Fügedi Márta szerk.: B.-A.-Z. megye népművészete (Miskolc, 1997)

ANGOL NYELVŰ ÖSSZEFOGLALÁS Fügedi Márta

meaning and sometimes symbolic role depend on the geographical conditions and local social traditions. The folk architecture of the county is also characterized by the diversity displayed by the settlement types. The influence of the mining towns of Upper Northern Hungary, the stubbed and framed construction type based on the use of the timber played a role in the relatively well developed architectural traditions of the northern part of the county, then stone and adobe became the main building materials. The characteristic outward appearance of the houses is provided by the varied porches and ornamented ridges. The decorative porches were made of stone and demonstrate the high level expertise of the bricklayers. The ornaments made of plaster add a special type of folk eclecticism to this. Porches were also made of wood with rich carvings and abundant plank cuttings decorating the parapet and the balustrade. This transformed the aesthetic character of folk architecture from the 1880s. The architecture of the southern part of the county is of the flatland type, with mud and adobe walls and ridges made of daubed wickerwork. A special formation of architecture in the Bükk mountains is represented by the cave dwellings, as the tuff, which can be carved easily, was also suitable for the construction of dwellings and even that of spacious farm buildings. The cave dwellings used as flats aimed at resembling built houses even in their ground plans. There were cave dwellings divided into several rooms, what is more, some of them had more than one floor and an arched porch with supports. In terms of architecture the area of Zemplén and Abaúj is the most archaic part of the region. On the other hand, the welfare of the inhabitants of TokajHegyalja, relying on viticulture, has also been shown in their high level architecture for centuries now. Our county is extremely rich in ancient buildings, the churches are especially outstanding architectural and artistic monuments. A special form of our folk art is represented by the church furniture, the pulpits, galleries, benches and the so called coffered ceilings made by the painter - carpenter masters. In the 17th—19th centuries the stock of ornaments mainly developed the flowered ornamentation of the Renaissance further, supplementing it with symbolic figurai representations. Thus the painted furniture of the churches also served as an intermediator of culture towards the masters and inhabitants of the villages and market towns. Just like in the living community religions are also separated in the cemeteries as regards both their customs and the artistic forms of expression. The appearance of the village cemeteries is primarily determined by the diversity of the grave markers. Most of these were made by the villagers themselves, by skilful craftsmen but the works of professional carvers and sculptors also found their way to the village graveyards. This way the cemetery is a kind of intermediary area between high European culture and folk culture. The most widespread traditional grave marker is the gravepost, which displays the greatest variety despite its constraints. In the proportioning and decorations of the graveposts we can recognize the proportions of the human body and this is confirmed by the names of the