Starting in the summer of 2015, the Department of Archaeology at Pázmány Péter Catholic University resumed excavations at the Zamárdi-Rétiföldek site, home to the largest and one of the richest Avar cemeteries in the Carpathian Basin. Despite its history of looting, the site remains a significant archaeological location. The research initiative, supported by the Zamárdi Municipality, provides an exceptional platform for students to gain practical experience in the methodologies of excavating Migration Period cemeteries.
The 2015 season saw participation not only from the department's students but also from an international group including Polish, Russian, Udmurt, and Tatar students. Future plans include involving Turkish students in the fieldwork to further enhance the collaborative and educational aspects of the project. The excavation is conducted in close professional partnership with the Rippl-Rónay City Museum in Kaposvár, reflecting a shared commitment to uncovering and preserving the site's historical heritage.
The site
The cemetery at Zamárdi, located on Réti földek Street at the southern edge of the town, has been the focus of significant archaeological interest, with 2,453 graves excavated during various phases of research. The initial discovery of 34 graves was made in 1972 by Kornél Bakay. Between 1980 and 1997, Edith Bárdos led 14 excavations, uncovering a substantial portion of the cemetery. After more than a decade-long hiatus, the Kaposvár Museum resumed work in 2008, identifying an additional 85 graves in the northwestern section, a plot intended for development.
The cemetery, extending approximately 400 meters from west to east, likely contains as many unexcavated graves as have already been studied. However, excavation of the northern areas poses challenges due to significant urban development. As a result, unbuilt plots remain critical to ongoing research efforts.
The finds from the nearly 2,500 graves excavated thus far reveal a community with a complex and diverse cultural heritage. Their material culture reflects a blend of influences, including nomadic traditions from the East and Asia, as well as local, late antique, Byzantine, and Germanic elements. This diversity suggests extensive trade networks and cultural interactions. Some items may have entered the community as booty or diplomatic gifts, while others were likely crafted by artisans from regions such as Italy or Byzantium who had settled in the Avar Kaganate and supplied local markets.
The richness of the grave goods and the burial customs further highlight the cultural complexity of the Zamárdi cemetery, which was in use from the late 6th to the late 8th century. This site served a prominent and affluent community, offering valuable insights into the Avar period. Alongside other cemeteries in eastern Transdanubia, such as Kölked-Feketekapu A and B, Szekszárd-Bogyiszlói út, Budakalász-Dunapart, Környe, and Csákberény-Orondpuszta, the Zamárdi cemetery has reshaped historical understanding of the Carpathian Basin during the 6th–9th centuries. Its significance lies in its scale, its richness, and the light it sheds on a community marked by diverse cultural and economic connections.
Results of the 2015 excavation
Between 17 July and 08 August 2015, the Department continued its excavation work at the cemetery located adjacent to the 2008 excavation area, uncovering 68 graves within a 630 m² plot. The excavation focused on both Avar graves and a section of the northern cemetery trench, in addition to some medieval settlement features such as ditches and pits. While the majority of the graves had been looted, a significant amount of well-dated and varied archaeological material was recovered from the skeletal remains downstream from the basin, which had largely escaped disturbance.
Among the finds, filigree-strung disc-encrusted earrings and braided disc-encrusted belt beads stood out, indicating that this section of the cemetery was used during the late 7th century and the early 8th century. In many of the women's graves, long female belts and various decorative discs suspended from the belts were observed, allowing for a partial reconstruction of how these items were worn. These findings provide valuable insight into the material culture and burial practices of the community, contributing to the broader understanding of Avar society during this period.
Dr. Csilla Balogh
archaeologist in charge of the excavation
