Marisia - Maros Megyei Múzeum Évkönyve 32/2. (2012)
Articles
156 Zs. Nyárádi according to Orbán (1868, 150). Traditionally it is considered that this is the place where the inhabitants of Bezid originated from. In this case the story comes from the fact that traces of the settlement have showed up during ploughing. In light of archaeological diggings, these traces proved to be far older, dating back to the 7th or 8th centuries (Székely 1962,48-54). As such, from an archaeological perspective we may not entirely overlook these traditions. There are basically two ways in which once flourishing settlements may become deserted. One of them is when due to wars, epidemics or natural disasters the entire population perishes and later on the area is not repopulated. The settlement slowly fades from memory and disappears into the mists of history, or perhaps, in more fortunate cases, its memory persists through the names of local places. We may not find certain settlements on today’s maps due to the fact that their names were changed. This is the case of nearby Szombatfalva, which during 1333-1334 is mentioned as Sancto Georgio (MonVat I. 115), but in 1497 we can already find it being referred to as Szombatfalva (SzOkl VIII, 176-177). Another more spectacular example of a settlement changing its name may be observed in the case of Besenyőfalva. In 1455 the Seders of Besenyőfalva initiated a lawsuit against the neighbouring Pálfalva because its inhabitants were unlawfully occupying and using its lands (SzOkl I. 169), but by 1459, in the same case against Pálfalva the name Váralja is mentioned (SzOkl 1.177). The changing of the settlement’s name may be due to the fact that Firtos castle was meanwhile erected. The possibility that the settlement had been moved was also considered before, but this is refuted by the short time span between the different occasions when it was mentioned in documents. Finally, the archaeological artefacts dating back to the Árpád dynasty, collected within the interior of the village confirm that it had not moved but merely changed its name. The case of abandonment of settlements due to environmental effects is well illustrated by the village of Dobó, found in a forested area in the valley of Kormos creek, which had already been established in the 13th century (Bordi 2009, 227-260). The last reference to its inhabitants dates back to 1604 (SzOkl V, 155,168). It is no longer mentioned in the census ordered by Gábor Bethlen in 1614. In 1621 we can find it only as a mere holding among the lands of the Daniel family (SzOkl V, 155,168). Another similar settlement appears in sources in 1623 (Mihály 2003, 9). The exact topographical identification of Tihadár has not yet been realized but it is found somewhere near Cälugäreni, Chinusu and Valeni. Because it does not appear in 16lh century sources or censuses, its disappearance may be thought to have happened during the first half of the 16th century. The form of the location’s name makes it likely that it was established during the time of the Árpád dynasty (Szabó 1988, 439). According to the information from certain documents, near Lueta, in an area known as Pokolláz, we may look for another deserted village called Lázfalva and its chapel, which is mentioned in the writings of both István Sándor Jánosfalvi and Balázs Orbán (Mihály 1996,12). The village of Görgény does not appear mentioned in any medieval sources but the archaeological surveys done near Bodogaia and Cristuru Secuiesc have confirmed the local traditional belief according to which in the valley of Görgény creek, which pours from the north into the Tárnává Mare, there was once a medieval village. According to archaeological findings the village, which had been established during the Árpád dynasty already disappeared by the end of the 15th century (Benkő 1992, 51). The reasons which lead to this have yet to be revealed. The
