Marisia - Maros Megyei Múzeum Évkönyve 30/1. (2010)

Articles

ARCHAEOLOGICAL DATA REGARDING THE MEDIEVAL HISTORY OF THE UNITARIAN CHURCH IN ADÄMU§ (MURE§ COUNTY)

ZALÁN GYŐRFI-SZILÁRD SÁNDOR GÁL

Mure? County Museum, Tärgu Mure?

Keywords: architecture, construction phases, graves, anthropology, Middle Ages

The monument church in Adamu§ (Hungarian: Ádámos) has been the target of cultural and art history research since the beginning of the last century. Its significance is due to its dated painted ceiling, unique in Transylvania and presently on display at the Hungarian National Gallery.1

The church was first mentioned in Lénárd Barlabási’s will dating from the late Middle Ages.2 The document shows that Transylvania’s vice-voivod left 20 forints to the Adamu§ parish. Since no earlier document offers any information on the church, its medieval history can only be reconstructed by history of art and archaeological research.

Historical sources regarding the settlement are also scarce, documentary references become more frequent only at the end of the 15th century and the beginning of the 16th century. Written documents mentioned Adamu$ in 1405 for the first time, stating that it was transferred into the Bogáti family’s ownership.3 The settlement’s previous history can be indirectly traced from this same document that mentions the land as a former royal tenure. Several families acquired property in Adämu? during the 15lh century, among them the Vizaknais,4 Baládfis of Kiskend (Chendu),5 Porkolábs.6 Imre Porkoláb also owned a manor here in the second half of the century.7 Albert Patócsi who came into possession of land through the Baládfi branch, also built a manor in the second half of the 15th century, the document indicates its location, as well.8 At the beginning of the 16th century several documents mentioned the name of Gáspár Horváth of Adamus who was - among others - captain of Fogaras castle.9 Adämu§ became the estate of the Transylvanian Principality and was later donated to Farkas Kovacsóczi by Zsigmond Báthori.

1 Kelemen 1977; 1982; Mikó-Szentkirályi 1987; Kovács 2003.

2 DL 74407; TelekiOkl II, 453. - “ecclesie parochiali de Adamos”.

3 1405: Zsigmond Oki. II/l, 528 (4276), DL28770 - “possessio Adamus”; 1450: Jakó 1990, 419 (892-893).

4 1457: DL 74138; 1507: Jakó 1990, 266 (3417).

5 1435: DL 38652; Jakó 1990, 419 (893); 1540: SzOkl. II. 64-65.

6 1494: DL 29881 - “Johannis Porkoláb de Adamos"; 1500: DL 30335 - “Emericus Porkoláb de Adamos”; 1507: Jakó 1990, 266 (3417), 295 (3517) - “Emericus Porkoláb de Adamos”.

7 1503: Jakó 1990, 227-228 (3280) - “domum et curiam suam nobilitarium”.

8 1494: DL 29881 - “sessionum iobagionalium eiusdem Keozepwcza appellate, in fine aparte fluvii Kykwllew vocati... domum et curiam edificari”.

9 1498: DL 27090 - “provisor curiae...Ladislai Gereb episcopi”; 1501: DL 21049 - “castellano dicti castry fogaras"; 1502: DL 21118; 1504: DI 32558 - “castellanus castri fogaras”; 1524: Jakó 1990, 337, 439 (4024, 4025).

MARISIA XXX, p. 171-186