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In August 1896, a grave was discovered in the vicinity of Mezőkászony during sand mining. Tivadar Lehoczky went to investigate. It is worth citing his description, as István Bóna identified the site in 1982 with the help of Sarolta Felhősné Csiszár, an associate of the Bereg Museum, and since then the site is often referred to as Barabás–Bagolyvár. Lehoczky wrote: „The grave is loacated close to the southeastern confines of the townland, approximately 5–6 kilometres from Mezőkászony, near Bárczay forest, which marks the borders of the neighbouring village Darócz. It is worth noting the presence of a line of sand dunes near the grave, some 3–4 metres tall, running from north to south. Most of the dunes are situated on the land of Menyhért Harsányi. Most of the dunes are now covered by corn, but some have been used for mining sand for decades, and these have been left untilled, their surfaces densely pocked by deep pits and hollows. Not long ago, this was a swampland, and in prehistoric times, it was likely a floodplains, with only the sand dunes rising above the marshes. This seems to be the reason why Goths who migrated or fled this way, buried their dead on these hard to climb dunes.” (LEHOCZKY 1897. 35.) On the military survey maps of the Habsburg Empire and 19th century cadastral maps, the region is named „borderland of Kászony” or „Hosszúgorond” or „Magasgorond” [lit. „Long plateau” and „High plateau” in Hungarian]. Perhaps the second military survey (Franziszeische Landesaufnahme) reflects best the conditions recorded above (see figure). The 1:10000 miliary survey of the 1980s recorded the region as Barabás–Bagolyvár. During our fieldwalk in 1996 we observed two parallel hillocks, each running N–S. A sand pit with clearly discernible bolar subsoil was documented on the southern parts of the hillocks. The hillocks surround a flat, approximately 200 metres wide and 300–400 metres long area.
The grave was found at ca. 2 metres relative depth. Although the sand miners delved four metres deep, they only became aware of the skull in the sidewall of their pit. When they tried to pry it, first the skull, then the torso, finally the rest of the skeleton became loose. The bones were broken apart in the precess, only the skull was shown to the local doctor, who noted that the teeth were intact. Diggers collected the finds from the soil and resumed mining. North of the original resting place of the skeleton they came upon a glass cup and a black pottery mug, which were likely placed on the left of the deceased as grave goods. The mug was crushed by the workers.
Attached documents include a detailed description (85. 12).
Written by Felhős Szabolcsné
A heritage impact assesment was made entitled „Complex flood spill and floodland revitalization-related development in Bereg” in 2009 (2011.146.).
Attached letter by István Bóna (92.69.). |
