Szőcs, Péter Levente (szerk.): Satu Mare. Studii şi comunicări. Seria arheologie 23-24/1. (2006-2007)

I. A. Prohnenko: Isszledovanie gorodisja Borzsava

Исследование городища Боржава (Вары)

Сопоставление времени создания Барского городища с историческими событиями в ареале позволяют связать возникновение пункта с процессом формирования Венгерского королевства. Размеры городища свидетельствуют о незначительных трудозатратах при строительстве укреплений и возможности их возведения венгерскими поселенцами, не исключено привлечение к работам и местного славянского населения.

Современное состояние исследования Барского городища в комплексе с другими достоверными городищами Верхнего Потисья рубежа I — II тыс. н э. свидетельствует о их возведении не ранее X в. н.э., а картографирование позволяет определить цель создания этих городищ для защиты венгерского пограничья со стороны Польши (Прохненко, 2005, с.140).

Prohnenko I.

Study ofBorsova (Vari) Fortified Settlement (Vari village, Beregovo rayon, Zakarpats’ka oblast)

(Abstract)

Group of sites of the end of I millennium BC — beginning of II millenium AD are worth of spedal interest among the fortified settlements (more then 170) of Upper Tis^a Region. They are the key elements for the study of one of the most difficult periods of ethnic and political history of Upper Tisga Region population. This is connected to the relationships between local Slavic population and the newcomers, Hungarian tribes. More then 20 fortified settlements are known so far owing to small-scale pilot researches. Besides this, most of the sites suffered destruction of medieval stratum by later economic and ritual constructions, which makes additional difficulties for their comprehensive study.

Except sites with improbable or limited data, there are seven fortified settlements of pointed out times: Abaujvar, Borsod, Vari, Zemplén, Mala Kopanya, Solotvyno, Sariske Sokolovce. Most of them are used as a base for historical reconstructions from the hypothesis about Slavonic Principalities of I GUI - IX AD to the statements about foundation of Hungarian outreach points in the process of Hungarian state formation on the edge ofX- XI AD).

Borsova (Vari) fortified settlement provides key data for construction of medieval history of the region. This site is mentioned in a number of sources (Gesta hungarorum, Hungarian chronicles, and deeds. An issue of trust to Gesta information about allegedly seized by Hungarians Slavonic center in Vari is crucial. It is only possible to solve the problem involving archeological data, which reflect specific chronology. This makes possible to define data of Vari foundation and to close discussion about the time of itsfoundation, ethnic and cultural attributes.

A number of prospecting shafts was done in 1960th by the expeditions of Lviv Institute of Social Sdences of the USSR Academy of Science (Prof. M.Smishko), Leningrad branch of Institute of Archeology of the USSR Academy of Science (P.Rappoport), and Transcarpathian Museum of Local History (S.Penyak).

Limited in number pottery ofX - XI AD with the domination of typicalfor XI AD forms was collected. But published fragmental material did not proved by layers description. So the main problem about foundation offortified settlement was not solved. Moreover, national literature still persist on Slavonic identity of the fortified settlement and the fact of its seizure by Hungarian troops, regardless to absence of VIII - IX AD materials.

Necessity of having specific dating materials, became the reason for archeological expedition of Utflgorod National University, undertaken in September 2005. Prospective shaft of earthen wall has been done with the aim to date the its foundation. A trench (L 10 meters, W 2 meters) was made 21 meters westward of the most highest cape turn of the earthen wall with the orientation from South-East to North-West. In the process of excavation eight artificial mound layers and two building horizons were defined. They were divided by internal registration point — burned layer.

Materials, retrieved in 2005, allows to make a statement about a number of living horizons at the site before the building offortified settlement here: 1) edge of AD; 2) late Roma period (III - IV AD); 3) the end of I millennium AD.

Stratification of the earthen wall and pottery material analyses proves that Vari fortifications were raised in XI AD. This closes discussion about the site as a centre of Slavonic Principality. Correspondingly, an information of Anonymous about seizure of the site by Hungarians in 903 is not valid, because there were no fortifications in Vari by that time. So the only place Hungarian troops might seized was small Slavonic settlement. An information about disbanding of Oleg’s troops at Kiev, humiliation of the duke of not existing in IX AD Galicia Principality (Gesta ..., 8-9, 11), as well as the battles between Hungarian and Slavonic troops for the control overfortified settlements of North- East part of Upper Tis%a region can be considered as a fabrication of Bela’s III notary. None of these information is not proved ly specific materials. Comparison of the time of Vari fortified settlement foundation and historical events in the area makes possible to connect setting up of the site with the process of Hungarian Kingdom formation. Current study of Vari fortified settlement in a complex with other reliable sites of Upper Tis^a region of the edge of I - II millennium AD proves that they were founded not earlier then X AD. Additional analyses of the cartographic materials provides us information on the purpose of their creation — protection of Hungarian border lands on Polish direction.

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