Savaria - A Vas Megyei Múzeumok értesítője 30. (2006) (Szombathely, 2007)
Régészet - Ilon Gábor: A velemi Szent Vid környékének településtörténeti rekonstrukciója a régészeti leletek tükrében
Savaria a Vas megyei Múzeumok Értesítője, 30 (2006) throughout times. The excavations conducted in connection to the infrastructural investments of the past decade (road, mall, apartment and telephone line constructions) added further finds to the old data and our field reconnaissance in a fortunate manner. The lists of the rescue sites to be published hereunder (1 to 7) include the venues located at the western and northern edges of the administration boundary of the city of Szombathely partly by way of determining such boundary lines artificially. Based on the status quo of the research — 230 occurrences on 99 locations — it can be concluded unequivocally that the settlement index of Hill St. Vid representing the central element of the research is the highest (10 epochs). In other words, it has been inhabited constantly in the microregion since the Neolithic to the Árpád Era. This can be explained by the fallowings: (i) it allowed proper (vertical) separation and defense; (ii) the horizontal (satellite) dwellings that had had functions could have been well controlled; (Hi) good view opened onto the valleys of Creeks Gyöngyös and Arany, to say, onto afar larger region; (iv) efficient control could have been assured from here in respect to the Borostyánkő Route stretching in the Gyöngyös Valley. Moreover, its key position, at the same time, supreme function in the settlement culture from the Late Bronze Age to the Roman Age is indisputable. Although, its significance was not negligible in the Árpád Era — in fact, it was far weaker than in Prehistoric times, while Kőszeg and Szombathely developed into primary centers —, it lost its leading role, which was taken over by the Claudius colony of the Savarians established for the purpose to off et the Celtic inhabitants' oppidum located on St. Vid in the Roman Age. The Lower and Upper Fort (Old House) of Kőszeg dominated the microregion and controlled the route from the last decades of the Árpád Era. The Kőszegfalva—Kőszegfalvi meadows (settlement index: 7 epochs) located on the eastern side of Creek Gyöngyös, the Gencsapáti—Kápolnadomb (settlement index: 5 to 6 epochs) as well as the Gencsapáti-Besenyő-sziget (settlement index: 6 epochs) defended naturally by water streams might have had functions in the valley (on lower levels, nearby water streams) for several periods The Sé Mill Slope and the Doberdó complex were popular in the valley of Creek Arany (settlement index: 8 epochs), whilst the slope located at the lower edge of the Reiszig-erdő of Szombathely between Creeks Gyöngyös and Arany was preferred (settlement index: 7 epochs). In other words, these locations were fancied for thousands of years, thus man had a crucial impact on the direct surroundings of them. If taking a look at Figures 1 to 7 integrally attached to our research study, which visualize the positions and scattered locations of the rescue sites, it can be concluded that a thick forest connected to the Kőszeg— Rohonci Hills might have been located on the area enclaved between the water streams. Man has cut down substantial part of this forest throughout the years. Pál Sümegi and his staff took samples to complete the environmental reconstruction of the microregion. Drillings on the alder bog of Velem in 2002 and further ones on the alluvia of Creek Arany at the boundary ofBucsu in 2003 were carried out. In the latter case, test material was taken from a water pipe section that dated back to the Roman Age. The research study that is about to be published has been compiled as part of this environmental reconstruction. Our complex and joint work will be published shortly in a volume presenting the most recent results of environmental archaeology attained in respect to the Transdanubian region. Such volume will be published by the Archaeological Institute of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences. 143
