Bronze Treasures and Bronze Depositions in the Late Bronze Age

Project Lead

Szabó Gábor

Time

2006-2020

Period

Prehistory, Bronze Age

During the Bronze Age, the practice of burying hoards composed of various bronze objects was widespread in most regions of Europe. The reasons why these treasures were placed underground remain unresolved to this day. Some researchers explain it as a response to the threat of war, others as the concealment of raw material reserves of ancient communities, or as the hidden stock of bronze smiths. In recent decades, the idea that most of the buried hoards were offerings or votive gifts has gained increasing acceptance.

Hungary’s territory is exceptionally rich in bronze hoards. The majority and most complex assemblages are known from the Late Bronze Age period (14th/13th to 10th centuries BCE). To date, over three hundred Late Bronze Age hoards have been uncovered. Since the mid-19th century, Hungarian archaeology has published numerous articles and books analyzing the rich treasure finds from this region. Unfortunately, very few of these hoards were excavated under properly documented conditions.

In recent decades, the remaining underground bronze treasures have come under serious threat. Illegal treasure hunters using metal detectors have appeared in Hungary, and their numbers are increasing yearly. These individuals deliberately seek out Bronze Age hoards, plundering and damaging even protected archaeological sites. Both factual reports and legends tell of rare and valuable artifacts (such as bronze helmets, greaves from the Bükk Mountains’ hillforts, swords, and helmets from Bács-Kiskun county) unearthed through undocumented illegal digs. It is particularly distressing that some of these undocumented artifacts enter commercial circulation, causing great harm to Hungary’s cultural heritage. During our fieldwork and excursions, we have frequently encountered holes and signs of looting caused by treasure hunters with metal detectors in places such as Mátra (Mátraszentimre, Parád-Várhegy), Bükk (Dédestapolcsány-Verebce-tető), Bakony (Bakonyszentlászló-Kesellőhegy), and Zemplén (Tállya-Óvár, Telkibánya-Cserhegy). Often, ceramic and bronze fragments were found scattered near the holes, discarded by the looters as worthless.

To counteract the growing looting activities and to better understand the purpose of bronze hoard deposits, we launched a research program in 2006 which continues to this day. We primarily select sites threatened by looting or disturbance for our investigations. Our work greatly benefits from amateur researchers equipped with metal detectors—some of whom previously engaged in illegal activities—who now assist us by sharing information and participating in fieldwork, dedicating their expertise to science and cultural heritage preservation. Between 2006 and 2018, we surveyed 48 sites, finding 37 closed Late Bronze Age and Early Iron Age hoards at 24 locations. Multiple hoards were discovered at some sites, for example 3 at Baksa, 4 at Bükkzsérc, 5 at Telkibánya, and 2 at Zsáka.

We typically examine chosen sites with 4 to 8 detectors, using deep-search frames if necessary. Every metal object considered an archaeological find is recorded with precise coordinates. Occasionally, a terrain model is created of the surveyed area, and small test excavations are carried out to clarify the true archaeological context. Such control excavations have been conducted at Baks-Temetőpart, Bükkzsérc-Hódos-tető, Martonyi-Szúnyog-tető, Óföldeák, Pázmándfalu, Tállya-Óvár, and Zsáka.

Our research not only informs on the context of the bronze hoards but also sheds new light on metal use during the Late Bronze Age. We were surprised by the enormous amount of stray bronze objects encountered during hoard searches. These include complete and fragmented sickles, socketed axes, fibulae, saw blades, knives, horse tack parts, raw material lumps, and molds in both fragmentary and complete forms. Most stray finds consist of smaller and larger complete or fragmented castings. Mapping the find spots of these small objects within settlements reveals zones where metal use was likely very intensive.

Our most spectacular results come from excavations at the Late Bronze Age settlement of Baksa, where we found one gold and two bronze hoards, along with more than 2,000 stray bronze objects which we mapped. Among these stray finds, a fragment of an antenna-hilted sword and four matching pieces of a solid-hilted sword stand out.

One remarkable hoard was discovered in an undisturbed context at the fortified settlement of Szilvásvárad. It consists of spiral bracelets, amber beads, and small bronze jewelry. One of our richest bronze hoards includes over 30 socketed axes, sword fragments, a special winged axe, and bracelets, found at the fortified settlement of Tállya-Óvár in the Zemplén Mountains. In the Mátra Mountains, we salvaged and documented a hoard with rectangular decorated gold plates from one site, and another consisting of fibulae, necklaces, spears, and socketed axes. Notable finds include a bronze hoard with spears, socketed axes, and bracelets from Mátraszőlős and a second hoard from Bükkzsérc containing four gold jewelry items.

One of the most interesting assemblages was uncovered beneath the Pannonhalma hill, near Pázmándfalu: three bronze hoards were found close together on what was once a small floodplain island. These hoards, likely deposited as funerary offerings, included armor fragments, helmets, swords, spears, daggers, bronze vessels, and horse harness equipment.

In the future, we will continue excavations at already investigated sites and search for new ones.