Marisia - Maros Megyei Múzeum Évkönyve 32/2. (2012)
Articles
A Perished Medieval Setdement in Udvarhelyszék 169 we have not managed to measure it either, because its eastern side is intersected by the already investigated dwellings. Furthermore, the 16th century semi-subterranean dwelling raises an interesting question as its filling has yielded fragments of stove eyes but its structure is still based on stilts. The archaeological investigations made in the Odorheiu Secuiesc area reveal that this type of dwelling disappeared sometime during the turn of the 14th-15th century, being replaced by the late 15th century by harrow-frame type dwellings with several compartments and occasionally even stove heating and basements dug underneath (Benkő 2001, 377-378). Future larger scale diggings may shed new light on the findings of both the church and the village. In the investigation of medieval settlements, the site holds unique properties in the area of Odorheiu Secuiesc because the investigation of the small Árpád dynasty aged village founded sometime during the 12th century is not disturbed by modern age buildings and furthermore, because we also know when it perished. APPENDIX Description of the graves In the description of the graves we primarily mention the depth and orientation of the grave, the gender and age of the deceased, the features of the skeleton and the condition of the bones. We established the age and gender of the skeletons on the spot without any further confirmation by anthropological examination and, as such these are only approximations. We have expressed the depth of the graves in altitude in relation to absolute sea level. List of abbreviations used: D: absolute depth, O: orientation (in case of an uncertain angle we have settled for mentioning just the general orientation), G: gender, A: age. S-l: trench 2, D: 540.19 m, O: 252°, A: adultus. It was found in the south western corner of trench 2, at a depth of 25 cm, partially beneath the ploughed soil. Only the right leg remained intact and many bone fragments were found scattered nearby. S-2: trench 1, D: 539.3 m, O: 275°, A: infans II. The skeleton, which was very near to the surface, was in very poor condition, only the shattered skull, the upper arm and the forearm remained. Its filling was brownish grey soil with chunks of mortar. It is intersected by S-3. S-3: trench 1, D: 539.25 m, O: 280°, A: infans II. This skeleton was also very close to the surface and was in very poor condition, the skull and the entire left side of it is missing. The filling was dark grey, brownish soil with pieces of mortar. It was intersected by S-4. S-4: trench 1, D: 539.17 m, O: 285°, G: female, A: adultus. The skeleton was in good condition, the skull was tilted to the frond and fragmented, the condition of the teeth was good, arms were stretched along the body, and the filling was dark grey, brownish soil with pieces of mortar. S-5: trench 2, D: 539.04 m, O: 266°, G: female, A: adultus. The skeleton appeared close to the surface, its skull was fragmented, the right arm was bent at the elbow, and the bones from below the waist had been disturbed as a result of cultivation of the soil. The filling was brownish grey, slightly mixed, with brick and fresco fragments, and during the excavation we noticed the imprint of a coffin. S-6: trench 2, D 539 m, O: 269°, G: male, A: adultus. The skull and the right upper arm are missing, as a result of the disturbing of S-25 s pit. The arms had been stretched along the body. The bones from the legs and the pelvis had almost entirely decomposed with only the right fibula remaining. Its filling was brownish grey, slightly mixed, containing brick debris. When we picked up the bones we found a round, slightly oval shaped belt buckle in the waist area (PI. 5/9). S-7: trench 1, D: 539.15 m, O: 278°, A: adultus. The grave, which showed up 15-20 cm beneath the surface, in the south western corner of the trench, is in relatively good condition, from the knees up it fell out of the trench. Its filling was dark grey, slightly mixed and it was covering S-l 7. S-8: trench 1, D: 539.18 m, O: 275°, G: male, A: adultus. The skeleton fell out of the trench from the chest part up, the arms were slightly bent from the elbows, the right hand was lying on the pelvis, and
