Székelykeresztúr belvárosában a Szabadság-tér 23. szám alatt található régi bútorgyárat 2021-ben ... more Székelykeresztúr belvárosában a Szabadság-tér 23. szám alatt található régi bútorgyárat 2021-ben bevásárlóközponttá alakították át. Mivel a terület régészeti lelőhely, az új épületrészek alatt, a terület északi és északnyugati részén megelőző régészeti feltárást végeztünk (10. kép). A felület nagy része jelentősen bolygatott volt, emellett a főtér felöli részhez közel, ahol korábban a kályhacsempe és kerámialeletek is előkerültek nem kutathattunk. Ellenben a feltárt közel 200 négyzetméteres felületből a telek északkeleti sarkában egy későközépkori temető részletei kerültek napvilágra, néhány korábbi objektum társaságában. A munkálatok során 16 temetkezés került felszínre. Ezek nagyrésze gyerek, vagy fiatalkorú volt, emellett három idősebb nő került elő. Közülük hét sírban találtunk ruházatra vagy hajviseletre utaló leleteket. Három gyöngyöspárta és két fémszálas fejdísz került elő. A temetőben több horizont is elkülönült, egymásra temetések is megfigyelhetőek voltak. A koporsós kelet-nyugat tájolású sírok párta anyagának legközelebbi párhuzamait több udvarhelyszéki temetőben is megtaláltuk, ahonnan összesen 40 hasonlót gyűjtöttünk. Ezen viseleti tárgyat hajadon, fiatal lányokhoz szokták kötni. Mivel több esetben embertani elemzések is készültek a temetkezésekről, így ezt is vizsgálhattuk. Mivel azonban a sírok többsége kisgyerek volt a kérdés antropológiai vonalon még tovább kutatható. Emellett nagyító alá vettük azokat a történeti adatokat, amelyek a telek tulajdonosaival lehetnek kapcsolatban. A feltárt temetkezések nem példanélküliek a településen, így az ezekről szóló információkat is összegyűjtöttük. A reformációt követő temetkezési szokások Székelykeresztúron. A település Szent Kereszt tiszteletére felszentelt katolikus templomának utolsó, a forrásokban is adatolt papjáról 1548-ban értesülünk (dominus Blasius de Sekel Cristuwr). 1 1568-ban a település lakóinak egy része unitárius lett, ekkor Marosi Synningh János volt a lelkésze, 2 míg a másik fele reformátussá vált. A két felekezet a középkori épületet megosztva használta. 1631-ből ismerjük a régi templom kettéosztásáról született javaslatot. 3 1640 körül felépült a református templom 4 1646-ban Semjen Gábor és családja temetőhelyet is kapott a templombelsőben. 5 A 2021-ben a református templom mellett zajló ásatásunkból kiderült, hogy a templom köré is temetkeztek. 6 Ennek ellenére szokássá vált a kertekben való temetkezés is, főként a gazdagabb családok körében.
József PUSKÁS, Dan BUZEA, Raport preliminar asupra cercetărilor sitului din epoca bronzului de la... more József PUSKÁS, Dan BUZEA, Raport preliminar asupra cercetărilor sitului din epoca bronzului de la Sântimbru/Csíkszentimre-Dealul Mic/Kis-hegy, județul Harghita/Preliminary report on the research in the Bronze Age site at Sântimbru/Csíkszentimre-Dealul Mic/Kis-hegy, Harghita County (10.36935/ang.v25.2
The mound found north of Orăşeni and west of the mouth of Daia Creek was noticed by archaeologist... more The mound found north of Orăşeni and west of the mouth of Daia Creek was noticed by archaeologists in the 1960s. At this time, pebble extraction was started in order to provide materials for repaving the road and, as human remains had been uncovered during this work, the quarrying was halted. 1 In 2015, during our archeological survey, we collected human bones from the recently plowed lower areas near the mound. During the autumn of the same year, we opened a small 1 × 3 m test pit in the higher, western area. In this we observed the traces of several graves, which convinced us to plan the excavation of a larger surface. We did this during the following year, when we opened a total of five 5 × 5 m excavation trenches, leaving 0.5 m thick walls between them in order to have stratigraphic reference. The excavation area covered about two thirds of the mound's surface, with its northeastern side remaining unexcavated due to the presence of a very old tree, with a one meter thick trunk, which also prevented us from determining how far the cemetery stretched in this direction. During the excavation, which lasted several months, we identified the traces of 58 graves. There were no traces of any buildings which could have indicated the presence religious structures. Furthermore, the directions in which the graves were facing did not suggest that these had been oriented toward a nearby building, but instead, toward the positions where the sun would rise during different seasons. As such, we could observe considerable differences in the positioning of graves that had been dug during the same decade. The findings suggest that the cemetery had been in use since the turn of the 15 th-16 th centuries up to the second half of the 19 th century, with a brief interruption during the 18 th century. The artifacts recovered from the 16 th-17 th century graves don't have any parallels in the inventories of church cemeteries found in Székely Land. Because of its rich yield of artifacts, and also its peripheral location, the cemetery requires a much closer inspection. The primary anthropological analysis of the bone fragments is complete. 2 In this study we would like to present the archaeological results and the recovered artifacts. Naturally, we cannot overlook the history of the settlement and we have interpreted the newly acquired data in this context.
An outstanding opportunity for the investigation of the ruined medieval church emerged through th... more An outstanding opportunity for the investigation of the ruined medieval church emerged through the cooperation between the Haáz Rezső Museum and the Canadian company ArchaeoTek, who backed the archaeological excavation in support of academic training. As a result, anthropology students take part in the excavation, after which they analyze and interpret the discovered bones. During six seasons of work we finished the excavation of the entire church, and also we documented 661 graves. Excavation and analysis at the Papdomb site follow American bioarchaeological methods and interpretive strategies. Over the last forty years, bioarchaeology has developed into a sophisticated and collaborative enterprise that draws from a range of people and skillsets to answer social questions using biological data. Areas of expertise and analysis being applied at the Papdomb site include: skeletal excavation methods; the development of biological profiles; radiocarbon dating; diet analysis through isotope testing; and, sex and biological relationship investigation through ancient DNA. The overarching goal in using the bioarchaeological approach is to add valuable insight and complement what historians and other experts of Szekler history already know. Furthermore, work at the Papdomb site stands out for its international and multi-scalar collaborative approach. An international team of experts works with the descendant community to preserve and study the site and the human remains. Finally, the excavation and materials produced are a valuable teaching tool for aspiring bioarchaeologists and forensic anthropologists because human remains excavation and large human skeletal collections are not common in the United States or are not available for training.
Health, as a descriptive term, is commonly used in the bioarchaeological literature to indicate e... more Health, as a descriptive term, is commonly used in the bioarchaeological literature to indicate evidence of pathological modification on the skeleton. However, the World Health Organization includes mental and social factors, in addition to bodily disease states, as important to an assessment of health (WHO, 1999). Reitsema and McIlvaine (2014) have added that a majority of pathological modifications observable in skeletal and dental tissues could have been caused by a myriad of conditions. Within the more focused parameters of oral health, the lack of patient histories, clinical records, and environmental living conditions has resulted in inconsistent application of terminology, understanding of disease etiologies, and recording of observations in bioarchaeological contexts (Pilloud & Fancher 2019, this volume). What this means is that to understand the 'health' of a population, one must consider physical, mental, and social factors without access to patient histories, clearly understood etiologies, or standardized definitions among researchers. Bioarchaeologists are suited to address this challenge through the application of a multi-faceted approach that pieces together cultural and biological information. Combined with the use of standardized language, communication between researchers can be improved and interpretations more accurately compared across sites. This paper examines pathological conditions of the oral cavity among medieval Transylvanian Székely communities as a case study to apply the vocabulary and definitions discussed by Pilloud and Fancher (2019) and to demonstrate the challenges of comparison between sites. Furthermore, it contributes to the paucity of information available on archaeologically derived skeletal collections from Eastern Europe.
Abstract In this article, we explore aspects of daily life through the lens of non-adult diet in ... more Abstract In this article, we explore aspects of daily life through the lens of non-adult diet in the High and Late Medieval (1000–1500 CE) and Early Modern (1500–1800 CE) periods using skeletons from a church cemetery located in Mugeni (Bogoz in Hungarian), Romania. Carbon and nitrogen isotope analysis was conducted on dentin collagen samples from 20 non-adults as well as bone collagen from 3 non-adults. The mean dentin δ13C (−18.4‰ ± 1.7‰) and δ15N (12.5‰ ± 1.2‰) measurements reveal a variable overall non-adult diet consisting primarily of terrestrial proteins and the use of both C3 and C4 grains to varying degrees. An average decrease in nitrogen values over the non-adult life course additionally provides context on the weaning process and other dietary changes.
The biological milestones of childhood and infancy are often underrepresented in bioarchaeologica... more The biological milestones of childhood and infancy are often underrepresented in bioarchaeological discourse. This study answers questions about the period of breastfeeding and weaning in Medieval and early Modern Transylvania. Medieval literature in Europe recommended total weaning to occur by the age of three with supplementation of cereal grains or flours sweetened with animal’s milk and/or honey. Using nitrogen stable isotope analysis of dentine from both deciduous and permanent teeth, the present study explored the diet of 16 non-adult individuals from the Reformed Church cemetery in Bögöz, Székelyland, Transylvania, dating between the 12th to 19th centuries AD. The δ15N values obtained from infants (13‰ average) were found to be statistically higher (U=4.50, p=0.001) than the average δ15N values of the adult females (10.7‰). This difference is to be expected when infants are consuming breast milk. Additionally, an average trophic decline indicative of the weaning process is observable when investigating average δ15N values of teeth that form at different ages, with a steady decrease seen in the nitrogen values over time. Deciduous incisors have the highest average δ15N at 14.5‰, and the permanent first molars represent the lowest at 11.7‰. The results of this analysis support Medieval literature in Europe, where the cessation of weaning was recommended to occur by age three. Results show that these non-adults were obtaining breast milk, to some degree, up to this point. This research serves as the first study of infant weaning in Medieval Székelyland.
Székelykeresztúr belvárosában a Szabadság-tér 23. szám alatt található régi bútorgyárat 2021-ben ... more Székelykeresztúr belvárosában a Szabadság-tér 23. szám alatt található régi bútorgyárat 2021-ben bevásárlóközponttá alakították át. Mivel a terület régészeti lelőhely, az új épületrészek alatt, a terület északi és északnyugati részén megelőző régészeti feltárást végeztünk (10. kép). A felület nagy része jelentősen bolygatott volt, emellett a főtér felöli részhez közel, ahol korábban a kályhacsempe és kerámialeletek is előkerültek nem kutathattunk. Ellenben a feltárt közel 200 négyzetméteres felületből a telek északkeleti sarkában egy későközépkori temető részletei kerültek napvilágra, néhány korábbi objektum társaságában. A munkálatok során 16 temetkezés került felszínre. Ezek nagyrésze gyerek, vagy fiatalkorú volt, emellett három idősebb nő került elő. Közülük hét sírban találtunk ruházatra vagy hajviseletre utaló leleteket. Három gyöngyöspárta és két fémszálas fejdísz került elő. A temetőben több horizont is elkülönült, egymásra temetések is megfigyelhetőek voltak. A koporsós kelet-nyugat tájolású sírok párta anyagának legközelebbi párhuzamait több udvarhelyszéki temetőben is megtaláltuk, ahonnan összesen 40 hasonlót gyűjtöttünk. Ezen viseleti tárgyat hajadon, fiatal lányokhoz szokták kötni. Mivel több esetben embertani elemzések is készültek a temetkezésekről, így ezt is vizsgálhattuk. Mivel azonban a sírok többsége kisgyerek volt a kérdés antropológiai vonalon még tovább kutatható. Emellett nagyító alá vettük azokat a történeti adatokat, amelyek a telek tulajdonosaival lehetnek kapcsolatban. A feltárt temetkezések nem példanélküliek a településen, így az ezekről szóló információkat is összegyűjtöttük. A reformációt követő temetkezési szokások Székelykeresztúron. A település Szent Kereszt tiszteletére felszentelt katolikus templomának utolsó, a forrásokban is adatolt papjáról 1548-ban értesülünk (dominus Blasius de Sekel Cristuwr). 1 1568-ban a település lakóinak egy része unitárius lett, ekkor Marosi Synningh János volt a lelkésze, 2 míg a másik fele reformátussá vált. A két felekezet a középkori épületet megosztva használta. 1631-ből ismerjük a régi templom kettéosztásáról született javaslatot. 3 1640 körül felépült a református templom 4 1646-ban Semjen Gábor és családja temetőhelyet is kapott a templombelsőben. 5 A 2021-ben a református templom mellett zajló ásatásunkból kiderült, hogy a templom köré is temetkeztek. 6 Ennek ellenére szokássá vált a kertekben való temetkezés is, főként a gazdagabb családok körében.
József PUSKÁS, Dan BUZEA, Raport preliminar asupra cercetărilor sitului din epoca bronzului de la... more József PUSKÁS, Dan BUZEA, Raport preliminar asupra cercetărilor sitului din epoca bronzului de la Sântimbru/Csíkszentimre-Dealul Mic/Kis-hegy, județul Harghita/Preliminary report on the research in the Bronze Age site at Sântimbru/Csíkszentimre-Dealul Mic/Kis-hegy, Harghita County (10.36935/ang.v25.2
The mound found north of Orăşeni and west of the mouth of Daia Creek was noticed by archaeologist... more The mound found north of Orăşeni and west of the mouth of Daia Creek was noticed by archaeologists in the 1960s. At this time, pebble extraction was started in order to provide materials for repaving the road and, as human remains had been uncovered during this work, the quarrying was halted. 1 In 2015, during our archeological survey, we collected human bones from the recently plowed lower areas near the mound. During the autumn of the same year, we opened a small 1 × 3 m test pit in the higher, western area. In this we observed the traces of several graves, which convinced us to plan the excavation of a larger surface. We did this during the following year, when we opened a total of five 5 × 5 m excavation trenches, leaving 0.5 m thick walls between them in order to have stratigraphic reference. The excavation area covered about two thirds of the mound's surface, with its northeastern side remaining unexcavated due to the presence of a very old tree, with a one meter thick trunk, which also prevented us from determining how far the cemetery stretched in this direction. During the excavation, which lasted several months, we identified the traces of 58 graves. There were no traces of any buildings which could have indicated the presence religious structures. Furthermore, the directions in which the graves were facing did not suggest that these had been oriented toward a nearby building, but instead, toward the positions where the sun would rise during different seasons. As such, we could observe considerable differences in the positioning of graves that had been dug during the same decade. The findings suggest that the cemetery had been in use since the turn of the 15 th-16 th centuries up to the second half of the 19 th century, with a brief interruption during the 18 th century. The artifacts recovered from the 16 th-17 th century graves don't have any parallels in the inventories of church cemeteries found in Székely Land. Because of its rich yield of artifacts, and also its peripheral location, the cemetery requires a much closer inspection. The primary anthropological analysis of the bone fragments is complete. 2 In this study we would like to present the archaeological results and the recovered artifacts. Naturally, we cannot overlook the history of the settlement and we have interpreted the newly acquired data in this context.
An outstanding opportunity for the investigation of the ruined medieval church emerged through th... more An outstanding opportunity for the investigation of the ruined medieval church emerged through the cooperation between the Haáz Rezső Museum and the Canadian company ArchaeoTek, who backed the archaeological excavation in support of academic training. As a result, anthropology students take part in the excavation, after which they analyze and interpret the discovered bones. During six seasons of work we finished the excavation of the entire church, and also we documented 661 graves. Excavation and analysis at the Papdomb site follow American bioarchaeological methods and interpretive strategies. Over the last forty years, bioarchaeology has developed into a sophisticated and collaborative enterprise that draws from a range of people and skillsets to answer social questions using biological data. Areas of expertise and analysis being applied at the Papdomb site include: skeletal excavation methods; the development of biological profiles; radiocarbon dating; diet analysis through isotope testing; and, sex and biological relationship investigation through ancient DNA. The overarching goal in using the bioarchaeological approach is to add valuable insight and complement what historians and other experts of Szekler history already know. Furthermore, work at the Papdomb site stands out for its international and multi-scalar collaborative approach. An international team of experts works with the descendant community to preserve and study the site and the human remains. Finally, the excavation and materials produced are a valuable teaching tool for aspiring bioarchaeologists and forensic anthropologists because human remains excavation and large human skeletal collections are not common in the United States or are not available for training.
Health, as a descriptive term, is commonly used in the bioarchaeological literature to indicate e... more Health, as a descriptive term, is commonly used in the bioarchaeological literature to indicate evidence of pathological modification on the skeleton. However, the World Health Organization includes mental and social factors, in addition to bodily disease states, as important to an assessment of health (WHO, 1999). Reitsema and McIlvaine (2014) have added that a majority of pathological modifications observable in skeletal and dental tissues could have been caused by a myriad of conditions. Within the more focused parameters of oral health, the lack of patient histories, clinical records, and environmental living conditions has resulted in inconsistent application of terminology, understanding of disease etiologies, and recording of observations in bioarchaeological contexts (Pilloud & Fancher 2019, this volume). What this means is that to understand the 'health' of a population, one must consider physical, mental, and social factors without access to patient histories, clearly understood etiologies, or standardized definitions among researchers. Bioarchaeologists are suited to address this challenge through the application of a multi-faceted approach that pieces together cultural and biological information. Combined with the use of standardized language, communication between researchers can be improved and interpretations more accurately compared across sites. This paper examines pathological conditions of the oral cavity among medieval Transylvanian Székely communities as a case study to apply the vocabulary and definitions discussed by Pilloud and Fancher (2019) and to demonstrate the challenges of comparison between sites. Furthermore, it contributes to the paucity of information available on archaeologically derived skeletal collections from Eastern Europe.
Abstract In this article, we explore aspects of daily life through the lens of non-adult diet in ... more Abstract In this article, we explore aspects of daily life through the lens of non-adult diet in the High and Late Medieval (1000–1500 CE) and Early Modern (1500–1800 CE) periods using skeletons from a church cemetery located in Mugeni (Bogoz in Hungarian), Romania. Carbon and nitrogen isotope analysis was conducted on dentin collagen samples from 20 non-adults as well as bone collagen from 3 non-adults. The mean dentin δ13C (−18.4‰ ± 1.7‰) and δ15N (12.5‰ ± 1.2‰) measurements reveal a variable overall non-adult diet consisting primarily of terrestrial proteins and the use of both C3 and C4 grains to varying degrees. An average decrease in nitrogen values over the non-adult life course additionally provides context on the weaning process and other dietary changes.
The biological milestones of childhood and infancy are often underrepresented in bioarchaeologica... more The biological milestones of childhood and infancy are often underrepresented in bioarchaeological discourse. This study answers questions about the period of breastfeeding and weaning in Medieval and early Modern Transylvania. Medieval literature in Europe recommended total weaning to occur by the age of three with supplementation of cereal grains or flours sweetened with animal’s milk and/or honey. Using nitrogen stable isotope analysis of dentine from both deciduous and permanent teeth, the present study explored the diet of 16 non-adult individuals from the Reformed Church cemetery in Bögöz, Székelyland, Transylvania, dating between the 12th to 19th centuries AD. The δ15N values obtained from infants (13‰ average) were found to be statistically higher (U=4.50, p=0.001) than the average δ15N values of the adult females (10.7‰). This difference is to be expected when infants are consuming breast milk. Additionally, an average trophic decline indicative of the weaning process is observable when investigating average δ15N values of teeth that form at different ages, with a steady decrease seen in the nitrogen values over time. Deciduous incisors have the highest average δ15N at 14.5‰, and the permanent first molars represent the lowest at 11.7‰. The results of this analysis support Medieval literature in Europe, where the cessation of weaning was recommended to occur by age three. Results show that these non-adults were obtaining breast milk, to some degree, up to this point. This research serves as the first study of infant weaning in Medieval Székelyland.
Annual Meeting of the American Association of Physical Anthropologists, 2014
Examination of pathological conditions present on a collection of perinatal individuals from the ... more Examination of pathological conditions present on a collection of perinatal individuals from the 17th century church of Telekfalva, Romania
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