Die Hunnen kommen! Zur Deutung den Brandschuttschichten und Zerstörungshorizonten innerhalb der spätkaiserzeitlichen Fundstellen der Sântana de Mures-Černjachov-Kultur / The Huns are coming! On the interpretation of layers of fire debris and horizons of destruction within the late Imperial period sites of the Sântana de Mures-Černjachov culture

Abstract

In the collective memory of many European people, the Huns are perceived as one of the most violent gentes west of the Dniester, which might have committed many atrocities, acts of vandalism, and destructions in the territories they crossed. The image of these violent Huns influenced the archaeological research as well. One can often find mentions of a so-called Hunnic phase (Hunnenzeit), associated with levels of violent destruction in the Sântana de Mures-Cernjachov settlements and disruption of their behaviours: periods without burials, a new chronological phase of buried treasures, etc. All these create the image of a so-called Katastrophenhorizont (chronological disaster horizon). The spatial distribution of its traces should indicate the ways and directions the Huns entered the region. This study tries to discuss both the written sources related to the arrival of the Huns in the geographical space west of the Dniester and the archaeological traces associated with the Huns in the area inhabited by the SMCK culture. Among the main conclusions of the study, one may observe that we cannot speak about an invasion of a large Hunnic army. Rather, we can identify traces of many small-group invasions that led to the decay of the Gothic confederation. From an archaeological standpoint, it must be underlined that the field research shows a high level of significant destruction in the archaeological sites, mainly in the settlements, west of the Dniester. The nature of the archaeological discoveries rather indicates that the local population had already left the settlements before their destruction.