Marisia - Maros Megyei Múzeum Évkönyve 34-35. (2014-2015)

Articles

Néhány gondolat a Kis-Szamos völgyének Árpád-kori településterületéről (11-13. század első fele)71

Abstract

Despite the fact that the research of the Arpadian age has long been neglected concerning this geographic area, our paper aims to introduce some new perspectives concerning the dynamics of its settlement, administrative organization, and the relation between the early power centres and the peripheral, rural areas.

By analysing the more or less accessible archaeological material of 38 or 39 sites, as well as the potential of the habitat, it’s becoming clearer, that the early, 10th century colonization of the area was motivated and driven by the large quantity of the exploitable salt in the region, as well as the remnants of the antique road infrastructure. The localization of the early, 10th century center of power in the Cluj-Napoca/Kolozsvár/ Klausenburg region (mainly near its Kövespad region marked by the graves with weapons and horses) can be attributed to these two factors. This early centre of power most probably dissolved during the early 11'" century, simultaneously with the creation of a new, western type form of administration, the county (vármegye). Out of the two castles which are in the geographic area of our research, the one with the fortification in Mänä$tur at its centre seems to be the earlier, as it can be dated to the beginning of the 11th century. The castle of Däbäca/Doboka seems to be a somewhat later creation, dating to the first half of the 11th century. In the valley of the River Lonea/ Lánya there is no archeological data yet to prove the

GÁLL Erwin

Román Akadémia

Vasile Párvan Régészeti Intézet

Bukarest, RO

List of figures

Fig. 1. The Valley of Somesul Mic in the Transylvanian- respectively Carpathian Basin.

Fig. 2. The Soméiul Mic and its tributaries.

Fig. 3. The relief of the Valley of Soméiul Mic (the brown sign indicates the settlements)

Fig. 4. Soil classes in the valley of Somesul Mic.

Fig. 5. Excavation sites of various types in the basin of the Somesul Mic that can be dated to the 1 llh-13th centuries (the maps were completed with the sources of raw materials) (Original map: Google Earth)

Fig. 6. The current state of archaeological research in the valley of Somesul Mic.

Fig. 7. Chronological evolution of the castles in the

existence of any population with the same legal status as the group of the Cluj-Napoca/Kolozsvár-Kövespad region in the 10th century or any other population in this period.

The influence of the Mänäftur centre in the microregion of the Somesul MidKis-Szamos region became more increasing in the 11th and 12th centuries, which can be observed on the archaeological presence of some settlements in its vicinity, dated to the 11th century, and a yet hardly, but increasingly traceable settlement-network in the 12th century. The functionality of the Däbäca centre is not fully understood yet, but it can be presumed that its main purposes were the defence of the border and the salt supply.

The recent dating to the 12th century of some churches in the rural area - outside the valley of the Somesul Mic, in the valleys of its tributaries - indicates the presence of the early settlement of these peripheral regions, and presumes the presence of a road system as well, which may have been connected to the northwestern exit of the Transylvanian Basin, the Mes es/Meszes -pass.

It is also presumable the existence of a densely settled rural area developing in the 12th century near the Mänäftur region, which provided the economic hinterland of the reasonably wealthy Benedictine convent, founded in the 2nd half of the 11th century. However, the existence of this rural hinterland is hard to prove due to the recent urban development of the area.

HŐGYES Mihály Huba

régész

Marosvásárhely, RO

valley of Somesul Mic.

Fig. 8. Chronological evolution of the settlements sections in the valley of Somesul Mic.

Fig. 9. Chronological evolution of the churchyards in the valley of Somesul Mic.

Fig. 10. Known cemeteries in the Soméiul Mic Valley dated between the 11th- first half of the 13th centuries (the toponyms attested in the 12th-13th centuries written sources are also presented).

Fig. 11. Known castles and settlement sections in the valley of Some§ul Mic dated between the 11th -first half of the 13th centuries.

Fig. 12. Archeological finds in the valley of Somesul Mic dated between the 11th-first half of the 13th centuries, known from field walkings or stray finds.