Gyöngyössy Márton (szerk.): Perspectives on the Past. Major Excavations in County Pest (Szentendre, 2008)

Á Late Copper Age settlement

at Dunakeszi

(8th/7th century BC- late 1st century AD) (1 st-4ih centuries AD) (400-454AD) (454-568AD)

(568-811/829 AD)

(895-1 301 AD) (1301-1526/1686)

The salvage excavation, directed by Valéria Kulcsár, was conducted prior to the construction of the Dunakeszi bypass of Road 2 in 1996, in an area called Alagi-major.

The excavated features and their finds indicated that the low mound rising above the floodplain of the Mogyoródi Stream provided favourable conditions for human settlement for many millennia. The earliest occupants, a community of the Transdanubian Linear Pottery culture, established their settlement in the 6th millennium BC. The mound was also occupied during the Late Copper Age and an extensive Sarmatian settlement from the Roman Age (3rd century AD) was also identified. Pits and ovens of the medieval village of Alag too came to light.

The most remarkable features of the Late Copper Age Baden settlement dating to 3500-3000 BC were the pits containing large storage jars, some of which had a height of 75- 80 cm. They were no doubt used for storing valuable crops, principally cereals. The rich variety of pots, bowls, jugs, cups and dippers testify to the potters’ skills.

One refuse pit of the Late Copper Age settlement contained a cattle burial, another one yielded a human burial. •

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Vessels from the storage pit

Pit containing a crushed storage jar

Cattle burial in a refuse pit

• Klára Kővári