163 B. Zs. Szakács: Silver-Stained Glass... Silver-Stained Glass in Changing Light: The Carolingian Window-Fragments of Zalavçr Bƒla Zsolt Szakçcs Dramatic changes occurred in the political map of the Carpathian Basin around 800. The Avar Khaganate, a terrifying power since the sixth century, collapsed and the Carolingian Empire took control over major parts of antique Pannonia (Transdanubia in today West Hungary). A principality depending from the Carolingian Empire was established here led by dux Priwina/Pribina (846-c. 861) and his son, comes Chezil/Kocel (c. 861-c. 876). The centre of this principality was Moosburg or Mosapurc, today Zalavár in Hungary. The Christianisation of the region was initiated by the archbishops of Salzburg and the bishops of Regens- burg. According to the Conversio, Archbishop Liupram of Salzburg consecrated the Holy Virgin church of Zalavár in 850. During the next years, further churches were erected in the neighbourhood. Around 853, Liupram sent masters from Salzburg in order to build an honourable church where the remains of Saint Hadrianus martyr were kept. Another direc- tion of Christianization was represented by the brothers Methodius and Cyril, who, being active in Moravia, visited Chezil in Zalavár in 866 on their way to Rome. Methodius later returned to Zalavár which might have been one of his ecclesiastical centres. After the death of Chezil (before 876) the Pannonian principality was incorporated into the Frank Kingdom and King Arnulf occasionally stayed at Mosaburg in 888-890. The Frank rule collapsed in Zalavár in 906/907 when the western part of the Carpathian Basin was invaded by the Hungarians. 1 The ArchiTecTurAl FrAmework: The SAinT hAdriAnuS BASilicA The marshy lands around present-day Zalavár are rich in early medieval fnds (Fig. 1). 2 There are several islands where ninth-century architectural structures have been found. 3 The richest archaeological site is the Castle Island (Vársziget), which can be identifed with the former centre of Priwina and Chezil. It was divided into two parts. In the southern part, the remains of a Benedictine Abbey founded by King Saint Stephen of Hungary (997-1038) were still visible in the 19 th century. It has been suggested that this monastery had a Carolingian predecessor. 4 In the northern part of the island, the remains of a large architectural structure (L. 50 m, W. 24 m) were excavated by Ágnes Cs. Sós and Béla Miklós Szőke between 1983-1991 and 1997-2000 respectively (Fig. 2). 5 Only the foundation ditches were detectable, no walls or standing structures UDC: 902 B. Zs. Szakács 726:27-523.4(439.121)"08" Pázmány Péter Catholic University Original scientifc paper 1088 Budapest, Mikszáth Kálmán tér 1 Manuscript received: 30. 12. 2019. szakacsb@btk.ppke.hu Revised manuscript accepted: 23. 01. 20120. DOI: 10.1484/J.HAM.5.121701 Te large Carolingian stone church excavated in Zalavár is signifcant not only because of its complex and unusual architectural structure but its decoration also needs special attention. Te group of fgural silver-stained glass fragments, together with some other coloured window fragments and the remains of a glass workshop, has been analysed so far form technical point of view. Beside the contextualization of the results of these technical investigations, this paper will introduce two further aspects, analysing the stylistic and the functional problems. Keywords: Zalavár, Mosaburg, Carolingian art, silver-stained glass, 9 th century 1 For the history of the period, see B. M. SZŐKE, The Carolingian Age in the Carpathian Basin: Permanent Exhibition of the Hungarian National Museum, Budapest, 2014 which is an overall presentation of the related archaeological fnds as well, with further bibliography. See also IDEM, Pannonien in der Karolingerzeit. Bemerkungen zur Chronologie des frühmittelalterlichen Fundmaterials in Westungarn, in Frühmittelalterarchäologie in der Steiermark, Graz, 2008, pp. 41-56 and E. TÓTH, Mosaburg und Moosburg, in Acta Archaeologica Academiae Scientiarum Hungaricae, 51, 1999/2000, pp. 439-456. – I am most grateful for the collegial help of Ágnes Ritoók, Béla Miklós Szőke and the Hungarian National Museum. 2 B. M. SZŐKE, Über die siedlungsgeschichtlichen Phasen von Mosaburg/Zalavár in der Karolingerzeit, in E. NOWOTNY, M. OBENAUS and S. UZUNOG- LU-OBENAUS (eds.), 50 Jahre Archäologie in Thunau am Kamp: Festschrift für Herwig Friesinger, St. Pölten, 2018, pp. 192-201. 3 B. M. SZŐKE, Eine Kirchenfamilie von Mosapurc/Zalavár (Ungarn). Neue Ergebnisse zur Kirchenarchäologie in Pannonien, in N. KROHN (ed.), Kirchenar- chäologie heute. Fragestellungen – Methoden – Ergebnisse, Freiburg, 2010, pp. 561-585.; M. MORDOVIN, The building history of Zalavár-Récéskút church, Annual of Medieval Studies at CEU, 12, 2006, pp. 9-32. 4 Á. RITOÓK, Zalavár, in I. TAKÁCS (ed.), Paradisum plantavit, Pannonhalma, 2001, pp. 322-327 and 673-676.; S. TÓTH, A keszthelyi Balatoni Múzeum középkori kőtára, Zalai Múzeum, 2, 1990, pp. 147-187. 5 Á. CS. SÓS, Zalavár az újabb ásatások tükrében, in L. KOVÁCS (ed.), Honfoglalás és régészet, Budapest, 1994, pp. 85-90.; B. M. SZŐKE, Mosaburg/Zalavár und Pannonien, Antaeus, 31-32, 2010, pp. 9-52.