Erzsebet Jerem

The Archaeological Park of Sz zhalombatta was the first interactive display site presenting prehistoric monuments in Hungary. Created with generous support from the Sz zhalombatta Municipal Council, it was opened to the public in 1996. This unique establishment, offering a taste of Hungary's cultural heritage, was created in the southern part of the several hectares large area of the Iron Age tumulus burial ground that gave the city of Sz zhalombatta its name (sz z halom means 'a hundred mounds' in Hungarian). The Archaeological Park was established with a two-fold purpose. First, to offer visitors a hands-on, personal experience of prehistoric life instead of a remote, lifeless world locked into museum cabinets. The permanent programmes include family days and craft activities, alongside summer workshops for children. Second, the park is simultaneously a setting for archaeological experiments where, in addition to the construction of faithful replicas of various ancient buildings, various experiments are conducted using prehistoric techniques and copies of prehistoric tools and implements. Visitors to the park can see authentic reconstructions of houses, ovens and ancillary buildings of the Bronze Age and the Iron Age, the two best-known prehistoric periods at Sz zhalombatta. The archaeologists working on the prehistoric site, where they excavated and meticulously documented the remnants of one-time buildings (post-holes, wall remains, floors, hearths, ovens, etc.), enlisted the expertise of architects and various craftsmen to rebuild the former buildings.

This colourful but eminently scholarly book serves as an admirable guide to the prehistoric monuments, sites and museums of Hungary. It is packed full of maps, plans, photographs and reconstructions, alongside the descriptions of the sites, their history and excavation and how they fit into our picture of Hungary's rich prehistoric past. Instructions for getting to the sites, references, a detailed glossary and suggested itineraries complete the guidebook.