A C T A A R C H A E O L O G I C A C A R P A T H I C A

VOL. LIV (2019): 215–226 PL ISSN 0001-5229

DOI 10.4467/00015229AAC.19.012.11889

Ján rákoŠ

Przeworsk culture cemetery at Rankovce

(Eastern Slovakia. Preliminary report

Abstract: There is only a handful of burial sites dated to the Roman Period on the territory of the
Eastern Slovakia. Only hitherto excavated cemetery dating to this period is located in Zemplín. In
the year 2014 new Przeworsk culture cemetery was identified in Rankovce. During four seasons of
the archaeological research forty-six burials were excavated at the site. Cemetery can be dated to
the phases B2b - C1a of Roman Period and assigned to the Eastern zone of the Przeworsk culture
based on the inventory of the burials.

Keywords: Przeworsk culture, cemetery, Eastern Slovakia, Roman imports, Rankovce

I. INTRODUCTION

Since the middle of the 20th century the archaeological research in eastern
Slovakia intensified significantly. This fact has contributed to the identification
and partial examination of several important Roman settlements (Blažice-
Bohdanovce, Prešov, Šebastovce). Despite that no major Roman Period burial
sites were identified. Burials from this period were hitherto mostly known thanks
to accidental finds or finds from disturbed graves. The discovery of the Przeworsk
culture cemetery at Rankovce confirmed that even on the territory of eastern
Slovakia it is still possible to identify and explore suchlike sites.

II. FINDINGS OF THE GRAVES FROM ROMAN PERIOD

IN EASTERN SLOVAKIA

Only a small number of grave finds dated to the Roman Period are known on the
territory of Eastern Slovakia. It is partly due to the current state of archaeological
research, but also a very destructive agricultural activity, especially in the

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second half of the last century, may have some share in it. Hitherto known finds
are represented by individual cremation burials or cemeteries and inhumation
graves dated to the Late Roman period. The largest burial ground is located
in Zemplín which according to the published results can be dated between the
end of the 1st AD and the end of the 2nd century AD (Budínský-Krička, Lamiová-
Schmiedlová 1990) with the scarce occurrence of burials belonging to the both
early and late phase of Late Roman Period (Pieta 2006, 502). Finds belonging
between the phases B1 and C1a were obtained from the disturbed burials in
the cadastre of Kvakovce when the level of water in dam Domaša fell down
(Lamiová-Schmiedlová, Mačala 1991). A Roman Period pit burial was excavated
in 1942 in the cadastre of the village of Lesná at the top of the mound dated to
the transition between Chalcolithic and the Early Bronze Age Period. Pit was
identified as burial of a warrior and dated to around 200 AD (Budínský - Krička,
1967, 309).
In the second half of the 19th century iron objects together with a torso of
ceramic urn containing residues of calcined bones were found in the cadastre of
Lastovce. These finds originally belonged to the inventory of warrior’s cremation
burials dated to the 3rd century. Burial site whence this objects come is still
unidentified (Eisner 1933, 211-212). Roman Period iron weapons and tools found
in the cadastre of village Svätá Mária which are now part of a private collection,
point to the existence of another burial site. Find circumstances of these objects
are not known (Eisner 1933, 212). Early Roman Period urn burial was found
in the cadastre of the village of Ždaňa during the excavations on the Hallstatt
Period cemetery in 2006. Burial consisted of a pot-shaped vessel in which two
spindle whorls were found. The existence of a Germanic burial site in Ždaňa is
also confirmed by surface finds – an iron knife and three iron trumpet fibulae
(Miroššayová 2010, 241).
The foremost examples of Roman Period inhumation graves on the territory
of Eastern Slovakia are princely graves found at Ostrovany dated around to
270 – 290 AD (Prohászka 2006), Cejkov dated to phase C2 - C3 (Beninger 1931,
183-224) and Poprad - Matejovce. Princely grave at Poprad - Matejovce was based
on the C 14 analysis dated to the second half of the 4th century AD (Pieta 2009,
107 - 122). Final phase of Roman Period and Migration Period are represented
by finds of three inhumations graves at the village Valaliky - Buzice. Graves
were not excavated by archaeological methods. The workers carrying out the
diggings destroyed the graves. Incomplete finds in the form of ceramic vessels
were only at a later date handed to the property owner and subsequently they
were provided for documentation. Vessels resemble products of the late Roman
pottery workshops and can be dated to the first third, respectively first half of the
5th century (Luštíková, Zábojník 2013).

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III. ARCHAEOLOGICAL RESEARCH AT THE SITE

The village of Rankovce is located 18 km northeast of Košice on the western

slopes of Slanské Hills. Roman Period cemetery is situated in a forested terrain
and lies at an altitude of 440 meters above sea level. Geological foundation of
the site is a contiguous layer of stones (andesite), into which the pits have been
excavated.
Cemetery at Rankovce was discovered by illegal treasure hunters in 2014.
They handed over a set of metal finds to the Eastern Slovakia Museum in Košice.
Set consisted of an iron umbo and iron shield boss, an iron lance point, a knife and
an iron fibula. Fibula is type A 159. All objects were in a well-preserved state and
it was evident that they were originally part of a cremation burial. Archaeologists
of the museum examined the site immediately after the announcement of the
finds and excavated disturbed burial and three more burials at the site (sit. 1 – 4).
A few months later the Eastern Slovak Museum began to carry out systematic
archaeological research at the site. The archaeological research at Rankovce has
so far not been able to determine the exact boundaries of the burial ground. In
2015 anticipated area of cemetery was investigated using a detection device.
This action was necessitated by the immediate threat posed by robbers. Several
archaeological situations (graves) were explored outside the area of realized
trenches. It can be therefore assumed that the approximate size of the burial
ground will be 50 x 30 m.
During the four seasons of archaeological research (2014-2017) an area of 286
m² was excavated at the burial site and 85 archaeological situations were uncov-
ered (Fig. 1). This number includes 3 subterranean features with larger dimen-
sions of unknown function (obj. 1, 2, 3), 46 cremation burials (feat. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6,
7, 8, 9, 10 , 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29,
30, 31, 34, 35, 36, 37 , 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 45a, 53, 54, 57, 77) and 36 small-sized
features of unknown function (feat. 32, 33, 44, 45b, 46, 47, 48, 49 51, 52, 55, 56, 58,
59a, 59b, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74a, 74b, 75, 76, 78, 79).
Simple burial pits are prevalent. Only five of all excavated burials were in the
form of urn burial (feat. 3, 17, 19, 29, 77) (Fig. 2: 1,3). Burial pits were in some
cases only relatively shallowly dug in the subsoil, but especially in the case of
burials with richer inventory they were larger and deeper. However, this rule is
not fixed. In the case of a very rich warrior's grave 8, the iron sword was found in
the depth of only 14 centimetres from the ground level.
Of 46 burials that were excavated so far at the site, based the inventory 21
were identified as male burials (feat. 1, 3, 4, 7, 8, 10, 16, 17, 18, 21, 22, 24, 25, 26,
28, 30, 34, 35, 36, 39, 41), 13 as female burials (feat. 2, 5, 6, 12, 13, 15, 19, 23, 31,
37, 40, 53, 54) and in the remaining 12 cases the sex of the buried could not be
determined (feat. 9, 11, 14, 20, 27, 29, 38, 42, 43, 45a, 57, 77).

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Fig. 1. Rankovce. Plan of explored area of cemetery and objects in years 2014 – 2017

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 Przeworsk culture cemetery at Rankovce (Eastern Slovakia) 219

Fig. 2. Rankovce. Ceramic urns (1 – feat. 19, 3 – feat. 3) and stray find of terra sigillata (2)

Upper parts of several graves examined at the site were destroyed. However,
the vast majority of them, despite being relatively shallow, remained intact. We
do not know the original marking of graves on the field. In most cases, the fills of
the pits were well recognized. The pits had no treatment and were dug directly
into the stone bedrock. In the burial pit 8 there was a flat stone of a square shape
at the bottom of the pit. In the case of urn burials calcined bones were found in
the lower parts of the vessels with the inventory placed over them. In the case of
burial pits bones laid on the bottom of the pit with inventory placed over them
which were often covered with a layer of calcined bones. Bone residues are heavily
burned, indicating high cremation temperatures. Anthropological analyses have
not been performed on calcined bone residues yet. A large number of stray finds
for example intact metal objects and their fragments, as well as fragments of
ceramic pots among other fractions of terra sigillata Drag. 33 found in the layer
above the graves (Fig. 2: 2) can testify to the agricultural activity in the past,
which damaged their upper parts.

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IV. CONTENT OF GRAVES

Cemetery in Rankovce is interesting especially for the rich inventory of some

burials. The iron objects found here were well-preserved thanks to the high
temperature by cremation and also non-aggressive soil on the site.
Inventory of male burials consists mainly of parts of warrior's equipment and
weapons such as swords, lance and spear points, parts of shields, iron and bronze
spurs, clothing components, personal equipment but also tools for everyday use.
Many of the objects were intentionally broken or deformed before they were placed
in the grave. Twenty-one burials were determined as male based on inventory.
In three cases, the burials contained complete warrior's equipment consisting of
a sword, a spear and a shield (feat. 4, 8, 16).
Even before the systematic research began, feature 4 was examined. The
warrior's burial was undisturbed. At the top of it filling, there were three iron
belt fittings, all the other inventory was placed in the centre of the bottom of
the pit. This inventory was represented by an iron shield boss and a shield grip,
two spear points, two iron spurs, iron holder of a scabbard and iron scabbard
sheathing, an iron knife, and bucket-shape pendants. A deformed iron sword was
found at the very bottom of the pit. The sword is of Roman origin and belongs
to a group of swords with ring-shaped pommel (Fig. 3). Based on M. Biborski's
typology sword matches Type I with use in phases B2 and C1 (Biborski 1994, 87).
Feature 8 belongs among the most interesting of the rich equipped burials at
the site. It is warrior's burial excavated in 2014. Complete inventory was placed
in a relatively shallow pit. It consisted of a deformed sword, two spear points,
an iron knife, shield boss and bronze shield grip, an iron belt buckle, fragments
of a bronze vessel and iron scissors. Deformed sword with a broken point of the
blade was placed on the eastern edge of the pit, 14 cm from the ground level
(Fig. 4). Weapon is a Roman double-edged iron sword belonging to a group of
swords with encrusted-decoration (Biborski 2012). There is an image of a laurel
wreath with ribbons and a palm springs on one side of the blade, the other side
is decorated by figure of the god Mars, who holds a spear in his right hand and
has a shield resting by his left foot. Roman sword with encrusted decoration is
also known in the territory of Western Slovakia. Weapon was found in the burial
no. 2 at Kostolná pri Dunaji and it was identified as type of Buch-Podlodów,
variant 1 according to Biborski and Ilkjaer. The burial is dated to the final phase
of stage B2 (Kolník, Rajtár 2017). In the upper part of the pit of the burial 8 at
Rankovce fragments of a bronze vessel were found under which a shield boss
made of copper alloy was placed with its calotte facing the bottom of the pit
(Fig. 5). The shield boss has a square base size of 15.3 x 15.3 cm and the diameter
of the calotte is 12 cm. Umbo was damaged by heat. Two bronze rivets with
two square washers have been preserved on it. The base and the calotte of the

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Fig. 3. Rankovce. Iron sword from feature 4

Fig. 4. Rankovce. Iron sword from feature 8

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Fig. 5. Rankovce. Shield boss from feature 8

umbo are decorated with engraved floral motifs and lines of small punched dots.
The umbo originates in the Roman provinces. Similar punched motif-decorated
square-shaped umbo with original size of 28.8 x 26.8 cm and calotte diameter of
5.2 cm diameter, made of copper alloy comes from a legionary camp in Windisch
bei Brugg, Switzerland. The umbo dates to the 1st century AD Christ (Nabbefeld
2008, Taf. 88, Nr. 622). Another umbo made of copper alloy was found in the
River Tyne near Newcastle upon Tyne. The umbo has a rectangular base and a
hemispherical calotte decorated with the combination of punching and engraving
techniques. Its decoration consists of figural motifs and text, and this specimen is
dated to the second half of the 2nd century AD (Nabbefeld 2008, Taf. 55, Nr. 460).
The women's graves are mainly indicated by iron parts of the boxes and iron
keys, iron and bronze fibulae which are often found in pairs, remains of glass
vessels (feat. 2, 54) and molten glass beads, iron knives, belt buckles, sewing
needles and clay spindle whorls.
Feature 6 belongs among the richest equipped female graves. Bronze
vessel of type E 79 (Eggers 1951) to which a bronze bird-shaped attachment
belonged was placed in the centre of the burial pit (Fig. 6: 1,2). The vessel has
a reinforced edge and a flat bottom that is decorated with incised circles. The
attachment has max. length 7.5 cm, max. width 2.9 cm and max. thickness of 2.25
cm and weighs 66 g. A similar find of a bronze bird-shaped attachment comes
from the cemetery at Jadowniki Mokre and dates to the end of the 2nd century and
to the 3rd century AD, phases C1a-C2 (Grygiel 2017, 365). Inventory of the burial

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Fig. 6. Rankovce. 1, 2, 3 – bronze vessel, bronze bird-shaped attachment and gold pendant
from feat. 6; 4 – gold pendant from feat. 31

also included two wholly preserved iron fibulae and a winding terminated with
needle of another fibula, an iron knife with a bone cover of handle, a key, a clay
whorl spindle, an iron mounting, and a damaged gold pendant (Fig. 6:3). Upper
part of this pear-shaped pendant is decorated with filigree and its lower part with
granulation. It belongs to type III by A. von Müller (Müller 1956). Preliminary
analysis showed that it consists of approximately 64% gold and 34% silver (with
great thanks for the analysis to M. Biborski). Its weight is 6 g. Two similar pear-
shaped pendants come from the Zohor burial site on Western Slovakia. The first
of them was found in the inventory of the richly equipped female grave 8/2005
and the second specimen is a stray find. These items belong to women's jewellery
and are dated to the transitory stage B2/C1 (Rajtár 2013, 140).
Inventory of the Feature 31, which is interpreted as a female grave, consisted
of iron parts of a box, an iron knife, a clay spindle whorl, three iron windings
of fibulae and a torso of a bronze trumpet fibula belonging to the IVth Almgren

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group. The most interesting part of the inventory was a damaged golden lunula
pendant decorated with granulation, measuring 2.5 x 1.8 cm and with weight
7 g (Fig. 6: 4). In the upper part of the pendant there is a hanging hook, both the
outer side of the pendant and the inner holes are decorated with an indented
wire. Three protruding beads are applied by the granulation technique at the
edge of the inner holes and between them. Similar pendant was found in a layer
at Wielbark culture cemetery in Sałdów. Its dating in phases B2/C1-C2 is based
on dating of the cemetery (Kurpiewski, Lewandowska 2013, 186, fig. 11:35).

V. OBJECTS WITHOUT SPECIFYING A FUNCTION

Hitherto two larger archaeological features (obj. 1, 2) were examined in their

entirety and third feature was partially examined (obj. 3) at the site. The features
are irregular in shape with dimensions of approx. 100 x 120 cm and their maximum
depth is about 50 cm. They are dug into stone bedrock. Their fill is made of black
clay mixed with ash and stones and contained fragments of ceramics, fragments
of iron objects and bronze lumps. Exact function of these features is unknown.
The second largest group of examined objects consists of thirty-six features of
smaller size scattered across the entire burial site with a greater concentration
in its southern part. Some of them are dug in; others are in a  form of a layer
deposited on stone bedrock. They are mostly of irregular circular shape with their
diameter ranging between 10 and 20 cm. Their fill consists of clay mixed with ash
and charred residues with colour ranging between light grey and black. Bronze
object were found in each of these features (e.g. feat. 32 – bronze fibula; feat 44
- miniature bronze spur) and were wholly preserved or in the form of fragments.
Most often bronze appears in the form of lumps in the fill of the features. Often,
they are accompanied by fragments of pottery vessels, fragments of glass even by
residues of calcined bones. The function of these objects is unknown. They may
be related to funeral rituals or they possibly represent remnants of disturbed
burials. Identification as cenotaphs or burials of children is also possible.

VI. CONCLUSION

Eastern Slovakia Museum in Košice carried a systematical archaeological

research at the Germanic cemetery at Rankovce in the years 2014-2017. Eighty-
five archaeological features including forty-six burials were examined in the
area of approximately 300 m² (Fig. 1). Only five urned burials were excavated,
all the other burials were in the form of the pit deposits dug in the bedrock of
the site. Anthropological analysis has not been carried out so far. Based on the

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inventory twenty-one burials were determined as male, thirteen as female and in

the case of twelve burials sex of the deceased could not be determined. Cemetery
at Rankovce is distinguished by the richness of the well-preserved finds, often
imports from the Roman Empire. Cemetery can be dated between the late phase
of Early Roman Period (B2b) and the beginning of the early phase of the Late
Roman Period (C1a) and assigned to the Eastern zone of the Przeworsk culture
based on the inventory of the burials.

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Address of the Author

Ján Rákoš
Východoslovenské múzeum Košice
Námestie Maratónu mieru 2
040 01 Košice, Slovakia
[email protected]

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