The unfinished Middle Ages: studies in honour of professor Adrian Andrei Rusu on his 70th birthday (Editori: Gianina-Diana Iegar, Péter Levente Szőcs, Gabriela Rusu, Florela Vasilescu), Editura Mega, Cluj-Napoca, 2022, 253-282.
Location. The Izvorul Împăratului point is located south of Alba Iulia, on the second terrace of ... more Location. The Izvorul Împăratului point is located south of Alba Iulia, on the second terrace of Mureş, on a land located above the northern slope of DJ (County Road) 107 Alba Iulia-Pâclişa. The spring with the same name (Crăuta) is located there. The existence of an archeological site in this area has been known since the spring of 1980 when a series of ceramic and osteological materials were recovered. The materials were scattered when the agricultural works were carried out in the southwestern space of the second terrace. Of the 213 graves investigated in Alba Iulia-Izvorul Împăratului between 2001 to 2008, a number of 32 (13%, 13 women, 14 men, 2 adults with unspecified sex and 3 children) funerary complexes had a ceramic vessel in their inventory. Located in the western funerary area of Alba Iulia, the cemetery at Izvorul Împăratului distinguishes itsef in the variety of funerary inventory (weapons, ornaments, household and cult pieces) but especially in the connections that can be made with other archaeological discoveries in this area. The importance of this cemetery lies in the fact that here one can capture the moment of coexistence (for a period of time) of the pagan customs/traditions with the Christian ones and implicitly the transition to Christianity. Excavation reports and studies published so far 1 have allowed us a series of observations and conclusions, which correlate with written sources and give us a much more nuanced picture of the political, military and religious events that also involved the Bălgrad territory. The history of Christianity in Transylvania cannot be written ignoring this "starting point". Description of the graves. M. 2. A = 0.51-0.56 m, L of the skeleton = 1.50 m, O = W (skull)-E. The skeleton of a mature female was deposited in dorsal decubitus. The skull had a broken calotte and was leaning to the right. The female's right hand was stretched out near the body and her left arm was bent from the elbow and placed with the palm on the pelvis. The sepulchral pit had a quadrilateral shape (1.76 × 0.60 m) and presented rounded corners. The state of preservation of the bones was relatively good. Funerary inventory: 1) Jar, decorated with superficially close horizontal parallel lines, drawn from the shoulder to the bottom (H = 11.1 cm, D g = 9.4 cm, D b = 6.8 cm, D m = 9.7 cm; National Museum of the Union Alba Iulia/MNUAI F. 9891; Fig. 1). This vessel was deposited by the feet, between the legs of the deceased; 2) String of beads that holds a circular bronze piece/pendant? (MNUAI F. 9118). It was placed under the chin and the left collar bone; 3) Ring with oval chaton, broadened and decorated with incised floral motif (D = 2.1 cm, MNUAI 9119) 2 ; 4) Obsidian splinter placed near the right shoulder.
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Papers by Aurel Dragotă
Keywords: : Alba Iulia, warriors, weaponry, Magyars, Transylvania, suite, offering.
Alba Iulia (10th – 11th centuries)
Abstract
The present article is comprised as an analysis regarding the habit of egg offering within the burial ground in Alba Iulia-Izvorul Împăratului (10th-11th centuries). The graves containing egg offerings are able to be attributed both to adults (men and women) and to children as like. Comparing the results from Alba Iulia-Izvorul Împăratului with those from other similar burial grounds, we are able to establish a difference between the frequencies of egg offerings inside the children’s graves, namely the one in other burial grounds is higher than the rate established in the burial ground from Alba Iulia-Izvorul Împăratului. The relationship between the different types of graves has been established as following: out of the 27 graves containing egg offering, remains of the latter were identified at a higher rate within the graves belonging to adults (70%) and at a lower rate in the ones pertaining to children (19%). Out of the former graves, egg offerings were identified at a rate of 37% in men graves and at a rate of 11% in women graves. 11% of the graves to contain egg offerings were impossible to be contextualized from the point of view of the deceased person’s gender (Table I/2). The rate’s reversal is to be explained only through this particular burial ground’s nature and specificity.
Inside the children graves, the egg offering was identified in various locations next to the following anatomical parts: on the skull’s left side, above the left humerus (M.28, M.9/2014/ next to a ceramic receptacle), knee-cap and left thigh-bone area (M.113), next to the right side of the thigh (M.113) and on the skull’s right side (M.142).
Inside the women’s graves, the following anatomical positions were the most frequent in the context of egg offering: on the outside of the left sided thigh-bone (M.18), next to the left leg bone (M.110), the left palm (M.63), the left and right foot area (M.76), the skull’s right side (M.99), the skull’s left side and the left heel (M.149), on the outside of the left knee (M.154), between the thigh bones, next to a ceramic receptacle and next to the right heel (M.163). Egg offerings from two different eggs were identified just in several cases of women’s graves: M.76, M.99 (?), M.136 and M.163.
The men’s graves are marked by egg offerings laid down next to the following anatomical parts: on the outside of the right leg bone (M.35), next to the right ankle and leg bone (M.64), between the leg bones (M.55), next to the right heel near a ceramic receptacle (M.161), next to the right shoulder (M.91), next to the left foot (M.126), to the skull (M.165). shells from two different eggs were identified in male graves as well: M.35, M.64, M.126, M.161 (?), M.165.
Other anatomical areas where egg offerings had been laid down have been identified in graves containing human remains of uncertain gender: next to the left foot (M.97), next to the left side of the hip (M.2/2014) and between the calves (M.4/2014).
But the funeral inventory and all the other remaining connected elements come only in support of the burial ground’s dating during the 10th century.
Keywords: : Alba Iulia, warriors, weaponry, Magyars, Transylvania, suite, offering.
Alba Iulia (10th – 11th centuries)
Abstract
The present article is comprised as an analysis regarding the habit of egg offering within the burial ground in Alba Iulia-Izvorul Împăratului (10th-11th centuries). The graves containing egg offerings are able to be attributed both to adults (men and women) and to children as like. Comparing the results from Alba Iulia-Izvorul Împăratului with those from other similar burial grounds, we are able to establish a difference between the frequencies of egg offerings inside the children’s graves, namely the one in other burial grounds is higher than the rate established in the burial ground from Alba Iulia-Izvorul Împăratului. The relationship between the different types of graves has been established as following: out of the 27 graves containing egg offering, remains of the latter were identified at a higher rate within the graves belonging to adults (70%) and at a lower rate in the ones pertaining to children (19%). Out of the former graves, egg offerings were identified at a rate of 37% in men graves and at a rate of 11% in women graves. 11% of the graves to contain egg offerings were impossible to be contextualized from the point of view of the deceased person’s gender (Table I/2). The rate’s reversal is to be explained only through this particular burial ground’s nature and specificity.
Inside the children graves, the egg offering was identified in various locations next to the following anatomical parts: on the skull’s left side, above the left humerus (M.28, M.9/2014/ next to a ceramic receptacle), knee-cap and left thigh-bone area (M.113), next to the right side of the thigh (M.113) and on the skull’s right side (M.142).
Inside the women’s graves, the following anatomical positions were the most frequent in the context of egg offering: on the outside of the left sided thigh-bone (M.18), next to the left leg bone (M.110), the left palm (M.63), the left and right foot area (M.76), the skull’s right side (M.99), the skull’s left side and the left heel (M.149), on the outside of the left knee (M.154), between the thigh bones, next to a ceramic receptacle and next to the right heel (M.163). Egg offerings from two different eggs were identified just in several cases of women’s graves: M.76, M.99 (?), M.136 and M.163.
The men’s graves are marked by egg offerings laid down next to the following anatomical parts: on the outside of the right leg bone (M.35), next to the right ankle and leg bone (M.64), between the leg bones (M.55), next to the right heel near a ceramic receptacle (M.161), next to the right shoulder (M.91), next to the left foot (M.126), to the skull (M.165). shells from two different eggs were identified in male graves as well: M.35, M.64, M.126, M.161 (?), M.165.
Other anatomical areas where egg offerings had been laid down have been identified in graves containing human remains of uncertain gender: next to the left foot (M.97), next to the left side of the hip (M.2/2014) and between the calves (M.4/2014).
But the funeral inventory and all the other remaining connected elements come only in support of the burial ground’s dating during the 10th century.