Rosta Szabolcs szerk.: Kun-kép - A magyarországi kunok hagyatéka (Kiskunfélegyháza, 2009)
Gallina Zsolt-Varga Sándor: 14-15. századi templom körüli temető feltárása Kiskunhalas-Katolikus temető. Kápolnahelyen (Előzetes beszámoló a 2005. és 2007. évben végzett feltárásokról)
GALLINA ZSOLT-VARGA SÁNDOR: 14-15. SZÁZADI TEMPLOM KÖRÜLI TEMETŐ FELTÁRÁSA KISKUNHALAS-KATOLIKUS TEMETŐ, KÁPOLNAHELYEN Zsolt Gallina-Sándor Varga Excavation of a 14th-15th century church graveyard at the site KiskunhalasCatholic cemetery, Kápolnahely (Preliminary report on the excavations in years 2005 and 2007) Site of the Medieval church is situated in the inner part of Kiskunhalas, in the south-eastern corner of the Catholic cemetery, at the comer of road 53 and Temető Street, on a hill elevating out of its surroundings (fig. I ). Our first date on the site comes from the second third of the 19 t h century. György Révész, who researched the past of Kiskunhalas, mentioned the site of the Medieval church and some objects found there. Part of the site was excavated in 2005 and 2007. Rescue excavation became necessary because of the bicycle road planned at the eastern part of the hill, and of the reconstruction of the street at the southern part of the hill. Despite of difficulties of the year 2005 (unprofessional exhumation, obstacles of archaeological work, demolition of a small part of the site) we were able to research 700 sq.m followed by further 218 sq.m in 2007. During two campaigns we excavated 321 burials and 57 remains of burials of the graveyard. In the middle part of our sector we found remains of the chancel of the Medieval church and the north-eastern corner of the nave. Parts of the wide cemetery-ditch bordering the graveyard from north and south were also found (fig. 2). For the time being we have relatively little information on the ground plan of the church. During the first excavation campaign we succeeded in finding the foundation of the chancel in the form of three sides of octagon, and remains of three supporting pillars connected to the apse. In 2007, continuing the excavation of 2005, we found only a 1 10-115 high remains of a wall and its foundation ditch. It upper, 20-25 cm high part built of pieces of stone and brick originally could have belonged to the northeastern wall of the nave. This wall continued in southern and northern directions as well. Situation of the burials in the graveyard showed the usual picture. Graves lying relatively far from the church were situated loose, in rows, without superpositions. Closer to the church the number of graves gradually became larger. The densest part of the graveyard could be observed directly at the chancel where we recorded graves in four layers. Despite of large degree of disturbance and poor soil conditions we succeeded in recording numerous phenomena referring to coffins. It seems that almost in all cases there were plank coffins fixed with nails and straps (Table 1 : 1-5). It is notable that in several burials with coffins lock-systems were found (Table 1: 6). Among 321 excavated graves, in 82 ones we found jewels or costume décorations, or grave-goods placed into the burials during funeral ceremony. Majority of find material coming from the graves include jewels and costume decorations of different types. The most significant decorations of the Kiskunhalas graveyard are earrings with plate spheres (Table 2: 1-8) and dress-fittings made of stamped silver plates (Table 3: 1-4). On the basis of the recorded phenomena and of the further find material these burials can be brought into connection with Cumans. In 29 graves we found a total of 30 rings of different types (wire and plate rings with heads, wedding and signet rings (Table 3: 5-9). Among elements of costume we should mention headgears, stamped knobs belonging to upper cloth, buckles and clamps, textile and leather belts without decoration or richly decorated with stamped mounts (Table 4: 1-4; 5: 1). Among the everyday-life objects, the most common are iron knives (Table 5: 2-3), but single finds of an axe, a sickle and an iron drill also occurred. A decorated thimble was found in grave 54 (Table 5: 4). In 5 graves 11 coins turned up. Except for one, all of them can be dated to the 14 l h century (Table 5: 5-8). Judging from the find material and from the phenomena observed during excavation we can separate two periods in the construction of the church. No traces from the Árpád Age were observed, so the first church must have been built in the late-13 t h-early-14 t h century. This is supported by the fact that the foundation ditch of the chancel did not cut the graves. In the last quarter of the 14 t h century - first decades of the 15 l h century the church was enlarged, the walls became higher. This is supported by the fact that supporting pillars at the chancel cut burials from the 1300-1360s. Judging from the data at our disposal, the demolition of the church and ceasing of the graveyard can be dated to the end of the 15 t h century. 41
