can be said about a large ring shaped decoration with S-shaped ending. Only four graves were unearthed in the cemetery surrounding the church. Among them two can be dated to the 14

th century, and two others to the 17

th

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8

th centuries. Taking into consideration art historical aspects of the church, the beginning of the burials should be put to the mid-13

th century. At the same time, decorations of Árpád Age mentioned above do not exclude that a cemetery could had existed here already in the 11

th century. The surroundings of the church can be identified with the Medieval cemetery of Monostoroshalász (later Nagyhalász). Norbert JANKOVICS Ferenczy Museum Szentendre H-2001 Pf. 49. norbert.jankovics@gmail.com Attila JAKAB Jósa András Museum Nyíregyháza H-4401 Pf. 57. teglaegeto@freemail.hu