A Debreceni Déri Múzeum Évkönyve 1965 (Debrecen, 1966)

Mesterházy Károly: The archeological activity of the Déri Museum in the years 1962–1965 (A survey of finds)

Károly Mesterházy The archeological activity of the Déri Museum in the years 1962-1965 (A survey of finds) An estimate of our archeological activity in the last four years shows that not only a number of new find-spots have been located in county Hajdú-Bihar but also that this activity was most manyfold. It is an important achievement that the most significant among our finds come for authentic excavations or could be authenticated and so they are of full value from almost all points of consideration. Outstanding in Europe is the Copper Age hoard of Hencida. With the help of the unique series consisting of twelve gold plates, previous finds fond by ones or twos (Mojgrád, Pusztaistvánháza, Magyartés, etc.) have become suitable for interpretation and reconstruction as to mode of wear. The find of 273 coins from the time of the Roman Republic uncovered at Körösszakái, the implents unearthed at Hajdúnánás Tedej and dated to the years after 375 by the included 710 coins and the Germanic burial place from the the 4-5th centuries at Biharkeresztes-Artánd—Nagyfarkasdomb, may count with international interest. Important from the point of Hungarian research are the mould excavations of Gy. Gazdapusztai on the Hortobágy and the hoards from the early Iron Age at Hajdúdorog, Hajdúsámson and Püspökladány, the 10-1 lth century Magyar cemeteries at Nádudvar-Töröklaponyag and Biharkeresztes-Ártánd-Nagyfarkasdomb, the excavation of the Berettyóújfalu-Andaháza church and the unearthing of coins hidden in the 13-17th centuries (Hajdúszoboszló-Benedekvölgy, Polgár). From the territory of the county the relics of Germanic peoples, first of all of Gepids were hitherto unknown. Research work done in the years surveyed has brought fruitful results just concerning this period, the Germanic peoples of the 4-6th centuries. The report mentions only the find-saving activity of research on the staff of the Déri Museum and finds making part of the Museum's collection. Our intention has been to make available for researchers at large information about all those finds that are not to be discussed in individual papers by our own staff or by other archeologists. We have chosen the method to give a detailed description of the find-spot, describe the most characteristic material in short and show it in drawings or photos. As regards the publication of finds we are in the advantageous position to be able to give drawings or photos from all finds that have been added to our collection since 1963. We hope to call the attention to a great number of finds in this way and also to have made them available for everybody. 59