Marisia - Maros Megyei Múzeum Évkönyve 1. (2019)

Keve László, Zalán Győrfi: Medieval Small Finds int he Borders of Ideciu de Jos

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К. László - Z. Győrfi

compared to the golden forint. Counterfeit copper quartings could have appeared in great quantity in the last period of its existence, when even original pieces contained hardly any silver.

Counterfeiters acted in workshops under the protection of feudal lords starting from the end of the 14th century. Based on the counterfeit coins in different finds in Hungary, Frigyes Kahler reckons with at least 3 workshops and finds it possible that counterfeiters also worked in the royal mints.42 Counterfeiting workshops in the service of feudal lords made the grand scale manufacturing and spreading of counterfeit coins possible.

Archeological research has found in Visegrád a multifunctional workshop where Sigismund-era coins were occasionally counterfeited.43 Traces which indicate money counterfeiting for the Sigismund period from Transylvania are known from Léta castle in County Cluj (Hu: Kolozs).44

The counterfeit coins found in Sänisoare may as well be the products of a Transylvanian workshop. No other traces of counterfeiting or of a local workshop turned up with the coins found in Szalonnavár. The multitude of mint mark copies indicates the use of several coin die and a more organized action of counterfeiting.

SUMMARY

The small metal finds and counterfeit coins found by metal detectors in Sänisoare confirm the existence of a fortress named Szalonnavár ever since the 18th century that had not been mentioned by contemporary written sources. The counterfeit Sigismund-era small coins have meant an important handhold in the dating of the find. Quartings were officially released between 1430 and 1437, therefore our counterfeit coins could not have been manufactured after 1437. Most

of the small metal objects had been used for a long time, therefore we propose their dating to the 14-15th century. By means of the find, identification of a so far unknown fortress of the Losoncis, one of Transylvania’s important aristocratic families with several estates in the area has become possible. Only a methodical archeological research can offer more specific information on the fortress and the find from its premises.

CATALOGUE

1. Snaffle bit fragment. The mouthpiece and the belonging hook of the jointed axis snaffle have been preserved. Dimensions: 12 cm, mouthpiece: 8.8 cm, snaffle-rein hook: 4.5 x 4.3 cm. I. No: 12027 (Pl. 1/1)

2. Snaffle bit fragment. The mouthpiece and the belonging hook of the jointed axis snaffle have been preserved. Dimensions: 9.7 cm, mouthpiece: 6,6 cm, snaffle-rein hook: 4.3 x 4.3 cm. I. No: 12028 (Pl. 1/2)

3. Snaffle bit fragment. The mouthpiece and the belonging hook of the jointed axis snaffle have been preserved. Dimensions: 11 cm,

42 Kahler 1983, 79-80; Gyöngyössy 2016a, 30.

43 Varga 2015, 61,70; Varga-Nagy 2017,128.

44 Gyulai et al. 1983, 521-522.

mouthpiece: 7.6 cm, snaffle-rein hook: 4.4 x 4.3 cm. I. No: 12029 (Pl. 1/3)

4. D shaped buckle. Its needle, bound to its ancient, narrower frame is missing. Dimensions: 4.9 x 4.1.1. No: 12030 (Pl. 1/4)

5. Circle shaped buckle. The length of the needle, bound to the frame of an average 0.4 cm width, narrowing towards the edges, is of 4 cm. Dimensions: 4.3 x 4.2 cm. I. No: 12031 (Pl. 1/5)

6. Socketed arrowhead. Dimensions: 6.7 x 0.8 cm. I. No: 12032 (Pl. 1/6)

7. Piked arrowhead. Its diamond shaped point is damaged, its spike is bent. Dimensions: 7 x 0.5