S. Perémi Ágota (szerk.): A Laczkó Dezső Múzeum közleményei 29. (Veszprém, 2019)

Szvath Márton: Késő középkori és kora újkori fémleletek a nagyvázsonyi várból 2.

Late Medieval and Early Modern Times Metal Findings from the Nagyvázsony Fortress 2

Tools, farm machinery, locking mechanism and iron fittings belonging to buildings.

The study is the second part of a series intended to be first of all a comparative professional publication processing the metal material found in the excavation of the Nagyvázsony Fortress between 1955 and 1960 as a continuation of the work published under the title “Late medieval and early modern age metal findings from the Nagyvázsony Fortress 1” in the Announcements of Laczkó Dezső Museum, 2014 No. 28. In this part, the author discusses the group of craftsman tools and farm machinery for various purposes as well as iron fittings, locking devices and keys belonging to buildings and furnishings dated from the late middle Ages to the 18th century. The numbering of the main groups continues that of the first part. It begins with 5, and the subgroups received multiple level numbering. The criteria were the same as those of the first publication, that is, processing was done by the describing the typical parameters of the objects as detailed as possible and summing up the sizes in a table.

The woodworking tools include axes and hatchets, drills, saws, claw hammers and wood chisels used by carpenters. The bullet-moulding tongs, overrepresented in the issue and indispensable in the life of fortresses protecting the border, were the accessories

of metalwork, but in this group there are typical tools of various professions like goldsmiths hammers, cold chisels and blacksmiths punches, or leatherworking tools e.g. leather cutters and awls which are classified in a separate group. The group of everyday tools not related to any profession shows variegated use. This includes scissors, fire-striking steel pieces and basket-weaving needles, but even a musical instrument that is rarely found in archaeological materials, a mouth harp, also turned up. Tools connoting agricultural activity such as vine-pruning knives, hoe cleaners, goads, harpoons and hoof chisels were found in relatively high numbers but sickles by far in the highest number.

The iron fittings belonging to buildings also constitute a numerous group. Ferenc Temesváry, in his works on lock history, has already published the group of lock devices, padlocks and keys that turned up, so, in this study now, only those are published which were left out of his publications, for example rectangular, triangular and cylindrical padlocks, keys and elements from lock structures of various types. The fittings belonging to the operation, closing and locking of doors and windows are also varied, and in this group there are door hinge pipes, hinges, ring nails, corner hinges, various door hardware and deadlock elements were published along with the fittings of chests belonging to the furnishings.

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