Gyulai Éva - Viga Gyula (szerk.): Történet - muzeológia : Tanulmányok a múzeumi tudományok köréből a 60 éves Veres László tiszteletére (Miskolc, 2010)

GYŰJTEMÉNYEK - IPARMÜVÉSZET-TÖRTÉNET - Pocsainé Eperjesi Eszter: Habán kerámiák a sárospataki Református Kollégium Múzeumában

Habán pottery in the museum of the Calvinist College of Sárospatak The collection of Habán pottery is one of the prized treasures of the museum of the Calvinist College of Sárospatak. In the contemporary records, the Habán are described as Anabaptists, New Christians or Moravian Brothers. The Habán rejected the baptism of infants, and lived in closed, well-organised communities. They were excellent craftsmen in a wide range of crafts. Although they suffered constant persecution owing to their beliefs, they were also widely respected as superb craftsmen. One group of Habán from Csejte in County Nyitra was settled in Sárospatak in 1645 by Prince György Rákóczi I. The Rákóczis possessed one of the largest family estates in Hungary and they were interested in promoting industrial development, crafts, mining and trade. A register from 1657 enables an estimate of how many Habán arrived to Sárospatak: their number can be put around two hundred together with the women and children. The Habán colony lived in peace and prosperity until 1660, when the Princess Zsuzsa Lórántffy passed away. Soon afterwards, already in 1665, the parish registers of the Roman Catholic Church of Sárospatak record mass conversions. The disbanding and disintegration of the Habán colony occurred between 1680 and 1710. The ceramic collection in the museum includes several jugs, pitchers and bowls used for ritual purposes. These reached the museum from various Reformed congregations. The ceramics offer a glimpse into the rich formal diversity and colourful ornamentation of an exceptionally high quality ceramic ware. Eszter Eperjesi 219