Budapest Régiségei 38. (2004) – Tanulmányok dr. Gerő Győző tiszteletére

Bencze Zoltán - Papp Adrienn: Török kerámia egy Dísz téri sziklagödör feltárásából 35-49

BENCZE ZOLTÁN - PAPP ADRIENN TURKISH POTTERY FROM THE EXCAVATIONS OF A ROCK PIT AT DISZ SQUARE In 1999-2000 archaeological investigation was conducted in the building of the Military Headquarters and furthermore in a 3 ms section in front of the facade of the building. Our excavation site would have been bordered in the middle Ages by Szent Zsigmond Street from the west and Szent János Street from the east. To the north, the one-time development extended the present northern wall of the building of the Headquarters. There is little information about the mediaeval owners of the excavated site. A document mentions the house of György Mekcsei, royal secretary in the eastern row of Szent János Street. According to the groundplan by Hauy in 1687 (Fig. 1.1) the present site entirely covers a mediaeval plot on its western side. (H363) and two further plots are partly located here (H.362 and 364) There are 3 mediaeval plots to be identified in the eastern side of the present plot. The Zaiger of 1696 (Fig. 1.2) mentions the building of the Hauptwacht, the major guards' building under the number 272 that had been built on the southern side of the present Dísz Square somewhat to the north of the building of the Headquarters. At 17 Dísz Square, on its western, Schloss Gasse, side, there is plot number Z.273, whereas on the side of Carmelite Street there are Z.270 and 271. The description of Z.273 mentions that near the ruinous old wall there is a cellar, too, full of debris. By the beginning the characteristic in its groundplan surviving until the second half of 19th century had been formed. The building of the military Headquarters was erected between 1895 and 1896 according to Mór Kallina's plans. The four-storey building had a cellar thus larger sections could only be opened in the inner yard and in fromt of the facade of the building. Among the 34 excavated cellar rooms one rectangular laying with its shorter side along Dísz tér was given the number 15. This is where the round pit cut in the rock was discovered on which the building of the Headquartes was partly built. (Fig. 2) The collection of finds contained among the pottery a large number of animal bones and broken pieces of metal ad glass Two outstanding items of Turkish decorative pottery came to light from the object: Faience bowls from Iznik. Parallels of the white bowl decoreted with blue flowers (Figs. 3-4, inventory number: 99.101.8.2) can be found in Paris in the Joseph Soustiel Collection. The shape of the tulips is identical with those on the bowl found in Buda and their arrangement is similar, too. The radiant arrangement of the ornaments on the salmon pink bowl (Figs. 5-6, inventory number: 99.101.8.3) is mainly characteristic on flat bowls with thin rims. Among its colours bright red is also to be found that appears on Iznik faience in the 1550. Its parallels can be found in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum in London, whereas its ornament can also be found on the bowl preserved in the National Museum of Kuwait. In Hungary a pink bowl and a jug were found in the XXX Visegrád of the Royal Palace of Buda. Apart from the faience, Typical Turkish forms are represented by a footed vessel (Figs. 7-8, inventory number 99.101.8.1.) the spouted jug (inventory number 99.101.8.10.) and a small jar (inventory number 99.101.8.4.) Both the footed vessel and the spouted jug are made of white material the first one is covered by white engobe under the glazing, whereas the jug is covered in red engobe. Among the finds from Hungary typically turkish forms made of white material are rare. A footed vessel made of white material covered in green glazing from outside is known from the XXX of Visegrád, and one from the castle of Sarkad the inner side of which is glazed green. There are further pieces from Eger among them one with thin sides and some with their glazing being lighter than local Turkish vessels. The spouted jug with its neck protruding in the shape of a ball, concerning its shape is a characteristic member of the collection, shows a variety in the forming of its rim. There are, however hardly any examples of it made of white material. In Eger an unglazed yellowish-white jug came to light, but it is different in its shape, its spout is more common its neck is not ball-like. In the XXX castle of Visegrád a grey-white jug was discovered. Parallels of the small, flattened ball jug can be found both made of clay and of copper, it is a common member of Turkish material. Similar small handled jugs were found at Esztergom-Szenttamáshegy, Szolnok and Barcs in the 17

th c. layer. Its metal parallels are mainly without handle, but in the material found at Szenttamáshegy, handled copper vessels are also mentioned found at Pécs. Apart from the Turkish forms there are objects that can be related to Hngarian masters. Three pots with thin sides and small handles glazed inside could be completed. (Fig. 9, inventory numbers: 99.101.8.7., 99.101.8.8., 99.101.8.9.) The rims of all the three are leaning outwards, structured by a rib and a groove, this is where their stripe-handles start from ending at the 40