Gyöngyössy Márton (szerk.): Perspectives on the Past. Major Excavations in County Pest (Szentendre, 2008)
A Sarmatian cemetery at Abony (2700/2500-800 ВС) The site lies on a ridge rising above a waterlogged area on the northern bank of a small stream flowing into Lake Kis Miháy, in an area called Tatárhányás-dűlő. The area was most likely named after the small mounds erected over the graves, which were believed to date from the time of the Mongolian invasion in the Middle Ages by the locals (Tatárhányás means “Mongolian mound” in Hungarian). 3. Graves of a 2nd-3rd century cemetery and settlement features of a 3rd-4th century settlement were uncovered in 2003-2004, during the excavations preceding the construction of the Abony bypass of Road 4. The Sarmatian cemetery of 57 graves stands out from among the other known burial grounds of the period owing to the occurrence of “unmarked” burials, ditched graves and burials partially enclosed within a ditch (whose south-eastern section was open) alongside each other. Virtually all the graves were looted, except for a burial containing a woman interred in a crouched position. Even so, the beaded • Gyöngyi Gulyás embroidery of the skirt, the trousers and perhaps the boots could be reconstructed from the position of the beads in several partially disturbed burials, as could the adornment of a pendent strap in a young girl’s burial. The finds from a few male burials indicated that they had worn two belts, which had been unbuckled before the burial and laid across the thighs. Most of the grave goods were locally made artefacts. A hand-thrown vessel imitating a Germanic pot made by a local Sarmatian potter was recovered from one grave. The finds included many Roman imports, such as terra sigillata wares and cups, coins, a bronze buckle and strapend, silver mounts and brooches, as well as coral, millefiori, cornelian and other beads, which had reached the through trade.
