Burgus Őcsény-Soványtelek

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Burgus Őcsény-Soványtelek
(Burgus Alisca 3)
Alternative name Őcsény-Soványtelek
limes Pannonian Limes
section 8th
Dating (occupancy) Valentinian
late 4th to maybe early 5th century
Type Burgus
size 17.5 × 17.5 m
Construction stone
State of preservation not visible above ground
place Őcsény −Soványtelek
Geographical location 46 ° 18 '12.2 "  N , 18 ° 41' 30.4"  E
height 94  m
Previous Szekszárd Castle (north)
Alisca Castle (northeast)
Subsequently Fort Ad Statuas (Várdomb) (south)
The Pannonian Danube Limes
The aerial photo taken from southwest to northeast shows the location of Burgus Alisca 3 and its surroundings.

The Burgus Őcsény-Soványtelek , also referred to as Burgus Alisca 3 in recent literature , is a small Roman military site that, as a late antique residential and watchtower ( Burgus ), was responsible for controlling a section of the Pannonian Limes ( Limes Pannonicus ) . The excavated remains of the facility are in the area of Őcsény -Soványtelek in the Hungarian county of Tolna , near the road 56 between the town of Szekszárd and the village of Várdomb with its castle Ad Statuas .

location

The Burgus was built east of today's Landstrasse 56. In this section, this road is largely based on the Roman Limes Road along the Danube, which at that time was the river border separating the Barbaricum from the Roman Empire. During antiquity , the river, which is now straightened by regulations and shifted to the east, had sweeping river loops with oxbow lakes and swampy zones. The Limes Road ran along these inaccessible floodplains and stayed at the foot of the mountain ranges to the west. The soldiers of the Burgus had the task of monitoring both the Limes road, which is important for the military and trade, as well as the border area.

Research history

Employees of the archaeological department of the Mór-Wosinsky-Komitatsmuseums had a hill on a farm in the hallway Őcsény-Soványtelek committed , whose back was covered with numerous broken field and limestones. Traces of mortar and ceramic fragments from Roman and prehistoric times were found between these fragments . In order to secure the presumed ground monument from final destruction by the plow, the county museum allowed in the summer of 1992 to make two cross-cutting search cuts through the hill. Roman building remains could be secured at a depth of 0.20 to 0.30 meters. Encouraged by the success, two-week excavations took place in 1993 and July 1994 under the direction of the Provincial Roman archaeologist Zsuzsanna Péterfi. The center of the facility and parts of the rising masonry were examined. The time delay and extension of the work to three years as well as the only partial uncovering of the archaeological monument was due to the insufficient financial resources for the excavation.

Building history

The excavated tower belongs to a series of well-researched Burgi, which were apparently created in the course of extensive construction measures to secure the border under Emperor Valentinian I (364-375). The fortifications emerged as a reaction to the devastating Germanic invasions of the time on the Rhine and Danube. In Hungary, burgi of this type were best known for the systematic excavations between Esztergom and the Danube Bend that had been carried out since the 1950s . The watchtowers of Leányfalu or Budakalász-Luppa csárda have been well researched there . Very similar systems are also known from Switzerland , in the Stelli near Wallbach and from the Mösischen Limes.

The findings of Őcsény-Soványtelek showed a mighty, square tower that took up an area of ​​17.5 × 17.5 meters. At 2.20 to 2.30 meters, the almost completely excavated outer wall was particularly strong in the foundation. During the excavation, which was only partially carried out due to lack of money, the otherwise known ground-level entrance was not uncovered or had already been removed by plowing or erosion. It was probably on the west side of the building facing Limesstrasse. The staircase on the inner cheeks of the tower, which can still be seen in the early stages of better preserved specimens, was also not found. In order to be able to support the individual floors and the large roof, four stone pillars were erected in the middle of the tower in a 7.6 × 7.6 meter square. The limestone pillars listed as opus incertum (quarry stone masonry) had a side length between two and three meters. Between the four pillars there was a 0.65 meter deep, oval waste pit, in which, among other things, an intact dog skeleton was located.

During the uncovering, a homogeneous Roman cultural layer around 0.20 to 0.40 meters thick emerged , which, however, no longer allowed any clear conclusions to be drawn about the structure of the former walking horizon within the tower. There were no signs of terrazzo flooring in northern Hungary . Some evidence suggests that the floor is tamped with clay, as is also known from the Danube Bend. Most of the finds from the excavation come from the thin individual layers of the Roman stratum. Due to the poor state of preservation of the building, all questions about the rising masonry remained speculative. Section 3 to the north, which was supposed to lead to the discovery of a ditch that might have been built around the tower, remained unrecognized, so that in the Őcsény-Soványtelek corridor there is very likely no such obstacle to approach. It may have been dispensed with due to the once boggy ground.

A fire disaster that cannot be determined in time is at the end of the tower's use. This is indicated by the Roman cultural layer, in which there was a lot of ash but little charcoal. This fire may have something to do with an attack from the Barbaricum.

Finds

All in all, the finds indicate that the building was used during the second half of the 4th century.

Coins

The range of coins found is extraordinarily large. It ranged from a singular coin of the emperor Septimius Severus from the period from 193 to 211 AD to the youngest six coins of the emperor Valentinian I (4 pieces) and his son Gratian (2 pieces) from 367 to 378 were coined. Most of the 44 coins discovered come from the reigns of the Emperors Valens (13 pieces; minted from 364 to 378) and Valentinian I (9 pieces; minted from 364).

Ceramics

In the rich pottery, the late antique smoothed goods were missing. Fragments of gray household ceramics from the 4th century were mainly represented. Altogether, the fund consisted of partly decorated pots, cups, jugs, plates, bowls and bowls. The gray ceramic also includes a hand-formed candle holder from the garbage pit inside the tower. In addition to the gray goods, there were colored glazed and green lead-glazed fragments.

metal

From the cultural layer of the Burgus comes a 9.40 × 7.90 centimeter votive tablet made of lead, which shows the "horse god of the Danube". The clearly military finds included, among other things, an iron spearhead, remains of a lance tip, a round shield boss and a heart-shaped strap tongue . A metal fragment pierced by an almond-shaped eye could have come from a late antique helmet. Two largely preserved bronze onion button fibulae are also conceivable as parts of the late antique soldier's costume. Several spindle whorls are more likely to belong in the household sector. There are also some pieces of jewelry such as rings and bracelets. The finds also included leftover chains, smaller and larger nails, axes and whetstones.

brick

The finds include numerous fragments of roof tiles. The roof of the Burgus was covered with these, although the brick stamps typical of northern Hungary , which would allow a closer chronological assignment, are missing. The archaeologists Zsolt Visy and Endre Tóth therefore suspected that the complex, due to its typical appearance, must be related to the Valentinian's construction program, but was only created after his death, when the bricks were no longer stamped.

Limes course from Burgus Őcsény-Soványtelek to the castle Ad Statuas (Várdomb)

The Limes Road splits at Szekszárd. One route leads to the nearby, southeastern Alisca castle in Őcsény-Szigetpuszta. This junction is discussed under the paragraph “Limes Course” in the actual article on Alisca Castle. The main branch of the trunk road maintains its southern direction for many kilometers to the Ad Statuas fort. This route is described here.

Traces of the military structures along the Limes Road and the Danube.
route Name / place Description / condition
8th Ebesi-Csárda The archaeologist Mór Wosinsky (1854–1907) found Roman graves and remains of a Roman building, which he interpreted as the Mutatio (horse changing station), at the former Ebesi-Csárda, which is now mostly not shown on maps . South of this point, the archaeologist József Csalog (1908–1978) was able to cut the profile of the Limes Road in the modern ditch. The residents working in the neighboring vineyards reported to him that stone slabs were often found and covered with a layer of gravel .
8th Újberekpuszta (Burgus Alisca 4) The archaeologist Mór Wosinsky (1854–1907) mentioned that the foundations of a large Roman building can be found on a small hill near Újberekpuszta. Bricks and a large number of small finds also came to light at the site near the Limes Road.
8th Várdomb The Roman fort was located in the middle of today's village area and can still be recognized by an over 100 meter wide elevation in the area.

literature

  • Zsuzsanna Péterfi, Zoltán Várady: Watchtower from late Roman times, explored in Őcsény-Soványtelek . In: Specimina nova dissertationum ex Instituto Historico Universitatis Quinqueecclesiensis de Iano Pannonio nominatae 13 (2009), pp. 159–166.
  • Zsuzsanna Péterfi: Az Őcsény-sovántelki későrómai őrtorony feltárása. In: Gaál Attila (ed.): Pannoniai kutatások. A Soproni Sándor emlékkonferencia előadásai. Bölcske, 1998. October 7. Szekszárd 1999. pp. 161-200.
  • Zsolt Visy : The ripa Pannonica in Hungary, Akadémiai Kiadó, Budapest 2003, ISBN 963-05-7980-4 , p. 103.

Monument protection

The monuments of Hungary are protected under the Act No. LXIV of 2001 by being entered in the register of monuments. The Őcsény-Szigetpuszta fort and all the other Limes facilities are archaeological sites according to Section 3.1 and are nationally valuable cultural assets. According to § 2.1, all finds are state property, regardless of where they are found. Violations of the export regulations are considered a criminal offense or a crime and are punished with imprisonment for up to three years.

See also

Remarks

  1. ↑ a b c Zsolt Visy: The ripa Pannonica in Hungary, Akadémiai Kiadó, Budapest 2003, ISBN 963-05-7980-4 , p. 103.
  2. ↑ Zsuzsanna Péterfi: Az Őcsény-sovántelki későrómai őrtorony feltárása. In: Gaál Attila (ed.): Pannoniai kutatások. A Soproni Sándor emlékkonferencia előadásai. Bölcske, 1998. October 7. Szekszárd 1999. pp. 161-200; here: p. 161.
  3. ↑ a b Zsuzsanna Péterfi: Az Őcsény-sovántelki későrómai őrtorony feltárása. In: Gaál Attila (ed.): Pannoniai kutatások. A Soproni Sándor emlékkonferencia előadásai. Bölcske, 1998. October 7. Szekszárd 1999. pp. 161-200; here: p. 162.
  4. ↑ a b c Zsuzsanna Péterfi: Az Őcsény-sovántelki későrómai őrtorony feltárása. In: Gaál Attila (ed.): Pannoniai kutatások. A Soproni Sándor emlékkonferencia előadásai. Bölcske, 1998. October 7. Szekszárd 1999. pp. 161-200; here: p. 165.
  5. ↑ a b c d e f Zsuzsanna Péterfi: Az Őcsény-sovántelki későrómai őrtorony feltárása. In: Gaál Attila (ed.): Pannoniai kutatások. A Soproni Sándor emlékkonferencia előadásai. Bölcske, 1998. October 7. Szekszárd 1999. pp. 161-200; here: p. 163.
  6. ↑ Zsuzsanna Péterfi: Az Őcsény-sovántelki későrómai őrtorony feltárása. In: Gaál Attila (ed.): Pannoniai kutatások. A Soproni Sándor emlékkonferencia előadásai. Bölcske, 1998. October 7. Szekszárd 1999. pp. 161-200; here: p. 166.
  7. ↑ a b Zsuzsanna Péterfi: Az Őcsény-sovántelki későrómai őrtorony feltárása. In: Gaál Attila (ed.): Pannoniai kutatások. A Soproni Sándor emlékkonferencia előadásai. Bölcske, 1998. October 7. Szekszárd 1999. pp. 161-200; here: p. 167.
  8. ↑ Zsuzsanna Péterfi: Az Őcsény-sovántelki későrómai őrtorony feltárása. In: Gaál Attila (ed.): Pannoniai kutatások. A Soproni Sándor emlékkonferencia előadásai. Bölcske, 1998. October 7. Szekszárd 1999. pp. 161-200; here: p. 162 and P. 164; List of coins in the appendix.
  9. ↑ Zsuzsanna Péterfi: Az Őcsény-sovántelki későrómai őrtorony feltárása. In: Gaál Attila (ed.): Pannoniai kutatások. A Soproni Sándor emlékkonferencia előadásai. Bölcske, 1998. October 7. Szekszárd 1999. pp. 161-200; here: p. 175.
  10. ↑ Zsuzsanna Péterfi: Az Őcsény-sovántelki későrómai őrtorony feltárása. In: Gaál Attila (ed.): Pannoniai kutatások. A Soproni Sándor emlékkonferencia előadásai. Bölcske, 1998. October 7. Szekszárd 1999. pp. 161-200; here: p. 176.
  11. ↑ Zsuzsanna Péterfi: Az Őcsény-sovántelki későrómai őrtorony feltárása. In: Gaál Attila (ed.): Pannoniai kutatások. A Soproni Sándor emlékkonferencia előadásai. Bölcske, 1998. October 7. Szekszárd 1999. pp. 161-200; here: p. 177.
  12. ↑ Zsuzsanna Péterfi: Az Őcsény-sovántelki későrómai őrtorony feltárása. In: Gaál Attila (ed.): Pannoniai kutatások. A Soproni Sándor emlékkonferencia előadásai. Bölcske, 1998. October 7. Szekszárd 1999. pp. 161-200; here: p. 164.
  13. ↑ Zsuzsanna Péterfi: Az Őcsény-sovántelki későrómai őrtorony feltárása. In: Gaál Attila (ed.): Pannoniai kutatások. A Soproni Sándor emlékkonferencia előadásai. Bölcske, 1998. October 7. Szekszárd 1999. pp. 161-200; here: p. 170.
  14. ↑ Zsuzsanna Péterfi: Az Őcsény-sovántelki későrómai őrtorony feltárása. In: Gaál Attila (ed.): Pannoniai kutatások. A Soproni Sándor emlékkonferencia előadásai. Bölcske, 1998. October 7. Szekszárd 1999. pp. 161-200; here: pp. 171–179.
  15. ↑ Kastell Alisca at 46 ° 19 '33.31 "  N , 18 ° 46' 4.55"  O .
  16. ↑ Kastell Ad Statuas (Várdomb) at 46 ° 14 '55.83 "  N , 18 ° 41' 12.3"  O .
  17. ↑ Route = numbering follows Zsolt Visy: The Pannonian Limes in Hungary (Theiss 1988) and Zsolt Visy: The ripa Pannonica in Hungary. (Akadémiai Kiadó 2003)
  18. ↑ Zsolz Visy: The Pannonian Limes in Hungary. Theiss, Stuttgart 1988, ISBN 3806204888 , pp. 119-120.
  19. ↑ Burgus Alisca 4 at 46 ° 15 ′ 31.12 "  N , 18 ° 41 ′ 56.9"  E