Gyöngyössy Márton (szerk.): Perspectives on the Past. Major Excavations in County Pest (Szentendre, 2008)
Л Conquest period and Árpádian Age cemetery at Páty (2700/2500-800 ВС) An extensive burial ground containing some 900 graves from various periods was investigated on the ridge west of the Füzes Stream in an area called Malom-dűlő extending along both sides of the M1 Motorway at Páty in 1997-1998. A group of Conquest period burials, 80 graves in all, lay south-west of the Roman Age graves. About 20 per cent of the simple, mostly west to east or, seldomly, north-west to south-east oriented burials contained grave goods. The female and child burials yielded plain hoop earrings, a few beads and the occasional finger-ring or bracelet. The pair of bracelets with flaring terminals from Grave 22, the burial of a 50-70 years old woman, stands out among these finds. Grave 71, the burial of a 12-14 years old girl, was lavishly furnished compared to the other burials: the girl was laid to rest with a pair of hoop earrings or lockrings and her dress was trimmed with pressed round and cast diamond shaped metal mounts. The most outstanding find, a pair of large gold earrings decorated with elaborate granulation, 1. Round and diamond shaped mounts 2. Byzantine gold earring 3. Plain and S terminalled lockrings 4. Bracelet with rolled terminals, shift mount and buttons 5. Neckring 6. Bracelet comes from Grave 41, the burial of an aged, 60-80 years old woman. Pieces resembling these beautifully crafted earrings are known from Kecel and Sárrétudvari, although the ones from these latter sites are fragmentary. The closest analogy, a pair of silver gilt earrings, was found at Versec. The superb earrings from Grave 41 were made in Byzantium in the later 10th century, probably in the same workshop as the other similar pieces. Another group of Conquest period and Árpádian Age burials came to light near Avar graves in the north-eastern part of the burial ground, north of the M1 Motorway. These burials were more richly furnished, yielding S terminalled lockrings, penannular bracelets with twisted terminals, finger-rings, beads, buttons and pressed costume adornments. Grave 665 stands out among the richer female burials: in addition to jewellery and costume ornaments, this grave contained fish vertebrae and several perforated cowry shells. Grave 615 of the Árpádian Age burials yielded a coin of King András I and a silver finger-ring set with a stone. • Éva Maróti
