Gyöngyössy Márton (szerk.): Perspectives on the Past. Major Excavations in County Pest (Szentendre, 2008)
Ohe period between the last third of the 4th century and the midSth century saw the arrival and settlement of various peoples on the territory of the former Roman province. In addition to the surviving Roman population, there were Germanic and Sarmatian groups entrusted with the defence of the frontier, as well as Ostrogoths and Alans fleeing the onslaught of the Huns, who were settled as foederati (allied peoples). In the early 430s, the Romans officially ceded Pannonia to the Huns and the region thus became part of Attila's Hun Empire by the middle third of the 5th century. Find assemblages of the Hunnic élite, such as the sacrificial cauldron from Törtei, a gilt cicada brooch from Csömör and the burial of an archer from Szob, have since long been known from County Pest. The Alans and the various Germanic peoples adopted many elements of the Hun costume, reflected in the mixed nature of the assemblages. New pottery forms and decorations made their appearance in the last third of the 4th century and became increasingly widespread during the 5th century. Moss green glass vessels were placed in the burials alongside various new jewellery articles and costume ornaments, such as composite bone combs and mirrors with ribbed back. Earlier brooch types were succeeded by brooches with a returned foot and cicada brooches, as well as large silver plate brooches. The eastern population groups brought a new costume: women too wore boots, a belt fastened with round metal buckles from which they suspended a pouch or a tinder set. While some articles do indicate the ethnic background of their owner, most were simply part of the more or less uniform “international” style of the earlier 5th century. The presence of various Barbarian groups can be demonstrated from the last third of the 4th century in the uppermost occupation levels of the limes forts, the watchtowers and the cemeteries of County Pest (e.g. at Visegrád, Szentendre, Százhalombatta, Leányfalu, Budakalász and elsewhere). The archaeological heritage of the soldiers and their families reflects the co-existence of Romans and Barbarians. In contrast, the solitary graves and smaller grave groups of the earlier and midSth century can be associated with the conquerors from the east (e.g. the finds from Százhalombatta, Szob and Visegrád). The number of these burials has grown significantly owing to the recent excavations along the planned course of the MO Ring Road at Ecser, Maglód and Budakalász and on the site of various industrial parks and housing estates, for example at Páty and Budaörs. A settlement from the late 4th-early 5th century was uncovered at Biatorbágy. • Katalin Ottományi 1. Bone comb with rounded back from Biatorbágy 2. Polyhedral earrings set with a gemstones from Ecser 3. Grave dug into a Roman pit from the turn of the 4thl5th centuries at Budaörs 4. Jug with smoothed-in decoration from the Roman fort at Visegrád The Hun period (400-454 AD)
