Medieval set of liturgical silverware and a hoard of silver coins

Last autumn, archaeologists from the Hungarian National Museum discovered the remains of a three-aisled basilica of a former Benedictine abbey and an older rotunda during a test excavation. This year they returned to the site in Tomajmonostora in eastern Hungary with the aim of thoroughly investigating the site. In the process, they found a medieval grave from the 13th to 14th centuries with the skeletal remains of a man holding a silver chalice and a communion bowl.

There is an intensive effort to protect archaeological monuments and cultural heritage in Hungary. One of the pillars of the ten-year research plan of the Hungarian National ArchaeologicalInstitute is the identification of archaeological monuments within the framework of the project 'Archaeological Topography Programme'. To this end, micro-regional pilot projects have been launched, each of which can also serve as a basis for heritage-based tourism development.

As part of these micro-regional excavations near Tisza-tó, the remains of a medieval Benedictine abbey were discovered by soundings in 2023: "Last year we managed to uncover an abbey with an early rotunda. So we found a monastery and also a parish church belonging to the former settlement," said Dr. Virágos Gábor, head of archaeological research and deputy director for archaeology at the Hungarian National Museum.

"During subsequent research, a liturgical set of a silver chalice and a communion tray was discovered. They are tentatively dated to the 13th-14th centuries and are probably part of a burial - the deceased held them in his hands," the institute's press release said. The chalice is in good condition, with only some parts missing. The chalice is decorated with gilded 'beads' between the vessel and the base. On the inside, the communion base is decorated with a perforated cross with wavy lines. It is also well preserved, only small parts of the bottom of the bowl are missing.

Research this year also focused on archaeological material from the nearby site of the Battle of Mezőkeresztese in 1596. The bloody battle between the troops of Sultan Mehmed III of the Ottoman Empire and the combined Habsburg-Transylvanian forces was narrowly won by the Ottoman soldiers. Several artefacts related to the battle were found at the site and volunteer metal detectors led by Gábor Bakos also discovered a set of 70 Viennese silver denarii from the 13th-14th centuries.

These coins were minted by Austrian dukes. Despite their name, they were not only minted in Vienna, but also in Enns and Vienna's New Town. Thanks to intensive trade relations, they also reached the territory of the Kingdom of Hungary between 1200 and 1300: "Their presence is evidenced by similar coin hoards, especially from the western part of the country and along the trade route leading from Košice to Kraków. These include coin material found in the Mezőkeresztes area," added Enikő Kovács, numismatist and expert at the Institute.

In addition to volunteers from the MNMKK NRI, more and more local residents are joining the research on the site of the Battle of Mezőkeresztes. They provide their land and manpower to support the research: "The cooperation thus shows that the results of micro-regional research are not only important for the experts, but also for the local population, whichGábor Bakos said, adding that the 100 km2 area they are exploring is mainly using metal detectors.

Roman Němec

Sources: dailynewshungary.com, thehistoryblog.com, nri.mnm.hu

The site of a nearby battle from the late 16th century

In total, over 70 silver denarii were recovered

Silver liturgical set in situ

A communion bowl held in the hands of the deceased

The set after cleaning