Dr. Péter Balázs: Guide to the archives of Hungary (Budapest, 1976)

A Pannonhalmi Bencés Főapátság Levéltára (Archives of the Pannonhalma Benedictine Archabbey)

The archival material totals 192 running metres. The Diplomatarium contains 1737 records prior to Mohács. The records, kept earlier in "capsae", were rearranged in chronological order in the last years, but the concordance list makes their research according to the old references possible. The part prior to Mongol invasion is perhaps the most important source of the social and economic history of the first centuries. From the eighteenth century the records pertaining to the government of the Order have been arranged according to subjects. After World War II the economic (estate) records were also taken into archival custody. Apart from the records and acts of the Archabbey there is some more valuable material in the Archives. Among the records of the Tihany, Bakonybél and Dömölk abbey, taken over by the Archives, one finds the most precious treasure of the Tihany material, the foundation charter (from 1055), containing about 150 Hungarian stray words; this is the most ancient written monument not only of the Hungarian language, but also of the Finno-Ougrian family of languages. As deposits are preserved the archives of the Guary, Chernél, Somogyi and Lónyai families, further the literary apparatus on the sources of the Codex Juris Canonici, collected by Jusztinián SERÉDI. The medieval material of the Archives is arranged on piece level. The records pertaining to the Benedictine Order are published entirely in the work by László ERDÉLYI and Pongrác SÖRÖS: A pannonhalmi Szent Benedek Rend története (History of the Benedictine Order of Pannonhalma), vols 1 to 12 (Budapest 1902-1916). * Research is possible any time on previous application, otherwise on Wednesdays. There is an adequate research room where films and reproductions may be made. Here students may use the most important reference works and in case of necessity also the books of the Pannonhalma Main Library (300 000 vols). Dr. Lajos CSÓKA