Somogyi Múzeumok Közleményei 16. (2004)

Honti Szilvia – Belényesy Károly – Fábián Szilvia – Gallina Zsolt – Hajdú Ádám Dávid – Hansel Balázs – Horváth Tünde – Kiss Viktória – Koós István – Marton Tibor – Németh Péter Gergely – Oross Krisztián – Osztás Anett – Polgár Péter – P-Szeőke Judit – Serlegi Gábor – Siklósi Zsuzsanna – Sófalvi András – Virágos Gábor: A tervezett M7-es autópálya Somogy megyei szakaszának megelőző régészeti feltárása (2002–2003) Előzetes jelentés III

69 Preliminary Report III. The preceding archaeological excavations (2002—2003) of the M7 highway in Somogy county. SZILVIA HONTI -KÁROLY BELÉNYESY —SZILVIA FÁBIÁN — ZSOLT GALLINA-ÁDÁM DÁVID HAJDÚ — BALÁZS HANSEL—TÜNDE HORVÁTH —VIKTÓRIA KISS -4STVÁN KOÓS —TIBOR MARTON — PÉTER GERGELY NÉMETH -KRISZTIÁN OROSS -ANETT OSZTÁS -GÁBOR SERLEGI — ZSUZSANNA SIKLÓSI -ANDRÁS SÓFALVI The track of the M7 highway runs 80 km long in Somogy county, along the southern side of Lake Balaton, from Zamárdi to the border of the counties Somogy and Zala, with its westernmost point at Szőkedencs. The preceding excavations were adjusted to the rhythm of the planned construction of the highway. The first stage (between Balatonszárszó and Ordacsehi), was followed by the sections between Ordacsehi and Balatonkeresztur, and ZamárdiBalatonszárszó. The excavations of the eastern part were accomplished by the end of 2003. The financial background of the excavations were provided by the Nemzeti Autópálya Rt (National Highway Trust) — which provides at present the expenses for the last, 20 km long, westernmost section (between Balatonkeresztur and the border), where digs continue until 2005. At the same time the effective construction has started between Balatonszárszó and Ordacsehi in April 2003, which made an archaeological survey necessary and parallel with the preceding excavations the accomplishment of a great number of rescue excavations as well. The track of the planned highway and its establishments made it clear already in the preceding phase that the occurrence of a great number of large sites can be expected in the vicinity of the Balaton, which provided an attractive force for settlement. At the same time the present dense settlement structure made it necessary to build a great number of junctions, and as a matter of fact huge surfaces could be excavated. As the excavations of the 60 km section between Zamárdi and Balatonkeresztur have closed, we can draw general conclusions from the distribution of sites. The archaeological phenomena was most dense on the mid 20 km section between Balatonszárszó and Ordacsehi where the highway will pass close (1,5—4 km) to the Balaton. The sites are found on both sides of streams running from north to the south and accompanying marshes, more sporadically on higher plateaus as well. No wonder that 2/3 of the excavated area is found here. The research was started at this section and we worked here between 1999—2003. Between Zamárdi and Balatonszárszó, to the east from the above section the track withdraws from the shoreline and continues on a territory articulated by steeper hills. Here the excavations were restricted to the two ends and two junctions (2002—3). As the majority of this section is covered by woods, a preliminary survey could hardly be made, however according to the character of the terrain density of sites is presumably lesser

. The western track between Ordacsehi and Balatonkeresztur follows the one-time bays of the Balaton, which partly have dried out by today and it continues in the Ordai- or Nagyberek (Great-grove). On the banks of these groves and on the Fonyódi peninsula in between, which protruding from the marshy environment and used as a communication corridor in all periods, large sites are situated. We excavated this section in 2003. During the 5 years (1999—2003) we excavated 23 sites on 710000 m

2 between Zamárdi and Balatonkeresztur — 440000 m

2 from this during 2002—3. In 2003 further 45000 m

2 was added due to the rescue excavations on the BalatonszárszóOrdacsehi section during construction works on 17, mostly new sites. Our sites are usually large-scale in extension and contain a number of archaeological periods, frequently 10—12 cultures are layered on each other. The finds embrace all archaeological periods from the Neolithic (6000 B.C.) until the end of the Middle Ages (17th cent.). Some cultures are present virtually in all sites (the Middle-Copper Age BalatonLasinja and the Late Iron Age Celtic cultures). A large number of medieval remains were found, which draw the medieval settlement structure of the region from the Árpád Age until the end of the 17th cent. The excavations of the largest scales were in junctions: a territory of more than 100000 m

2 was dug during 3 years at Balatonszárszó—Kis-Erdei-dűlő and Ordacsehi-Bugaszeg. On the previous site two periods were dominant — a huge Mid-Neolithic village and a medieval fortified church with its environment were found. On the latter the whole archaeological spectrum was present, from Neolithic until Árpád Age — out of which we can emphasize the rich storage pits of the Early Tumulus Culture, the Roman period ditch system, crop pits and wells as well as huge pits from the Árpád Age. In the second group we can enumerate those junctions where the excavation of a surface of 50—75000 m

2 was necessary. Of the numerous periods the most important imformation was provided by the Late Copper Age Baden and the Avar Age settlements at Balatonöszöd-Temető-dűlő. At FonyódFehérbézsenypuszta we have to emphasize the pits and cemeteries belonging to the Turkish Period earthworks next to the track. The third group of excavations is of medium size (15—40000 m

2

) — here sites at junctions and also along the track are present. At Balatonlelle-Egyenes-dűlő, which is connected to the earlier excavated Balatonszemes-Szemesi-berek, settlements of different periods can be found in bigger clusters with less intensive settlement sections in between. In 2003 rich Late Bronze Age (Urnfield and Tumulus Culture) as well as Celtic and Roman finds were unearthed here. We can reconstruct a Celtic and Roman period village from the ditch-system encircling the houses at BalatonlelleKenderföldek. A rich bronze depo was found at Balatonboglár-Borkombinát documenting the local bronze works of the Late-Bronze Age Urnfield Culture. At Zamárdi-Kútvölgy-dűlő houses of an Early Migration Period settlement were unearthed, from which period settlements have not been known up till now. Remains from the same period were found in Balatonlelle-FelsőGamász, together with parts of a particularly rich, Late Copper Age cemetery. The settlement belonging to the cemetery was situated at the other side of the stream at the Országúti-dűlő.