Matskási István (szerk.): A Magyar Természettudományi Múzeum évkönyve 95. (Budapest 2003)

Bernert, Zs.: Anthropological analysis of the Avar Period cemetery of Kereki-Homokbánya

ANNALES HISTORICO-NATURALES MUSEI NATIONALIS HUNGARICI Volume 95 Budapest, 2003 pp. 225-309. Anthropological analysis of the Avar Period cemetery of Kereki-Homokbánya (Kereki Sand-pit) Zs. BERNÉRT Department of Anthropology, Hungarian National History Museum H-I082 Budapest, Ludovika tér 2, Hungary. E-mail: bernert@ant.nhmus.hu Abstract - Anthropological remains of 155 individuals dug up from the 151 graves of the Avar Period cemetery of Kereki-Homokbánya were examined. A general anthropological characterization of the series, secondary taxonomical analysis are given. By its skulls this population was long headed, with medium high and high skulls (dolichocran, orthocran, akrocran). The forehead was medium wide (metriometop). Their cranial capacitiy was medium large-large (euencephal, aristencephal) because of their long, high skulls. Face, upper face and nose were medium wide (mesen, mesoprosop, mesorrhin). Orbital cavities were medium high, short (mesoconch, chamaeconch). Ovoid and pentagonoid were the most frequent cranial shapes, napes were mostly arched. The average stature of women was 156.6 cm, that of men was 164.9 cm. Taxonomically the skulls could be deduced from the mix up of three long braincased, Europid races. Elements of the Nordic, the Cromagnoid, and the Mediterranean races were mixed in them - presumably for several generations. The Nordic type did dominate, it could be found on more than half of all the skulls. "Clear" types occurred only in sporadic cases. The origins of those short and wide braincased features could not be identified, which presented themselves in this otherwise expressly unified taxonomical image. With 11 tables and 3 figures. Key words - Physical anthropology, human skeletal remains, anthropological characterization, Avar Period. INTRODUCTION On the 21 of May, 1987, labourers uncovered human and horse bones, as well as a stirrup and some bronze belt fittings (Fig. 1) while digging up sand in the sand-pit of Új Kalász Cooperative Farm of the village Kereki (Somogy county). A rescue excavation was immediately started, and the leading archeologist concluded that the finds were brought up from a disturbed Avar Period cemetery (KÖLTŐ 1988). A total of 146 graves were dug up in four groups and the cemetery could be dated to the 8th Century. The southern section of the second group were left undisturbed, the larger part of the northern group was devastated by some earlier sand production activities.