Ceramic fragments from the Hun period and an Avar furnace were also found in Kecskemét

Rare Hun-era ceramic fragments and a unique Avar-era furnace were also found during an archaeological excavation of a construction site in Kecskemét, archaeologist Bernadett Kovacsóczy, who led the excavation, informed MTI.

A colleague of the Katona József Museum in Kecskemét said: Archaeological observation was started a few weeks ago in Kecskemét, on Károly Róbert körút, in the area of the planned bus turnaround, following a test excavation carried out in 2015.

Bernadett Kovacsóczy highlighted how, based on the traces of various smaller workshops and the grain storage pits, a Late Sarmatian settlement from the 4th-5th centuries BC emerged during the works.

The large amount of artifacts also contained fragments of some very rare ceramics dating back to the Hun era, with smoothed ornaments, which ‘have a very accurate dating value’, the archaeologist said. One of the high-quality, finely polished ceramics made on a fast disc is presumably a scratched pattern of a stylised leaf with a smoothed background, he added.

The expert pointed out that some of the Sarmatian objects are covered by a layer of sand that also contains large amounts of ash, which preserves the traces of destruction. From this layer sporadically human bones were also found: a forearm, a lower jaw and a few ribs.

As he said, it is not yet clear whether the area was the victim of an accidental fire or whether it was destroyed as a result of an attack, but it is certain that either of these events resulted in the loss of human life.     Layered on this sand, they discovered traces of a settlement from the late Avar period in the 8th century A.D. A relatively large building has been found, deep in the ground, with a thickly plastered floor.

Another part of the village from the Avar period is the row of layers of settlement, which was observed in the vicinity of a furnace renewed 10-12 times. It can be clearly seen on the furnace that its vault was regularly demolished around the worn-out firing surface, and then the debris was spread out in its immediate vicinity. After the construction of Platinum, the furnace dome was reconstructed. During use, the fuel surface became thicker and thicker, until it increased by 1.5 meters over the years. The phenomenon proves the continued presence of Avars in the area, Bernadett Kovacsóczy added.

He stressed: presumably the furnace collapsed after the depopulation of the settlement, which was later covered by quicksand.

As he reminded me: at the very end of the late Avar period, the great sand movements between the Danube and Tisza almost made life in the area impossible.

The large number of people living here required a large number of livestock. However, overgrazing caused the vegetation to burst and he was no longer able to catch the sand, which presumably drove the locals out of their settlements. Over time, this layer of sand has covered everything in the area, thus preserving the invaluable traces of its inhabitants for posterity, the archaeologist added.