Dénesi Tamás (szerk.): Collectanea Sancti Martini - A Pannonhalmi Főapátság Gyűjteményeinek Értesítője 8. (Pannonhalma, 2020)
III. Régészet
Beszámoló a pannonhalmi Régészeti Gyűjteményben végzett... 263 Dániel Koncz A Report on the Works of Ordering in the Archaeological Collection of Pannonhalma The past of the neighbourhood, the history of the ages before the foundation of the monastery have occupied the interest of the learned monks of Pannonhalma and the historians outside of the Order since the beginning. The Abbey’s treasury – having been increased by bequests, purchases and donations from the beginning of the 19th century – was completed by more and more remarkable findings after the start of the archaeological excavations. In 1960, the archaeological work and the passion for collecting resulted in an exhibition, which was organized in the antechamber of the Abbey’s library. Beyond introducing this exhibition, the aim of the present paper is to shed some light on some additional data from the history of the collection’s development, and to write about the work of systematization I have competed so far. I introduce the collection’s history, which I have put together from the old collectioncatalogue and the manuscripts of my predecessors. Without aiming at completeness, I would like to highlight the special quality of the collection by introducing some objects. From their missions and excursions, the learned monks brought countless things of interest, relics, and valuable antiques into the Archabbey. In some cases, they could even be very rare treasures, like for example Fló ris Rómer’s collection of prehistoric stones ordered from Denmark. It also occurred that local smallholders and parish priests handed in relics found by accident, as it happened in the case of the Hallstatttreasures of SmallRavazd. The findings of planned excavations and tours of inspection appeared in the collection early, like for example the relics that can be related to the activity of Viktor Récsei or Elemér Lovas. Some of the objects – acquired by bequests, purchases and inheritance or donations – are peculiarly mysterious: a wooden mace with crocodile skin, a Celtic sword, a pistol of wheel lock, a Turkish brassard, Roman fibulas and Avar beltrequisites, mediaeval spurs. In a year’s process of the revision and reconstruction of the collection, its structure unfolded for me day after day, and sensational things of interest came to light. Of course, this short report cannot reveal the worth of the entire collection, even the most outstanding findings had to be singled out by a selection. The collection had completely been excluded from the public for about twentyfive years, however, now – having been stowed away for reasons of care – the collection is available for scholars to complete its expert classification and to conduct academic research. This work and the collection’s systematic digitization is supposed to help their professional activity.
