Diespiitr6mische

Kais
erze
unddiefriihe
Vlilkerwanderu
inMittel-
und()steur

MAGDALENAMACZYNSKA
TADEUSZGRABARCZYK
(llerauryeber)

ttft
I T TI
Yl/
wyDAwNtcrwouNtwtnsvtgtu16ozrrEGo. toDi 2ooo
:-..': Hunnen und Awarcn. Schdlze ..
.' .rl:grutnn PPrlod.Anliquity 65. \:
. . L;t,tot'.\kim Jane. Archea[o8.:'r
)':::a.86-87.
-.:::cza$t Mt (Pollth Easlern Cat;::
::. SilesiaAnliqua 16, 175 196
. .:-ii'q. 0n) Vichodoslovenski Pra'
: .:--botanica 22, 11-23.
: -.:al influence,which was reflected,for example,
^-.:.:zo w MaloPolscelvschodniej L;--
r : \.{oesia, stressedthe similarity of customs
' ' ;ttschaft auf den gebirgiSenGeL:
-..,tiitkaiserzeillichen Besledlung.'
' ::--ik Przemyski 9, 193 229.
Eszter Istvdnoyits, Val\ria Kulcsdr
IRANIAN-GERMANIC CONTACTS
IN THE SARMATIAN BARBARICUM
OF TFTECARPAfiIIAN BASIN
ln the research of the Sarmatian Barbaricum of
the Carpathian basin
:.:ral scholars have been dealing with the question
of the Germanic
:-.:ence, the objectsof Germanicorigin (panoucz
1941,70; 1950,25g 260;
:rv 1980, 94 96; 1987, 76_79; DrNnvEs 1991,
-:5. 150-153; 162, 167; MnsrrnnAzv
-:! Gonrowsrl 1993, 76; IsrvANovlri,{I(r,rcsAn1993, 33
34).
inteJestcan be easily understood,if we take'into
consideration,that
. neighbourhoodobviously played an important
_- role in the life of the
r ---:atrans, closed between the Roman Empire
and Germanic and _ at the
::,-.:nlg -. Dacian tribes (Gonr,owsK 1993,
Fig. 2; IsrvAnovrrs/KL,LCSAR
't, 1) This long lasting neighbourhood was manifested
.lt*, in strong
in Ammianus Marcellinus,s
o ,,', talking about frequent allied Barbarian attacks against pannonia
lho:
und *"uporri ; i;;r"*
Quadians(Amm. Marc. XVII 1). Of course, it is questionaUleif this
-:: was real and how it was formed.
--: the time of the
occupation of the Great Hungarian plain by
-: -..:"",
rtians, (euadians) nav€
(vuauralsJ have alreaoy
already been
been the lnhabitants
;rit uUltunt. of the
.Suebians tn"
--:rthran basin. Actually, the first mentioning
of immigrating Jazygians
. rst connected with the information that
euadian ki-ng Vannius kept
ltian. equestdan escort (facit. Ann. XII 29).
: :ginning from this time, the 1,, century
AD, a close relationship
-::n the Iranian and Germanic population
of the Carpathian basin can
:served both in written and archaeological
sources. Neglecting the
::::ous data of the written sources,let us
have a look at the Germanic
: :: objects of the Sarmatian Barbaricum.
Of course, in thrs case, tnc
-rn anses whether these objects got to
the Sermaiians as preces of
. or as a result of trade. It
is not easy to determine this, but in both
is real, despite of tle opinion of AoAr"u VuOuyt
- I ":\y6e. e/) who, on the basis
"::t"^",:,io: of the sprea<iof these finds, doubted
[zzt]
 ..aoian-Germanic contact
238 EszterIstvdnovits,Vai6riaKuicsir

-:
if there was any trade at all. According to her, these finds are mis:
exactly from the Sannatian-Germanic frontier territory. If we put -:;
objecti of Germanic character on a map (Fig. l), we can see that the) '-: 20 50 1 0 0k m
concentrated on the northern border of the Samatian territory and a-- :
water routes. Among the finds that reached the Sarmatian Barbaricuri -
the end oi the 2.d 3'd centuries we have to mention the following one'
- buckles with double (gabelfdrmigen) tongues (Fig 2, 6) (Gyulat:--.
Tiszafoldvir - VADAY 1987,76 80; H6vizgyork - DINNYEs1991, 162):
- braceiets with snakc shaped terminals (Schildkopfarmringe) (Fig -
4-5) (Gelej, Szatm6r - V,roev 1980; Veresegyhiz - MrsrsnnAzv 1986):
io-called Einsprossenltbeln(type 129 by Almgren - Fig- 2' 3) (fisza":'-
viri, Kiszombor - IirvAnovlrs 1990, 89-90; H6vizgyrirk - DINNYES1991, l'-
T hbulas (type 151 by Almgren - Fig 2, 1-2) (B6k6s-Vizesbin::'
-
Szarvas-L5merhalom, Kenderes,Tiszafiired, Szolnok-Szanda,Birdnd V.r:
1989, 96-97); ,,1-\-
- S-shaped necklace hook (Fig. 2, 7) (JAszber6ny-Csegelapos V"r: -'
1980,96);
- probably spherical, framed pendants, if they are not of eastern or:;-: -i
- vA: ' '
(Fig. 2, 8) (I6i<ikszennnikl6s-Surjiin, Kiskros-Csukrist6-Reckft
1980,96);
- shield bosseswith antenna - like spike (Hortobrigy, Nyiregyhriza, S-.-
i
bolcs county - IsrvANovlrs/KuLCSAR1992, 68 71). This type of shield ens"- --:: 0
on both sidesof the track of the future Csrirsz-earthwork Piecesfound off
track belonged to Vandaiian find assemblages,whereas those from the in:=
side come fiom Sarmatian milieu (see IsrvANovlrs[(L'l-csAn 1992, Fig i ACVMINCM

- probably bits with big rings - if they are not Roman products (F ; (^,.^--l^t)
- s NGt0
3, 2)'fttbvizgy ork, Geszter6d,Hortobigy-Poroshet DINNYES1991' 11'' -L,
probably arrow-heads with sockets from H6vizgy6rk (Fig 3'
(DrM,rYEs1991, Fig. i4, 15-16);
- probably fire-irons with a hook shaped end (Debrecen-Hortobigyi-:
-
Tiszavasviri-Paptelekhit, Sz5diiget-Csorog,Endr6d-Szuj6kereszt t'':'1 ihe objects oI Germar
IA1l2 by Kokowski or type 1A by Jonakowski) recently collected b) -- -::Ll6rijfalu-Herpdly; -
3 I
v. Carnap-Bornheimt. , rzgydrk;8 Hortobigt:
trn our work we would like to focus on these connections in t;- ::ombor; l3 NyiregiL
relatively well outlined regions.One of these territories is the Upper T:':- :Jdldvfr; 17 - Tiszafiired
region, where we have to assume, firstly, the presence of Van:-
-::king about
lians/Victovalians, and secondly, other Germanic elementsin the neighbc-: the rela
hood of the Sarmatians/Alans ,Jarpathian basin, rve
The other region is the Danube-bendand its surroundings'This reg::: . : :ons.namely the mea
is of a key impbrtance from the point of view of the Sarmatian-Sueb:': lhe spread of certar
(Quadian) relationship. In the present paper we try to examine the -i ..e are able to reco
chaeological evidence for Germanic-Iranian contacts. - :hat the tracks
oi th
rls (flvers, marshes
I We thank Claus von Camap-Bornheim for kindly Permitting Ds to use his work in p:: :i lrom one historic
 IianiaD Germanic contacts in thc Salmatian Barbaricum
of the CarpalhianBasin 239

:,::. ihesefinds are mtss::'--

:::' :erritorY.If we Put t::
we can seethat they a':
:::::atian territorYand alc::
::: SarmatianBarbaricum::
:-::r:ionthe followingones:
.--::es(Fig. 2, 6) (GYulava'-'
,. - DrnrYEs 1991,162); '
S-'rildkopfarmrinCe)(Fic
'..;z - MrsrennAzv1986);
,''=*to - Fig. 2, 3) (Tiszar':-
'.,-".iotk - DINNYES1991,16-:
: l-.' 1-2) (B6k6s-VizesbAnc-
: :ok-Szanda, Birard - VA:''
,rr-\-
- '-
r.;,er6ny-CsegelaPos VA:

::3! are not of easternor-

':, -Csukist6-Rickut - VA:

il lrrtobigy, NYiregYhAza. 5:
-- I r. This tYPeof shielder-=:
-::r.hwork. Piecesfound ofi :
:. ;hereas those from the i'
..- , TSKULCSAR1992',Frg '
'.-: not Roman Productsr:
: : s : A t - D I N N Y E s1 9 9 1 ,i - -
::,.:r Fl6vizgyork (Fig' l'

: :rC (Debrecen-Hortobdtg":
-
. Endr5d-Szuj6kereszt :.'
: .,.s-ii) recentlYcollectedbt
::r these connections ln :
,: :i'rritories is the UPPer I
l Le objects of Germanic character in the Sarmatian
:-::1)'6ijlalu-Herpily; 3 - B6k€s-Vizesbrinom;4 _ Gelej; _
5
Barbaricum. I - tsdrandj
Geszter6J; 6 _ c).utavdri;
: r.g)6.kj 8 Hortobdgyj 9 Jlszber6ny-CsegelaposjlO _ Kenderes; ll _ Kisk6ids;
,.mbor; l3 - Nyiregyheza; 14 Szarvas_L6mer halom; l5 _ Szolnok_Szanda,
ioldver; 17 - Tiszafiired; 18 - Tiszavasvdri;19 Trjr<jkszentmikl6sj -
20 Veresegyhiiz

. -,.iing about the relationsbetweenthe Sarmatian

:: -:s surroundings This ::
. :.i of the Sarmatlan-sL:
::: n e try to examlne r:'
' '-.at
:: n'!acts.
:,::riLting us to use his work::
and Germantctnbes
:rpathian basin, we musi nor rorgel
forget aDour
about a very tmportant
important aspect o{
of
: -rns"namely ihe means of transpoftation and
trarie - the roads. On the
:re spread of cenain finds, and judging fiom ihe
anaiogieswith later
: are able io reconstruct the line oi some of them.
I-t is generally
the tracks of the roacis were formed according to the geograptuc
_i (rlvers, marshes,mountains etc.), that is why
the routes were
. irom one historical period or age to another.
 :anian-Gerrnanic contacts in l

-a -'fi
i - { |) t* i
6
1
@- Elffih
\IkE$
I )
t
ft-]g T@'
t
g-t{-.ffi I
W@,

A9 -::';
tLf-\1
;#{ / n )
l
Y/E
1

,-1*b-.
r ,zl{ \
I f\-li l
\ \r,{ 7
" -+y ,
0rr _--I 5 crr
bjt \^.ith big rings lrom He!i:
r.ith sockels from Hevjzg] a
Fig. 2. Germanic finds lrom the Sarmatian Barbaricum at the end of the ?-"o-3" c€::-
I - T fibula (type 151 by Almgren) Irom Kenderes (after VADAY 1989, Taf. r:
2 - T fibula (type 151 by Almgren) from Szolnok-Szanda (alter VATAY 1989, Taf. l ::rchers agreethat west_
3 - so-called Einsprosselfibel (type 129 b] Almgren) from Tiszavasviiri (after lsr\'.'i: :re outlined already dur
1990, Pl. 2, 1); 4, 5 bracelets with snafte shaped termidals ftom Veresegyhaz .i) at the latest, but prob
MESTERHAZY 1986, Fig. 4); 6 - buckles with double tongues lrom H6vizgy6rk (after D:r' -jcted
mainly on the basi
1991, Fig. 13, 2); 7 - S-shapednecklacehook from Jaszber6ry-Csegelapos (after VADA,
:-_1.1t€rra sigillata and co
Pl. 34, 3); 8 spherical,framed pendantsfrom Tdrokszenlrnikl6s (after VADAY 1989, Pl ::
 -1j::

lranian_Germanic
contactsin the Sarma an
Barbadcumof the Caryalhlan
Basrn 241

'l5
l. l
%-,
Fq
v/€
1

/'-ti'--.}...

irffi,
\
r
\1{y ./o
-'t

'iil'::l-3*T:',.Tr|;??:if
q rnsocr.err
n"'. r., ,f jg,5);2-arrowieads
"rru,i, i.,?^)","^,^ln':,F
i"nJ:;i^"#:',.;i:'J*:li;,,,r1,
;,
:, -i...nnlixr"T"#::r;",.,,,:?::iil"111
-^d^,oftbeGrear
Hungarian
,:T":.,i':t',":,lr,,l,i;;*q,::j"
,.--r: j;je1";'fi,'jff:"T,I"Ai::':i
i"ull,?l:ff
,,':1|1,,i1,^'!!f
.1.;
l5j?;":::', n{l;:l,ly,.,il il"":.i#jl
,,i;'fi
rerrasisi//ata
and;;;;i ,fj.iJ,,..l,,ii-""'
"l:'.,;":i;:;-il:,l'J":iilxl'il,:i,"jl#
"..
 Eszter Istv6flovits, Val6ria Krlcsar
::dan-Germanic contac

Aquincum - flatvan - Miskolc (a branch of this route is the roac

the valieysof riversSaj6 and Hernrid)(Fig. 4, 1) (Genrn 1968,212;.
Aquincum - Szolnok Debrecen Porolissum(KonEcvr 1972, ..' ,i 20 50 100 krn
G,,ur-rnfVaoav1986,47) (Fig. a, 4;
Aquincum - Kecskem6t- Parthiscum(Szeged) Micia (Fig. 4, 3) E -:
1963164, 82-83;KULCSAR 1989,88 90);
Intercisa Kecskem6t- betweenCsongrAdand Szentes(B<ild)(Kor.
1972, 106) Bologa/Resculum(Genr-rn/V.rolv 1986,41) (F re. 4, 4);
I-ugio - Madaras - Parthiscum(Szeged)- Micia (Genlrn/VADAyl;i:
a7) Fig. 4, 5).
Samatian and Germanic population that moved to the territon J'
North East Hungary at the end of the 2'd century,probably usedthe rc::s
that could have existedthere alreadyin Celtic times, if not earlier. F:.:
the point of view of this territory, the Upper Tisza region was crosse: :n
two roads among the ones listed above: the track in the directior t
Miskolc (SauvoN-ToRoK1960)and anotherone in the directionof Debr:::r
(Finz 1963164,82 84). On the basisof recentresearch(Nerern 1985.-:i
the latter furcated behind Debrecen.
Naturally, for the modern research, Roman objects represent the :=
basisfor the reconstructionof the roads (Fig. 5). However, it can be h-:"
imagined that these roads were not used in Germanic-Sarmatian relat:- :"
In the Upper Tisza region, similarly to many other areas, the : --"
possible tracks of roads were determined by natural conditions. This :.e
be well demonstrated in the case of the region called R6tk6z. At an r' strG
century map (Fig. 6), made before the regulation of Tisza, we car r::
a mostly west-east directed line of break, along which a road of '-l
direction could have been formed. With insignificant corrections, this '-:-r
has existed until our days. Far from the Sarmatian territory, from S:,: Fig. 4. I
-
East Slovakia ffapudany and Mal6 Trakany) (BLrDrNsKi-KRraKA. : r
--::ong Germanic impac
358-359),,Sarmatian" type finds from the 3'd century have been publ;r:=
-: mentioned.
This is an evidence for the use of the road for the connections bea;.: In the n
Germanic and Sarmatianpopulation. Unfortunately, sincethe cited public:.'-r : Carpathian basin the
of 1957 nobody has been dealing with the question of the finc f -I
Sarmatian character in the Germanic material. this we can add a tr
Here we have to draw attention to a problan of a sporadic occurr:1-: : . -:.:1 of the Upper Tii
' ng Germanic
of the Vandalian/Victovalian materiai at the Upper Tisza region, sta:,,1 influenc
fiom the period following the Marcomannic Wars. Beside the well k:,,.ro .:C belly (IswAruours 1
burials with weapons (e.g. K6kcse, Tiszakanyir etc.) the majonty of -:-:r : iFig. 8) and are char
objects consists of stray find vessels (Fig. 7). It seems to us that a: ! :xceptlons).Their origi
same time when the Sarmatian group of the north-eastern corner c: -l
Carpathian basin had undergone a serious Germanic influence, the Ger:: -t: ,:;ologicalmateria.lof
pc,pulation itself was very quickly ,,sarmatised". , ,rlrn strong stature, \r,,
, -rnnectlonthe northen

::.r of this route is the roac
r-: -. 1) (GABLER 1 9 6 8 ,2 1 2 : .
?::olissum ( K o H E c Y I1 9 7 2 , - -
S::ged) - Micia (Fig. 4, 3) tf
:::: and Szentes(Bold) ((or.:
.:r.. !986,aT Fi'e a, q;
\{icia (Genrrn/Velev
'-:ar moved to the terrltol'
::nrury, probablYused the r-
C:.:ic times, if not eadier. F:
:::r Tisza region was crosse:
: :re track in the directio:
:: one in the direction of
::r: research(fJrrnrn 1985.-
.::-an objects replesent the
. ::. 5). However, it can be h::
::- Germanic-Sarmatian rela:-
: --j many other areas, the
:.. natural conditions. Thi:
::;lon called R6tkciz. At ac
::::rlation of Tisza, we ca:
.-\. aiong which a road of
-j
: s-snificant corrections, this
S:rmatian territorY, from S:
':-i:ny) (Br,uINsKi-KRIaKA
: : century have been Publ,
:.: ior the connectionsbe:
.::ately, since the cited
::,.:1em of a sporadic occu::
:: Upper Tisza region. s:::
i-.: Wars. Beside the well i:
north-easterncorner i:
l:inanic influence, the
lralrian'Germa:liccoltacts in the SarmatianBarbaricumof the
CaryathianBasin 243
0 20 50 100km
-e---;----'
z
^ INIERCISA
z
, TO
E 5 I A
Fig. 4. The roads of Sarmalian Barbaricum
.
----,rng Germanic impacts,
objectsimported into the Sarmatian barbaricum
:: :entioned. In the north-eastern corner of the
Sarmatian Barbaricum
-:. iarpathian basin they appear relatively concentrated
as it was shown
-
:ris^we can add a type of pottery frequently found
in the Sarmatian
,h" Upper Tisza region. Its shipe suggeststhe possibility
of
, - *
: --..9."T:ni". influence Thcse strongiy bicont-ai u"*"t.'*iti, ,t urp1"
::_-nelly(Isrv.A.Nolrrs1993, Tab. V) concentrate along the roads shown
, .-lg. 8) ald are characteristicmainly for the
Upper f.isza regron (with
! : .:eptlons).Their origin is dated as the 3.{4rh
century ({srv.iNovns 1993,
:: ogical material oi the settiement of Apagy,
narnely bone retrains ol-
:-r suong stature, was determinedas coming from the
same period. in
. ::ction the northern origin was again suggested
(VoROs1993,44].
 Esztet Istvrinovitr, VaEria Kulc!6r haaiat-Germanic cor a(

€e€

-1...

,'"''t. ---- - ''! -;i-

a

I
\'.'d'- ztj
...'t'

._r.t:;
t..r I(
\.rl'
. -r{- |,-
-a-."-.e
...-7

F
 lranian-Germanic
contactsin lhe SarmatianBarbaricum
of the Carpathiantsasin 245

--.---*
. ------
\

____F
- * i
f
.'/--)
a-)
- :
l/

tr.
 I
I
tl
I

.4 r*
.1.-
-,t- r .,
- Bals4 2 - :
Fig. 7. Stra)'find vessels,possibly Germanic type: 1 -K6taj-Ekhaiom;
- DombJrid; ?
,i-] rori; 5 - Nagyhalesi-telektanva; 6 .- - l-^Ntit:?-:-
io - Gava;11""1",t"]ltil
Nviresvhiza Esza\:
;;"il1'l d";il;;;;;-j'e'o;
12 Nyirtelek
 iranian,Germanic contacts
in th€ Sarmatiat Barbarjcum of
the Caxpatlian Bastn 24i

}U
,s -..*
i:

i7
 _:nian'Gcrmaniccontactsrn .i
248 Eszler lstvenovits, Val6ria Kulcsir

of numerous stuc':- r:came dominant i the s:

Listed above Germanic impacts, being a subject
graves of the Hortobigy-Poro'-e ,::ppe fol long centurie
o"* b, by such finds as the
etc'' $:- ' . , t]:icn, also
"*purrd.d PlaYeda dele
'pt and the finds from Nyiregyhiza-I-ovaskaszirnya :: -.: light of this, we cann
".."i.ty,
,"u"tut differing from the customary Sarmatian burial
"no-.na shield (IsrvANovlrs/K ' -:- 1 . :.11 of the Great }{unga
could be observed, for example, the presence of
1990'88) in the gr: :
,i. lSga or comb(fromTiszavasviri;IsrvAr'rovtrs :rinate desPite of the in
caseof Sarma--:c -
iir. pf""i"g of combsor shieldswas not customaryin : r!3 graves,
sraves. ::i1 recent tlmes we u.'r
to.,"t**: thai \:-r- .- !:ebians only from the
Despite of strong Germanic impacts we- luu:,
a"rillii.t"t"fi"n in. 'h:
m"at"riatcan be iecognised. | -.- . -us finds, associatedn:
".ot:l
tP,11*''1"-.. ]l::.|.^lt-
;;il.'* ;;;;y shortperiodof time on theb.^h-:f .' . .:eri mainlY in Slovakia
;; ;#bi"g"s, *" srrcc"ed"din locaiising the Vandalian Sarm-a-- . -rstlysporadic stray fin(
;;;". that was built later' tr :
tle line of the Cscirsz-earthwork, . :.--ments(some housesa
"i;"g
4'h century. : :- .alley of river IPoIY an
Atthesametime,thatistosay,fromtheendofthe3dcentury'pc::: . - ! erc.). Recently, roai
materialcharacteristicexclusivelyforSarmatianswasspreadoff: . cng the left bank oi tl
were not prese:-
frontier. ,,Germanic" features of the find assernblages : , . : a l i n g o f G e r m a n i ca n
Tisza region
On thl eve of the Hun invasion, the Upper .again -: ,- .l betweenthese ethnic
a territory of key lrnportance ln the time of building the Cs: -. iargestexcavatedsite \i
came
reign Dioclel:::
ouffn- unA fossu system, whether it was during the .of u. ,.:.ometreseast of the I
one of the main rl
or Constantinus, this area musi have included --:: ,.-ures of a Germanic s
The
ri tn. C..-uni" people,pushedwest by the I{un movement' ' , : this is the largest el
follows the border between-:
of the Cs<jrszitseif, in its tendency, --:ary.
r.if'"i,i" Today in the Upper T'
piuin uni the closedforest-steppe' . excavated Part of ihe
r"gi". y' one vallum of the Csorsz can be seen :"11..I:T:t'l ,nd a lor of garbage:
ijffJer,a,""f bui we have evidence- mainly names of settlements: - : e r r a n e a n ,h a d 4 6 s
;fi ;;pr; and its border characterin ihe spread.?t ":"nu*1?.91t^l-- - .,:c settlements.Usuai.
line or-
to suggest a former existence of an outer vallum-fossa i i o r s t o r a g eP i t s a t ,
sandy. soils So' the r:
Ny;; tl"";"t characterisedbv wind-blown. '::1aces. Tire system .
of Csorsz buili at the bcginning of the 4th ce::
and fossa system
",it" : independently,\f ilh.
probably ii was also use:
-" pW"O roie of a border, but ,. lnto ihe subsoil.
"f
a [oad.
of the so-:: r . l t s o r p e b b l e s( o r : :
Sio"" tft" middie of the 41hcentury, the appearance :yer of smoothed c,
firruaoU'Tirrut*Ad{iszavalkgroupfindsshowsdeepchanges'theGen:: :i1e oven.
lntenslve'
influence revcaling new features and becomtng more -:-ning the houses \\:
ln this period. we obscrvea dcrnographic boom at the Iranian popu':: -.\ro (or ihree), mor.
the- huge^
of the Gieat Hungarian Plain, dernonstrated by .qu?n:;:' cirscof ihe Pits an.
of burials --
*.uion"n, materialsl and partly by the increasingnumber Sannatian scttleme
.""." .f this ciemographi"boo- be found not only in the n:
"una new immigrating population-. : wc found a iarEic
;;i,ipli;"ri"", ir,rt in itre arrival of -.
was sli:: . istones coming frc:l
maie;iai of the Sarmatian/Aianic newcomers of the 4'n century
c-:
influenced by the Marosszentanna/Sintana de Mureq-Cherniahov
_r- ; !:I
>j:j3ct of numerous stuc::!
:! rf ihe l{ortobigY-Poros:-
:'--.r'askaszirnya etc., \r'h:;
::::rry Sarmatian burial ::
- -:
: --: shield (IsrvANovrrs,{K
the gr:
r.-'i.rs 1990,88) in
.::--:iary in caseof Satma:,
: ,:ve to assume thar \':
:: :n the Upper Tisza re;
:::: basis of the relativell ::
a:
.:-: rhe Vandalian-Sarm
:r,. :hat was built later, ir
:-::;ans was sPread off :
,:::blages were not prese:'-
-': per Tisza region agair
I :::ne of building the Cr:
...:.g the reign of Diocle::
-r:: cne of the main ::
-:
:-: liun movernent. The
: .,.. the border betwee:,
:: Today in the UPPer -
.: la seen neaf Tisza\:i'
. ames of settlement:
': -:-rd of archaeologica.::
-:.: vallum-fossa line c:
-:niy soils. So, the .i-
j-rnnlng of the 4th c.:
r -::pPearanceof the s.-
: . Ceepchanges,the G::
. , :tore intensive.
:,':ng number of burjrl
-,:rtr
not only in the:
::::.r.iigratingpopulatic:,
:: Mureq-Cherniahov:
rranian-Cermanic contacts in ihe Sarmatian Barbaricum
of the Carpathjat Besin 249
: Decamedominant in the steppeand its vicinity.
Iranians, who ciominatei
: teppe for long centuries and exceedcd
in number the Gcrmanic
--lation,
also playcd a determiningrole in the formation of
this curture.
re light of this, we cannot be surprised by
the fact that tn the flrd
' of the Great l{ungarian piain buriars with
"iral Iranian 'te continue
r -rminare despite of the increasing number
of Germanic obiects found
- lse graves.
;rtil recent times rve were able to study
the relations of Sarmatians
t - Suebiansonly from the data of written
sources.Characteristicand
* .:ous finds, associatedmainly with the
euadian material culture, were
:, ::red mainly in Slovakia and published
only partly. In Flungary we
- :ostly sporadic stray finds coming from
field surveys and small parts
:.:isments (some housesand garbagepits)
from conducted
::,valley of river lpoly and at the Danube_bend"*cuuatlor*
(MRT l2l, MRT 117,
-rS erc.). Recently, road
construction works between Budapest and
-- :.ong the left bank of the Danube,had
. ^-^ +L- 1^f+ L^-i
a very significanrlmpact on
: '' :aiing of Germanicand sarmatiansitesjust
on lhe border territory
.- ,:.beLween
.-- '.i heiwecn ithese
h A o a ethnic
-+L-;^
groups (Fig. 9).
: iargestexcavatedsite was found near V6.c,
at a site called Cscirogi_r6t,
. ...:iometreseast of the Danube. Herc,
in the track of the future road,
,.:rres of a Germanic settlement were unearthed,
so for the present
':: this is the largest excavatedSuebian
site known in the terntor..
_::afv.
'r excavated
part of the settlernentincluded ig dwelling
houses,5_6
.rd a lot of garbageandfor storagepits.
Most of the houseswere
- r:3rranean, had 44 symmetrically situated
pole_holestypical for
..: t-ettiements. they were supplied with one or Lwo gar_
l or storage plts .Usually
at one or two of the corners, and also one
or
'.rllces.
The system of the fireplacesis very similar
to-tir" ou"rx
- :nocpendently,without a connectionto
this or that housc. .Ihei,
-- rnrc the subsoil, their bottom was covercd with a layer
oi.
.ri:; or pebbles(or there was a combination
of both) 1.hencovered
..cr of smoothed ciay, usuaily strongiy
burned, just as were tne
.:1J OVen.
E- - r.og tire houscs we can observe
somc regularity, namely, they
b. ..r'o (or three), more or lesspurullri tru..r'ivo
,:lg*tJ.,ry ,,on u"
:rsc of the pits and ovens.which js also
o typi.ut ?"otu.l to, tir*
) lnnailan scttlementsof this age. On
the whoie te.rritory oi. thc
.it iound a largc number of (probably
Roman) brick lio ston,=
rro'cs coming rro'r a nearby hilr) obviouslv
uscd ibr construsLroi:r
 Eszter Islvdnovits, Vai6ria Kulcsir -:dnian Germanic conlacts in

-I
On the basisof a stronglyprofiled fibula the earliestsett.Lemenl
bedatednotiatelthanthebeginningo|the2"dcentury(D4nno..i:..r
(Fig l0 2r) :rc
tr992).I{oman glazed pottcrv (N.loonnr 1992,Tzf II)
71) a-'r
a big iron fibula with lnverteclfoot (lsrvANovrrs/Kur-csAR,1994'
4'h centur" r
to dlfin" the end of the settlementas the seconcihalf of
even iater.
compoi::3
Ithe find material of the settlementconsisredof three
Cermantc,Sarmalian and Roman provinciaiobjects'
numerous -:
Surprisingly enough, the Germanic hnds are the least
pots decorated -
include exciJsluely hand-made pottery: mostly rude
also severalpo:
dots €ig. 10, 1), incised lines or X-patterns We have
polisheds::
f nere ar-"somc fragmentsof vesselswith thin walls, their
and material of clay (Fi;
raninding of gen"rallyused Gemanic forms
knile-'
f. 11. etiong-tfte few finds there are bone combs, iron- spurs'
1' 3 4)' the so-;'
iron handle of a probably wooden bucket (Fig 12'
glass bead with -
knee fibulae of Germanic type, a 1ong, biconical
decoration, fragrnents of decorations (torques, knob etc )
about the
Sarmatian material composed mainly of pottery is
of typical Sarmatlan -
amount as the Roman provincial part' It consists
pots
wheel-made ceramics and ruder, but also grainy wheel-made
ceramlc:s
addition of talc in the clay. A part of the rude hand-made
Sarmatran anc -r
difficult to determine ethnically, it could be equally
man1c.
consists of
Roman provincial material is strikingly rich' It
of pebbles
cooking pots made of grey ciay with addition fig.
of glazed jugs, bowls and mortaria' several h-:
,o-" itug."n,.
and.Rhein:::
fragments of terra sigillata (mostly from the Westerndorf
Gallia3) anc:
workshops and some pleces coming from Central
g and s--
i
decorated vesseis (stamped decoration, Rtidchenterzierun
key (Fig --
fragrnents of glass vessels,several bronze fibulae, iron
piecesof t egulas.
very spec:= ':
So, we could see that the composition of the finds-is 30 45 60km
or Sa-
majority of ceramic and bronze finds comcs either from Roman
lmporte:
impo.t. tt is noticeablethat the inhabitantsof the settlement
provinces not only decorated fine war:
Fannonia and other Roman
'was usual in the Sarmatian settlements),but simple cooking pots "!
'fhe vessels:l
dominance of Sarmatian cooking, table, and storage
explainedby a very close neighbourhood'

l Photos madc bY Tibor Kddas. -: of sites at the Danube t

r Determined by D6nes Gabler.
 : ri:eai

rranian-Cermanic conlacts
in the S _ a r m a t t aBnd r b a r i c u m
ol.tne Carp:thrinBa.rn
251
-: iilc earliest settiement.,:
. :,c 2d century @4lnot ',,r
- Iai. Il) (Fig. 10. 2)1 .':
. is,KuLcsAR1994, 71) a..:
': ,::ond half of 4rh centurr.

r. DleCIS.
-, ,re the least numerous.T
.:.. rude pots decorated .:
, ii e have also severalpot .
-- - \\.llc iheir n^lich..l .,,-
-: rrC material of clay (Fig
: : , . : . n b s , i r o n s p u r s ,k n i v e :

-:.. knob etc.)

:: pottery is about thc ,
.'-..sisof typical Sarmatian:
::liny wheel-madepots
. -:: hand-madeceramic is
:: :qually Sarmatian anc

: : .,.n of pebbles (Fig. - -

.-- m^rtrria ccvcrrl h -

= ,\'esterndorfand Rhetr;:
f entral Galliar.lanc :
t

: ::-: finds is very spec-. -5

30 45 60 km
: .r from Roman or Sa=
' _
i. .etf llfrenr ;n-^'r=

:.. . decorated fine wa::

-: .-:rpie cooking pors ,t
- .lnc SIOrage vessels -

.: of sites at *re Danube

bend. I _ Wric, Csrirdgi_r6t; _
2 Szddlig€t, Csdrdg; J _
F6t
252 fszter lslvenovits, Val[ri: tr-uicsir

J-E ]I

lr_E-D

t r:f

l ig. i0. finds froni Vic. Csdrclgi-iel

Fig. l
. -,,csal

r [ L u

Fr'g. J1. Finds from Vdc,

Csdrdgi_r6t
 ::rian-Germanic contacts in ti-:
Eszter lsfienovits, Val6ria Kulcsar

:-: qucstion of the ownin;

-rreiesting problern of :
::onally,the comrnon opln
:-eir Gcrmanic neighbour
', -earthwork (vallum anc
, ., but marked a traditio
..,: of the Upper Tisza re
.: about 20 km north oi
': course of the rescueer,
, : we found a Sarmatian c
. -,3nt. in Sz5dliget,Csorci
' beginning of the 3'"
. -'.usthave been contemp
: -: The cemeteryof Szodlig
..:rkeri by the Csorsz. A
'- some Germanic objeci
"- -:. remains of a dish a
:r . .:e of an also Germanic (
','nfortunately,
the chror
- ,rrc features of this si:
:iphic observationsit se
-,- fha ^ffipferv ihrr ;r

::nt near V6c.

i ncxt site to be mentione
- ,rlt 400 m north of the
::lernent features,unean;
, ::ap of the known Sueb
. r finds and much less in
.. : succeeded only in finiir
' -:s ctc. We could also ob
:roken spindle whorls e
-I this site was not u:
- ... ^ther fnm nf tmr
IE-I -
'lanic pottery, very sir
: 17), Roman provin
.::d, but not in such:
, of terra sigillata, I
_..r' profiled fibula with
. Germanic site can b

Fig. 12. Finds ftom v6c, Csdrdgi-ret -,ing made by Kalalin Boi
 ::lAST*rT!ry Sarmaljan
Barbaricum
of rhe Ca.pathian
Uasin255
jle quesliiln of the owning
of the territory rjraws our attention to rhe
-rrrerestlng problcm of the ethnic character
ol the bordcr region.
':ronarly,the comnon opinion was that the
border betweensamatians
' '.'elf Gefmanic neighbourswas somewhere
-,2-earthwork in rhe rine of the rutufe
(vaiium and fossa), which was built
oniv rn tne 4,,,
-:.,', but marked a traditional line
of frontier, * *" _rlO just see it
..,:e of the Tisza region. The settlementut Vac, Cror,;gi_ret
.. :C about 20 ^Upper i.
km north of the startmg point of the Csrirsz
earthwork.
-: course of the rescueexcavalons connected
..r. we with road construction
found a Sarmatiancemeteryabout 2 km
south of the Germanic
-:enr.,in Szodliget,Cscirdg.This cemetery
can Ue JatJ io tf,".nO of
_ - Dcglnnrngot the 3., century
AD, that is to say, people buried
' ::ust have been contemporaries
of the inhabitants oi fo" ,"ttt"m"nt
, Sz5dligetis still situatedoutsideof the later
, 1n". l"-"l".y,of border
:arked by the Cscirsz.A remarkablefeature
of this siie rs tnat we
- : - some Germanic objects (ceramicbowl
togetherwith a bronze
-.-:::, remainsof a dish and some potsherds)
that rei,erto the
,,.e "un
aiso Germanic1Fig. 134)cemeteryo, ."rrf"ro"n,-ui
rne
same
"of.an
nror^runately,
the chronoiogical relation between Sa.-atran
and
.nic features of this site is not clear,
but judging iro-
::lphic observationsit seems,that the settlem.","up!"ur"o "".rurn
fur", in
.-,rnthe cemetery,that is to say, it could U"
::ni near Vd.c. with the
"orrt*i1io.url
': next
stte to be mentioned was found during the
same rescueworks, in
.-:ut 400 m north of the Csrirsz
-earthworkl F.. th" p;;r;;l rromenr,
, :::lement features,unearthed
in 1995,representthe mosf souilern point
, :ap of the known Suebiansitesin
' .r the Barbaricum.Thls siic n muctt
finds and much lessintensive in featurescomparing
rviri-in. orr. ro
: succeededonly in finding garbage pits.
no traces oiA*" ing t or."*,
--:s ctc. We could also observeconcentration
of garbagelsheras,arrimai
:roken spindle whorls etc.) and placesof
firel All ih;e;;cts could
:-,:r this site was not used as a constant
settlemenr,but served as
I I ' I : .rr.other form of temporary place of
stay.
,anlc pottery, very similar to, the one
found near Vric (Fig. 14,
: 1-7), Roman provincial and Sarmatian
-ut"riui *u. J.o rv"tt
-: :d, but not in such a great number
and variety u, in Vu". Oo
- . of terra sigillata, Roman
fibula with triangular .stamped ware (Fig. 14, 24) Lrnd
l ,llnril"d foot (Fig. t+, i) (a^o-uro*.*,
\ r e r r n a n l cs t l e c t n b e d l t c d t o r h e 2 ,
J , " c c n l u r i e sA D

Cscir6gi-ret -:rg nlade

by Ka1a1i4 Bodn6r.
256 Eszler Istviinovits, Va1€riaKulcs6r :.nian-Germanicconta

.::st) and the mo

. :.sltional
role anri
- :ed
by rnixed pop
- :-:e, is shown by I
::lnanic settlemen
-1,-rmanic(not onli
:,. the Danube-ben
.rere, point to the
.:.:1y described by
: glcal material of

Fig. 13. Fin<is lrom Sz6dliget, Csdrdg

t{
Summarisingour data gained in the processof the rescueexca..
aiong the Pannonian limes, the lollowing can be assuined.At the D,
bend. in the surroundingsof Vic therc is a junction of two territol:',
ci the Sarm.atiansanci a group oi Suebians,lrequently mentlo::
Antique sourcesas close neighboursanci ailies of Sarmatians,berr.
'oordcl
r:loseneighboursof the Roman .Empire.no stabic linc cou.-
existed,at ieast until building the Csdrsz earthwork. This region, :-
ihe future linc of the Cscir:sz(almost the norihern border of :
 -:anran-Germanic contacts in the Sarmatiar
Barbaricum of the Carpathien Basjn 257

l -::pest) and the mountainous area

of B6rzsdny must have piayed
! -:nsitional role and either changed
'.::ted its owners tany times, or was
by mixed population. Thii mixture, or
at ieast u-u".y .,rong
,:nce, rs shown by the dominance of
Sarmatian ceramic products at
t;T:::^.:j,]="i, presence ,"l,"rJ
- : y|" .rhe
(notont).exadian)
terriiory "r
com,ng
"i:J"LS*#;
9.1r"1: i, th"
";lt.;;f
: :::1" ?T*: bend(Hv6izgycirk, veiesegyhiz; "&; euadian
an; ;;;;:"
ro fact that Sarmarianl!""b-i""(d;;;i;") atiiance,
.:T:",-,
. -:rtly 1""',lj .the
described .
by Roman historians,
i. *"tt ,"ili"i"J'-; ;;;-
rgical material of the border regron.

:: ::ss of the rescueexc:

- . : b e a s s u m e dA. t t h e !
. ,rction of two territor :
n
: ,:-r -r. irequently mentl.:
:s of Sarmatians,il. : -'
.:;ble border line cc- - Fig. 14. Finds fron F6l.

. - : : r i w o r k .T h i s r e g i o n . : , :
: northern border of :
EszterIstvdnovits,Val6ria Kulcsdr _.,dan-Getmanicconaac

:JCWSKI,J.
Strongly proJiled hrt
BarbarIcunt. (Irr) Prot
zum lrrhm felalter. I
,.\ KRraKA, V.
Hroby z doby rinske.
Archeol6gia 5, 356-l(

Die spdten krdftig prc

rc[atfien und absolute
t03 109.
,:.L
A hA\)izgji;tki szannata
22, t45-201.

Pannonienund die Kli

D.
Terra sigillatik a Ke[e
ljAnak nih'ny kirdlsl
Archaeol6Siai ErtesitS
D./^/ADAY, A.
Tefta sigillatd im Bari
Budapesl.
'r l, K.
Die Barbaren ncirdlich
.aiitLtche und militdtis.

.i Ibls6-Tiszarridik ie?
Jhe ea.lieit Sarmatiar
Iiszavasvdrij. A nyires
i. E.
i: apagyi csdszltrkori
,osa AndrAs M zeum .
r. B./KL'LCSAR,V.
?ajzsosaenetkezAsek a.
,::tlungen im ostlicL
- nyiregyhezi J6sa An.
i E./KuLcsAR, V.
':e\r
archaeological?ie
'.1erconnnnic-
Sarna I i ai
. E./KuLcsAR,V.
.''.'. szdzadi [rcmn?1 )
Fig 15. Finds from F6t iiraves dated by 4,1
- .:Jpathian basinl. (lnj
 iranian-Germanic coniacts it the Sarmatian Barbadcum oI th€ Carpathian Basin 259

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1993 lpag! barba cuni csa-szirkoritelepilis dl[atcsontntaradvAnyai.[l\nlfnaf Bor,el. _ . a cB_a3aHhI c BLlqe
the l{oman Imperial I'eriod Seltlement at Apagy in Barbaricum]. A nyiregyhaz: : ilelocraroK co6c
.{ndriis M\lz€un 6vkon}.ve 33-35, 31 65.