Arrabona - Múzeumi közlemények 7. (Győr, 1965)

Uzsoki A.: The history of Archaeological Collection and research in the city and region of Győr

In 1860 the enthusiastic archaeologist published his book with the title „Bakony", making him a corresponding member of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences. In the territory of Győr city his archaeological activity was centred on uncovering of Roman graves and remains in the first place; besides he started, helped by Károly Ráth, the „Győri Történelmi és Régészeti Füzetek" in 1861. The periodical became an organ of national significance, it ceased to be published in 1865, however, on account of the death of Ráth. The archaeological movement resulted in an important event, since a chair for archaeology has been founded in the Győr episcopal seminary, and the bishop named Romer as a reader. In 1861 Romer transferred his domicile from Győr to Pest. He became one of the most enthusiastic directors of the archaeological collection of the Hungarian National Museum in a short time, acquiring a lasting renown by the foundation of Hungarian country museums and the strengthening of their network. 2. Etel Méry and the Period of Accessions 1864—1883. Gathering activity came to an ebb for a few years after Rómer's departure, then the Benedictine professor Etel Méry (1833—1883), a worthy successor took over the lead. He collected a mass of material, acquired the necessary knowledge in archaeology, and enlisted his students in the work of rescuing the finds uncovered in course of the constructions of the 1870-s. It was in this period that the construction of railways have brought to light the Celtic and early Roman cemetery at the outskirts of the city, the late Roman and Árpádian cemetery near the Wagon Factory, and the Celtic and Árpádian graves mentioned above in connection with Fabry's activity. Encouraged by Rómer, Méry reported on the results of archaeological excavations, mainly in the programs of the grammar-school. Nor did he omit to popularize the museum, therefore he admitted the public to the collection regularly and called on the population to save the valuable objects for the museum, in the pages of the newspaper „Győri Közlöny". He rendered great service by his untiring activity in collecting the papers and the splendid chests of the guilds, dissolved in 1872, for the museum. So it happened that the collection of guild relics in the Győr Museum has acquired a high value, judged by European standards. In 1874 the seventeenth congress of the Hungarian Physicians and Naturalists was held at Győr, with the active participation ot the museum and the collectors of the vicinity. The sessions of the archaeological section of the congress were presided by Ferenc Ebenhöch, several papers were read on archaeological subjects; besides an extensive general exhibition was arranged in the city, embracing a special exhibition of the museum in the premises of the grammar-school. Méry's activity is characterized by a speedy development of the museum, becoming one of the most important collections of the country. Contrary to the relatively slow development of the natural history collection, the accessions of archaeology, numismatics and local history were especially numerous. Méry has left 56.343 objects to his successor in 1883. 3. The Activity of Arnold Börzsönyi in Collection and Research 1883—1920. After Méry's death the museum was entrusted to a young professor, Arnold Börzsönyi (1883—1920). In this period an extension was constructed to the twostoried grammar-school, thus the rearrangement of the collection became necessary. The museum was reopened in the building, with a modern equipment in the 1890-s; at this occasion Börzsönyi has published an illustrated guide. Börzsönyi began archaeological research at the turn of the century, but the most significant of his excavations was executed between 1901 and 1905. It was in those years that he unearthed one of the most extensive Avar cemetery of the country, containing also a few graves from the Age of the Hungarian Conquest, in the fields adjoining the city. He also led numerous excavations and field surveys in the vicinity, publishing the results of his work in the periodical „Archaeologiai Értesítő". Another of Börzsönyi's excavations deserves to be mentiones, that leaning to the uncovering of Early Iron Age rulers' tumuli near the village Nagybarát. His most comprehensive scientific work is the catalogue of the Roman coins in 94