ECOPARAMETRIC ANALYSES OF THE ARCHAEOLOGICAL SITES

DATED TO THE EARLY MIDDLE AGES IN REGION SPI

Peter Fecko
A SAV Nitra, afliated branch Spisk Nov Ves
The oldest known evidence of the settlement of the region Spi by the Slavs during the Early Middle Ages were recently dated before Great Moravian period, at least to the 8th
century. During the archaeological excavations in 2009 2011 on the highway D1 (Jnovce - Jablonov) were on the archeological sites Spisk tvrtok (Pod ibeninou horou) and
Iliaovce (Za hostincom), explored the rst early Slavic pit houses where were also found the Prague type pottery dated to the 6th century. This situation has triggered the need of
summarization and re-evaulation of the current knowledge of the colonization region Spi in the Early Middle Ages.
These presented results are the rst step in this process. It refers to the relationship of archaeological sites dating from the 6th to 11th century to different geographical factors. The
main objective was to highlight the differences or specic identity of each geographical factors in relation to the particular archaeological sites. We have achieved the knowledge of the
main natural factors that have been sought out and preferred in establishing settlements in Spi region. The main goal was to create the most comprehensive database of the
archaeological sites from the period under examination and also point out to the current issues of their dating. Here, we have in mind the continuity of settlement from 6th to 11th century.
We have come to the following conclusions. According to the evaluation of the existing knowledge obtained from the available literature are known only two archaeological sites dated to
the 6th century. The settlement from the 7th century is completely absent. While the 8th century is rarely represented in the 9th century the settlement rapidly increased and nally,
towards the 11th century we observe the decrease of archaeological sites. This situation is currently under review by reprocessing of the physical sources stored in the city museums of
region Spi (Poprad, Kemarok) and depository of Institute of Archaeology, Slovak Academy of Science, afliated branch Spisk Nov Ves.
This presentation characterizes the natural conditions in the area of interest. It familiarizes us with the used methodology based on the collection of archeological indications applied in
the database and geodatabase, which were then analyzed in a geographic information system.
g
q
l
h
k
o
m

e
d

r
j
p

a
b
c
d
e
f
g
h
i
j
k
l
m

20 km

Geomorphological units. Legend: a Bachure; b Branisko; c

Horndska kotlina; d Kozie chrbty; e Levosk vrchy; f Nzke Tatry; g
Pieniny; h Podtatransk brzda; i Podtatransk kotlina; j Slovensk raj;
k Spisko-arisk medzihorie; l Spisk Magura; m Tatry; n
Volovsk vrchy; o ergov; p ierna hora; q ubovnianska vrchovina; r
arisk vrchovina.

n
o
p
q
r
s
t
u
v
x
y
z

a
b
c
d
e
f
g
h
i
j
k
l
m

20 km

Altitude (m a. s. l.). Legenda: a 325 to 350; b 350 to 400; c 400 to 450; d

450 to 500; e 500 to 550; f 550 to 600; g 600 to 650; h 650 to 700; i
700 to 750; j 750 to 800; k 800 to 850; l 850 to 900; m 900 to 950; n
950 to 1000; o 1000 to 1050; p 1050 to 1100; q 1100 to 1150; r 1150 to
1200; s 1200 to 1250; t 1250 to 1300; u 1300 to 1350; v 1350 to 1400;
x 1400 to 1450; y 1450 to 2463; z 2463 to 2646.

a
b
c
d
e
f
g
h
i
j
k
l
m

n
o
p
q
r
s
t

20 km

20 km

Inclination of relief (). Legend: a 0 to 2; b 2 to 4; c 4 to 6; d 6 to 8; e 8

to 10; f 10 to 12; g 12 to 14; h 14 to 16; i 16 to 18; j 18 to 20; k 20 to
22; l 22 to 24; m 24 to 26; n 26 to 28; o 28 to 30; p 30 to 32; q 32 to
34; r 34 to 36; s 36 to 38; t 38 to 40; u 40 to 42; v 42 to 44; x 44 to 46;
y 46 to 83.

Elevation in radius of 100 m (in meters). Legend: a 0 to 20; b 20 to 40; c

40 to 60; d 60 to 80; e 80 to 100; f 100 to 120; g 120 to 140; h 140 to
160; i 160 to 180; j 180 to 200; k 200 to 220; l 220 to 240; m 240 to
260; n 260 to 280; o 280 to 300; p 300 to 320; q 320 to 360; r 360 to
380; s 380 to 400; t 400 to 478.

42

41

n
o
p
q
r
s
t
u
v
x
y

63
131

121

24
39

20

18

36

13
11
6

22

Podtatransk
kotlina

Slovensk raj

751-800

701-750

651-700

601-650

551-600

501-550

41

11

951-1000

Horndska
kotlina

451-500

401-450

351-400

2
901-950

851-900

46

Levosk vrchy Volovsk vrchy

0-20

a
b
c
d
e
f
g
h
i

20 km

Relief orientation with regards to cardinal points. Legend: a flat; b

north; c northeast; d east; e southeast; f south; g southwest; h
west; i northwest.
N
NW

40-60

100-120

0-2

20 km

6-8

8-10

10-12

12-14

14-16

18-20

30-40

20 km

Climatic regions. Legend: a moderately warm, moderately

humid, with mild winter, hilly land; b moderately warm,
moderately humid, hilly land or highlands; c moderately warm,
humid, with cool to cold winter, valley/basin; d moderately warm,
humid, highlands; e moderately cool, very humid; f cool
mountainous, very humid; g cold mountainous, very humid. The

107

vector data for the processing of the map was provided by Slovak
Environment Agency (Source: Atlas krajiny SR SAP, B. Bystrica, 2002).

144

NE

4-6

20 km

Soils. Legend: a Mollic Fluvisols; b Fluvisols; c Haplic

Luvisols; d Cambisols; e Leptosols; f Histosols; g Podzols; h
Planosols and Stagnosols; i Rendzic Leptosols.

Morphological-morphometrical landform types. Legend: a plains; b

hill lands; c uplands; d lower highlands; e higher highlands; fgiant
highlands. The vector data for the processing of the map was provided by
Slovak Environment Agency (Source: Atlas krajiny SR SAP, B. Bystrica,
2002).

2-4

a
b
c
d
e
f
g

a
b
c
d
e
f
g
h
i

a
b
c
d
e
f

20-40

108
44

73

E
16
7
17

SW

4
plains

Haplic
Luvisols

unspec.

17

SE
S

hill lands

uplands

lower highlands

Cambisols

Rendzic
Leptosols

Mollic
Fluvisols

Fluvisols

Planosols and
Stagnosols

unspecied

moderately warm, moderatly moderately cool, very humid

humid, hilly land or highlands

unspecied

a
b
c
d
e

The beginnings of the settlement in Spi region in the Early

Middle Ages accordance with the cadastral areas. Legend of
the map: a up to now no evidence of settlement; b 6th cent.; c
8th cent.; d 9th cent.; e 10th to 11th cent. Legend of the graph: a
settled cadastral units; bunsettled cadastral units.

20 km

The settlement of the Spi region in 6th century (Spisk tvrtok,

site: Pod ibeninou horou; Iliaovce, site: Za hostincom).

The settlement of the Spi region in 8th to 9th century.

The settlement of the Spi region in 10th to 11th cent.

26%
a
b

74%

Peter Fecko, Institute of Archaeology, Slovak Academy of

Science, affiliated branch Spisk Nov Ves, feckop@gmail.com.
Graph: The settlement activities in Spi region in the Early
Middle Ages. Explanations: VCST: The Early Middle Ages
without specifying dating.

The research concerned was carried out within the project reg.no. 2/0050/12 of the VEGA Grant agency.

VCST

10

11