Juhász Magdolna (szerk.): A kaposvári Rippl-Rónai Múzeum közleményei 5. (Kaposvár, 2018)
Molnár István: Újabb kutatás a kaposszentjakabi apátság területén 2. A 2016-ban végzett régészeti feltárás
Research in the area of the Benedictine abbey, Kaposszentjakab Part 2. ISTVÁN MOLNÁR The ruins of the Benedictine monastery at Kaposszentjakab are situated East from Kaposvár. The medieval monastery was earlier referred to as Zselicszetjakab and was founded by Atha comes in 1061. Its letter of foundation survived and from this we know that at the time of the foundation already an old, ruined church stood on the territory. The monastery was devastated under the Turks. Its excavation was directed by Emese Nagy between 1960 and 1966. During 2014 the church, while in 2016 the larger part of the monastery was reexcavated. In 2014 we found the remains of the old church already present at the time of the foundation. The church was 7,5x12-13 m in area and had a single nave and square sanctuary. Its walls were reused in the monastic church. A cemetery encircled it as the later walls cut some of the burials. We conducted radiocarbon age definition on 3 bones from these burials which produced a date falling between the 8 and 9 C. In 2016 we excavated the remains of a fortification of a similar age as the church. The fortification built on a steep hillside through step formed berms with relatively narrow wooden frame filled with earth and attached to the berms by horizontal beams. The radiocarbon age definition conducted on parts of the burnt wooden frame and botanical remains burnt at the time of the devastation, the fortification cannot be dated earlier then the 8 C. while its decay happened before the last third of the 10 C. The bems of the destroyed banks were reused by furnaces. Archaeomagnetic measurements dated them to turn of the 9/10 C. With the help of this data the devastation of the earthworks can be further narrowed. The 18,5x12,5 meter large church built in the 1060-s was an edifice articulated by lisena strips from the outside and had a semicircular apse. In its middle range 4 pillars held a tower over a vaulted space. Towards its northern and southern sections side aisles with galleries were built, while above the western gallery a tower or twin towers stood. We could trace the remains of monastic edifices built before the construction of the quadrum. The earlier building had two rooms and stood in the later southern wing. It was 6 m wide and at least 10-12 m long. We found the remains of another edifice about 6x17 m which was divided into two in the western wing which was attached to the church. Its southern room was heated by a hypocaustrum. In the turn of the 13-14 C. in the eastern wing a 8,3 m long chapel with square sanctuary was placed lower in the hillside The quadrum was constructed at the turn of the 14- 15 C. following a fire. The earlier buildings were incorporated, while for the construction of the eastern wing the hillside was uploaded. A somewhat trapezoid court was created with vaulted arcade. The monastic church was also rebuilt and vaulted. During the 1540-s the monastery was transformed into a fortress.
