Lovas község története. Egy Balaton-felvidéki falu múltja és jelene - A Veszprém Megyei Levéltár Kiadványai 16. (Veszprém, 2001)

THE HISTORY OF LOVAS Inhabited by nearly 400 souls, üie village of Lovas is located to die north-east of Lake Balaton in the western part of Hungary and belongs to the Balatonfüred-Csopak Wine Region. The settlement itself became world famous in 1951 when a Paleolithic dye-mine was discovered which had been used between 30.000 B. C. and 40.000 B. C. About 100 bone tools and numerous stone artefacts were found in the ancient site. Our ancestors may have established extensive trade relations widi die red dye used for cultic purposes. This monograph introduces die history of Lovas in 12 chapters from the Paleolithic Age to year 2000. The ancient site is introduced by archeologist Dr, László Vértes, the development and the history of die village was written by archivisthistorian Dr. József Hudi, and local folklore was researched by ethnographer Dr. Emőke S. Lackovits. Important archival sources were also published at the end of the chapters discussing Modern Age and Contemporary History. Hungarians settled in die area at around A. D. 900 which had been inhabited since the Paleolithic Age, and the life of die settling Hungarians unfolds from archeological artefacts up until die first written document of 1290. Inhabitants engaged in viticulture, fishing, agriculture and animal husbandry built a stone church in die 13-th century which was rebuilt in the Baroque Style in 1754. The history of village was determined by die Chapter of Veszprém up until 1945 when die system of large estates was eliminated. Serfs had been liberated from feudal bondage in 1848 and became land owners themselves. The population of die village was converted into Calvinism during die 17-th century. Some people were reconverted to Catholic faith by die Chapter donating diem die parish together widi die church Later on, the Roman Catholic Church of Lovas became the affiliated church of neighbouring village, Paloznak. The Calvinists built a school in 1858 and a church in 1910 for themselves. The life of the promontory and diat of die village was managed by Calvinist smallholders up until 1945. After 1945, die traditional peasant-society of Lovas was disintegrated. Private landownership had to be given up for collective farming. In die second half of the 20-di century urban infrastructure was developed, die majority of die population was employed by industry, commerce and servicing enterprises. Recently, die importance of village tourism has also grown considerably. Sándor Czuczor