Egy ritka Kárpát-medencei szarmata női viseleti elem

Preventive excavations prior to the construction of motorway M3, west of Nyíregyháza, uncovered a large Sarmatian cemetery in 2005. The excavation revealed that most of the graves had been robbed; grave No. 39 was an exception in this respect. The paper presents the neck ornament found in this grave [Table 2 and 7]. The neckwear was composed of three silver torcs, a golden spring ring, at least five bucket-shaped pendants (one of which was made of gold), and several amber, carnelian, coral and glass beads. It is not clear whether the eight large spherical chalcedony beads were also part of the necklace or they were applied to button up the dress. The function of the three fibulae lined up above the torcs is not clear either. The fibulae served as a key for dating the grave. One of them was probably a box fibula which collapsed, so it was unsuitable for dating. The knee fibulae made of silver are rare; in the cemetery of Nyíregyháza two such pieces were found [Table 5]. The two fibulae most likely derived from Upper Moesia based on their structure and material. Both were produced after the mid-2nd century, most likely at the end of the century, and were probably used as late as by the mid-3rd century. The third fibula of the Nyíregyháza grave is a cicada. It differs from other pieces from the Great Hungarian Plain in the Roman period, since it was made of silver and casted in two pieces [Fig. 4]. The underlying knee-bent fibulae were in use from the mid-1st century to the late Roman period. Based on its shape, it can be linked to the Elbe Germans; it shows similarities to the so-called fibulae bent in the knee, but without a lower cord. All three fibulae of the Nyíregyháza grave represent a rare type. They do not provide a clear chronology, but refer to the 3rd century, especially to the middle part. The rest of the finds do not contradict to this dating either. Grave No. 39 from Nyíregyháza contained an item of the Sarmatian women’s clothing, a pectoral, which is unusual on the Great Hungarian Plain, and has not been analysed by researchers yet. A similar wear can be assumed only in the case of grave No. 1 in Klárafalva. However, since a significant number of the graves from this period have been robbed, it cannot be excluded that this costume item, which can be called a pectoral, was more widespread than it seems now. The difference in the dating and the spatial distance between the Nyíregyháza and Klárafalva graves might indicate a wider range of use

Ács-Öbölkúti-dűlő lelőhely római kori sírjainak embertani eredményei

2008 novembere és 2009 áprilisa között a Kulturális Örökségvédelmi Szakszolgálat megbízásából a Scott és Csoma szélerőmű-park területén, az Ács-Öbölkúti-dűlő lelőhelyen Fűköh Dániel vezetésével végeztek régészeti feltárást. A helyszínen egy késő római (3–4. századi) telep és a hozzá tartozó temető részletét sikerült feltárni. A feltárt 38 római kori sír a Magyar Nemzeti Múzeum leltározott gyűjteményébe tartozik. A nemi eloszlás alapján 18 eset- ben férfi, 13 esetben nő nyugodott a sírban. Az alacsony sírszám és a mennyiségében és minőségében nem reprezentatív temetőrészlet ellenére, a szükséges korrekciók után, kísérlet történt a halandósági viszonyok meghatározására. Mindenképpen figyelemre méltó a rövidfejűség magas aránya. Ha ezt a népességet is a római korban általános hosszúfejűség jellemezné, akkor azoknak a vizsgálható koponyák között is meg kellene jelenni. Ez az embertani megfigyelés mindenesetre szükségessé teszi a régészeti leletanyag körültekintő és alapos vizsgálatát

Metasztatikus csontdaganatos esetek a római kori Pannóniából. [Skeletal metastases from the Roman Period of Pannonia.]

According to paleopathological literature, tumors have a great antiquity. The prevalence of tumor metastases in historical populations might have differed from that in modern humans, because of substantial differences in environmental factors, life expectancy, and the availability of treatment. This study presents two probable cases of skeletal metastatic carcinoma from the Roman Period (1st – 5 th century AD) in Hungary, showing the development of bony metastasis of cancer without chemo - and radiotherapy. During the paleopathological analysis macroscopic investigation, radiological, stereo - and scanning electron microscopic analyses were applied. In one case the mixed nature and the localization of the lesions, as well as the sex and age of the individual suggest breast cancer for the primary focus. In the other case based on the mostly osteoblastic nature and the localization of the lesions, more over on the sex and age of the individuals, the most probable diagnostic option is prostate carcinoma with skeletal metastases. In view of the scarcity of cancer metastases, that have been diagnosed in archaeological specimens in general, identification of all examples of cancer in antiquity represents an important contribution both to paleopathology and to modern medicine

More than one millennium (2nd-16th century CE) of the White Plague in the Carpathian Basin – New cases, expanding knowledge

The causative agent of tuberculosis is still a widespread pathogen, which caused the death of ca. 1.6 million people globally in 2021. The paleopathological study of human remains revealed the antiquity of the disease and its continuous presence throughout the history of humankind. The Carpathian Basin has always been a biocultural melting pot, since it has seen several migrations over the centuries, and served as a location of admixture and interaction for numerous populations of different cultures. Thus, this geographical territory is ideal for the examination of the coevolutionary processes of hosts and their pathogens. We aimed to reveal the spatial and temporal distribution of tuberculosis cases excavated inside the borders of Hungary between the 2nd and 16th centuries CE. We established a comprehensive database by collecting 114 already published cases and introducing 39 new cases. The involved cases include those that have been confirmed by different molecular methods, as well as possible infections that were identified based on the presence of macromorphological and radiological alterations. The progress of future molecular and paleopathological studies can be facilitated by our dataset, as it presents spatial and temporal information concerning the spread of the disease in the Carpathian Basin, as well as the biological profile and detailed paleopathological description of lesions illustrated by photo- and radiographs

Bone tuberculosis in Roman Period Pannonia (western Hungary)

The purpose of this study was to analyse a skeleton (adult female, 25-30 years) that presented evidence of tuberculous spondylitis. The skeleton, dated from the Roman Period (III-VI centuries), was excavated near the town of Győr, in western Hungary. The skeleton was examined by gross observation supplemented with mycolic acid and proteomic analyses using MALDI-TOF/TOF tandem mass spectrometry. The biomolecular analyses supported the morphological diagnosis