Matskási István (szerk.): A Magyar Természettudományi Múzeum évkönyve 96. (Budapest 2004)

Papp, G.: A critical review of 16–17th century reports on meteorite falls in and around the Carpathian Basin

Kunsthistorischen Sammlunges des allerhöchsten Kaisershauses proved to be unsuccessful. "STEIERMARK, 1618" = ODRANEC, 1619 The Steiermark fall is listed as doubtful by GRADY (2000: 474) referring to CHLADNI (1819: 99; 220-221). The fall was originally dated to the second half of August 1618 on the basis of the paper of HAMMER (1816: 163). HAMMER'S paper included a passage (translated to German) from the Tarih, chronicle of MUSTAFA NATMÂ (1655-1716), Turkish historian: Der Befehlhaber von Ofen Karakasch Mohammed Pascha berichte, dass in der Mitte des Mondes Schaaban 1: i. J. d. H. 1028 (1618) an der Grunze Ungarns im deutschen Distrikte der Mur eine schwarze Wolke sich gezeigt, aus der Blut regnete, dass dann mit einem grossen Donnerschlag eine kreutzförmiger Meteor erschien, worauf sich vieler Rauch verbreitete. Ein zweyter ungemein starker Donnerschlag betäubte Menschen und Thiere so sehr, dass diese auf die Knie fielen, ihre Köpfe den Himmel hoben und dann scheu entflohen, so dass man sie nicht fand. Hierauffielen drey andere starke Donnerschläge, und mit demselben aus der oben beschriebenen Wolke Steinkugeln, welche sich anderhalb Ellen tief in die Erde senkten. Man wog einige derselben, die drey Centner hatten. The erroneous date (see e. g. in HEY 1966) was rectified to July 14, 1619 in HUTCHISON et al. (1977: 227). However, the translation by HAMMER (1816) was misleading in respect of the localisation of the fall as well. This part of NATMÂ's Tarih is practically a literal adoption from the Tiirkçe Fezleke, chronicle of the Turkish scholar KÂTIP ÇELEBI (1609-1657). The English version of the corresponding passage (using the Hungarian translation by KARÁCSON 1916) is as follows: A report arrived from Karakash Mohammed pasha, beglerbeg of Buda, that in Northern Hungary in the Morava region in the middle of Sha'ban [14 July, 1619] during the afternoon prayer a large round black cloud appeared from the direction of Germany. Blood fell from the cloud and a cross-shaped fire was seen in it after a big detonation. Then the fire diminished and big smoke spread out from it. Instantly a so frightful thunder cracked that who heard it, became confused and even the animals being there fell to their knees and raising their head to heavens prayed, then, going mad, they dispersed and many of them were impossible to find again and lost. Then three times one after another so loud shouts sounded from the heavens that the bile of the people broke for fear. After that round black balls fell from the clouds and buried themselves in the ground at a depth reaching one and a half ell. It is said that they were dug out and weighed, and one of them was three cantors [~ 150 kg] in weight. In the original text of NATMÂ (1864: 2: 173) we find "Murawa ülkesi", /. e. Moravia as well. HAMMER (1816) obviously confused the Mur river in Styria for