B. Nyékhelyi Dorottya: Középkori kútlelet a budavári Szent György téren (Monumenta Historica Budapestinensia 12. kötet Budapest, 2003)
Abstract
allowed to return. They could buy back their houses, and in some cases there are sources saying that the king gave back the house to a returning Jew. Though not in full number, but the Jews returned also to Buda. Experts have different views concerning the site and the date of their re-settlement. Some specialists say that after the Jews had come back they settled down on the northern part of Castle Hill. But newest archaeological and topographical research postpones the date of this event to a later period. Archaeological investigation of the recent years has been trying to clarify the development of the settlement structure of the western side of St George Street. Similarly to other parts of Buda it could be observed that the plots used to run up to the earliest city wall. Trade used to play an important role in Jews 7 life. It is also known that in Buda they dealt with wine producing. There are also sources saying that they kept milking animals, mainly goats, for example in Nagyszombat (Trnava, Slovakia). Their activity as craftsmen was blocked, but obviously some Jewish craftsmen could have also worked for their own purposes. Some Jewish doctors are also known from this period. Nevertheless, their main source of income was usury, monetary transactions and pledges. A ceramic goblet with Jewish inscription was found in the well. There was a glazed table vessel with two spouts among the ceramic finds. It is worth to mention here the 15th century painted ceramic vessel with a hook from Regensburg that had been found there in the territory of the mediaeval Jewish Quarter, and which - according to Jewish traditions - was used for ritual washing of the hands. This globular vessel has two spouts opposite one another, and the steep neck ends in a round handle. The Jewish symbol of the hexagon can be seen on the bottom of one of the wooden plates found in the well. An explanation for the many vessels of similar size coming from the well can be discovered in Jewish tradition. There are broken pieces of glass lamps, too among the finds. Glass lamps had been found in churches or friaries on several occasions. One of their nicest representation can be seen in the so called 7 Welislaus 7 Bible (cca 1340) where the text next to the picture says: The Jews pray to the Lord 7 . There is a multi-naved temple to be seen
