A Veszprém Megyei Múzeumok Közleményei 23. (Veszprém, 2004)

Palágyi Sylvia köszöntése

able find materials for the archaeologist, and at the same time for the visitor. From the dating point of view, important evidence was provided by a find of coins, terminating in the 50s of the 3rd century, which was investigated together with Katalin В. Sey. There is proof that the main building of the villa was in use until the end of the 4th century. During the course of more recent excavations, underway since 1976, a large quantity of frescoes has been found. Aportion of these authenticates the earlier ones, or augments them, thus opening up new opportunities for reconstruction experiments and interpretations. The bulk of the frescoes were scattered over a relatively large area, not only in the main building, but in the levelling for other constructions, which made augmenting and dating them significantly more difficult. New insights have also been gained regarding the function of the so-called outbuildings. The number of walls and building sections increased significantly (besides those uncovered in the domains under investigation) on the areas outside the centre of the villa farm. Observations with regard to the ground-plan peculiarities of the whole villa complex of almost 22 acres, and the way the area was built up, have provided many new insights during the course of the last quarter century. The arsenal of exploration has been supplemented with the results of geophysical research. Scientists and students from foreign universities also became involved in the excavations. Numerous experts were drawn into the enormous task, some of whom led the excavation of individual building sections, whereas others participated in the analysis of particular groups of finds. Palágyi organised the tasks of more than a dozen researchers cooperating in the project for a prolonged period, made the ensembles of finds available to them which intersected their spheres of interest, and consulted with them constantly, aiding their work with her stratigraphie observations, and by providing them with documentation. Provincial archaeological research has also gained much from her organisational activities. She has laboured much on the multitudinous tasks of the Pro Baláca Foundation, formed on her initiative, one of which to be emphasised being the editing and care of the scientific journal Baláca Communications, presenting the results of the Baláca research. Tasks involving the contents, financing and circulation of the journal, which has appeared regularly since 1989, reaching 8 volumes already, have fallen on her to the greatest extent. Besides reports on the excavations and communication of the find materials, she has also provided space in the columns of the journal for the publication of lecture material from international conferences, so for instance, as early as 1994, experts were able to read reviews heard at the villa congress held in 1994. Scarcely a decade after the start of the new series of excavations in 1976, the walls of the main building were covered over by a protective structure based on designs by Gyula Hajnóczy in 1984, and establishment of the archaeology park had also begun. On Sylvia Palágyi's initiative, three of the four mosaics from the main building could be displayed in their original positions, and since 1993 a good portion of the restored frescoes have also been on exhibition in this same spot, with an attempt at completing them. The protective structure has provided an opportunity for holding exhibitions, and even summer events. Besides holding professional exhibitions in the narrower sense, the archaeology park and the milieu of the ancient villa have been used for numerous evocative games linked with historical situations, the performance of works of classical literature, concerts, and the presentation of Roman cuisine and eating customs. Her ideas in connection with this have been inexhaustible. She has published a total of 32 works on her Baláca research to date, but she has helped the authors of at least as many studies on Baláca with advice, observations, and sharing her experiences. Besides the buildings of the Baláca villa farm, she has diligently researched several settlements of the Balaton Uplands: in connection with surveys and minor excavations, she has dealt with the ground plan peculiarities of the Szentkirály szabadj a-Romkút villa, and has excavated kilns and Roman buildings in Balatonfűzfő, Balatonakaii, Balatonalmádi, Balatonfüred, Alsóörs and Aszófő. Although her work of this kind was mainly necessary to rescue finds, because of her authentic excavation results, we now know a great deal more about the Roman period settlement history, ownership status, architectural features or even industrial activities of this important territory. In connection with finds from the Inota tumulus, she began to show an interest in Roman period horse trappings: she published her first study on this subject in the proceedings of the Aalen Limes Congress in 1983, then in 1989 her work on the possibilities for reconstruction of the Pannónia finds was published in a series by British Archaeological Reports. She has participated in almost every Limes Congress by giving a lecture dealing with the reconstruction of horse trappings. A new boost was given to her research in this direction by the discovery of a horse's grave in Tihany. She has reported on chariot and horse interments both in her scientific works and in exhibition form. Her catalogue of Roman period horse trappings and yoke 18