This summer, the excavation project in northwest Bükk, Hungary, continued, led by a university team specializing in the Bronze and Iron Ages. The research, involving students and local volunteers, focuses on an ancient village located on the mountaintop of Verebce-bérc.
This village flourished in the 7th and 6th centuries B.C. before being destroyed by an attack. The investigation, now in its sixth year and third excavation season, has revealed fascinating details about the life and destruction of this prehistoric community.
The excavation team made significant progress this year. In three different trenches, they discovered remains of buildings that were burned down during the attack that devastated the settlement. At the same time, metal detector surveys in the area led to the identification of an impressive collection of metal objects, providing new insights into the cultural connections of this region.
Excavations at the discovery site. Credit: Institute of Archaeology – University ELTE BTK
One of the most outstanding discoveries is a collection of over 60 bronze and iron objects, primarily jewelry and horse harness parts, likely buried during the siege. This treasure stands out for its connection to the cultures of southeastern Europe, particularly the Balkan region. Experts believe this collection was buried to protect it during the attack, making it valuable evidence not only of trade and cultural interaction but also of the war events that marked the village’s history.
The project has attracted several prominent specialists from various universities who have collaborated on different aspects of the work, both in logistics and research. Among the visitors are Bernhard Heeb, an archaeologist from Berlin, and Martin Golec, from the University of Olomouc. Additionally, the team has received support from the staff of Bükk National Park, with collaboration from experts like Bartha Attila, Ézsöl Tibor, and Holló Sándor. They’ve also had assistance from members of the National Research Institute of the Hungarian National Museum, such as Fullár Zoltán and Bakos Gábor.
One of the key members of the team is Mogyorós Péter, a PhD student who has played a significant role in the research. Mogyorós began his studies in 2017 at Eötvös Loránd University, specializing in prehistoric archaeology and migration-era archaeology. He completed his studies in 2022 and is currently working on his doctorate while also collaborating on excavations as part of the team at the Budapest Historical Museum.
The treasure before being unearthed. Credit: Institute of Archaeology – University ELTE BTK
In his academic career, Mogyorós has focused his research on cultural connections during the Iron Age. His bachelor’s thesis dealt with a collection of Iron Age bronze objects found in Mezőzombor, while his master’s thesis focused on the typological and chronological analysis of “Scythian”-style arrowheads discovered in Dédestapolcsány-Verebce-bérc in 2011. These arrows, nearly 300 in total, revealed new perspectives on the cultural relations of the region during the Iron Age.
Since 2018, Mogyorós has participated in several research projects led by Professor V. Szabó Gábor, focusing on Late Bronze Age and Iron Age settlements in northern Hungary. During these fieldwork projects, objects previously unseen in the region were discovered, leading to a reevaluation of the cultural networks of that time. In his doctoral research, Mogyorós is delving deeper into these connections, studying selected archaeological sites in eastern Hungary, both in settlements and cemeteries. The goal is to understand the cultural orientations of the communities that lived in these areas and how they evolved over time.
The work of this team, combined with new technologies and international collaborations, promises to offer a more detailed view of the complex relationships that existed between the cultures of the Late Bronze Age and Iron Age in northern Hungary. As more artifacts are discovered and deeper analysis is conducted, archaeologists hope to shed new light on the cultural links that shaped this region in prehistory.