Tivadar Vida | Eötvös Loránd University Budapest (original) (raw)

Books by Tivadar Vida

Römisch-Germanische Forschungen 76. / Monumenta Germanorum Archaeologica Hungariae 7., 2022

Beim ungarischen Dorf Szólád wurde ein kleines Gräberfeld der Langobardenzeit archäologisch und n... more Beim ungarischen Dorf Szólád wurde ein kleines Gräberfeld der Langobardenzeit archäologisch und naturwissenschaftlich erforscht. Der vorliegende erste Band der Auswertung widmet sich den Untersuchungen von Böden und Pflanzen, von Resten von Vögeln und Fischen, und natürlich von den hier Bestatteten. Wir erfahren nicht nur, wie die Gräber angelegt und die Toten beigesetzt wurden, sondern auch, wie eine kleine bäuerliche Gemeinschaft am Übergang von der Spätantike zum Mittelalter die Landschaft am Balaton prägte und die lokalen Ressourcen nutzte.

ISBN: 9783752006544

Chapters by Tivadar Vida

Hungarian Archaeology at the Turn of the Millenium. Ed by: Zs. Visy. Budapest 2003, 302-307.

The Migration Period. Hungarian Archaeology at the Turn of the Millenium. Ed by: Zs. Visy. Budape... more The Migration Period. Hungarian Archaeology at the Turn of the Millenium. Ed by: Zs. Visy. Budapest 2003, 302-307.

Visy Zsolt (szerk.), Magyar Régészet az ezredfordulón Budapest 2003, 302-308.

A korai és a közép avar kor. In: Visy Zsolt (szerk.), Magyar Régészet az ezredfordulón Budapest 2... more A korai és a közép avar kor. In: Visy Zsolt (szerk.), Magyar Régészet az ezredfordulón Budapest 2003, 302-308.

Anke Bodo /László Révész / Tivadar Vida: Reitervölker im Frühmittelalter. Hunnen – Awaren –Ungarn. Konrad Theiss Verlag, Stuttgart 2008, 47-74., 2008

Anke Bodo /László Révész / Tivadar Vida: Reitervölker im Frühmittelalter. Hunnen – Awaren –Ungarn... more Anke Bodo /László Révész / Tivadar Vida: Reitervölker im Frühmittelalter. Hunnen – Awaren –Ungarn. Konrad Theiss Verlag, Stuttgart 2008, 47-74.

Edited by Tivadar Vida

Seit 2003 ist Falko Daim Generaldirektor des Römisch-Germanischen Zentralmuseums in Mainz, doch i... more Seit 2003 ist Falko Daim Generaldirektor des Römisch-Germanischen Zentralmuseums in Mainz, doch ist dies nur eine Station seiner breit gefächerten wissenschaftlichen Laufbahn. Die zahlreichen Beiträge dieser Fest-schrift zu seinem 65. Geburtstag zeigen eindrucksvoll seine Betätigungsfelder und die hohe Wertschätzung, die seinen Forschungen, Projekten und Ideen international entgegengebracht wird. Die vier thematischen Abschnitte der Festschrift spiegeln im Großen und Ganzen die maßgeblichen Arbeits-bereiche des Jubilars wider. Dazu gehört natürlich die Zeitepoche von der Antike bis in das frühe Mittelalter mit seinem Fokus auf Reiternomaden und deren vielfältige Beziehungen mit den Reichen im Westen und im Mittelmeerraum, aber auch das Themenfeld der zeitlich anschließenden Mittelalterarchäologie ist von ihm geprägt worden. Die Entwicklung der naturwissenschaftlichen Archäologie sowie die Forschungen zum Byzantinischen Reich und seinen Nachbarkulturen sind untrennbar mit seinem Namen verknüpft und wer-den daher in eigenen Abschnitten gewürdigt. Die hier versammelten Beiträge repräsentieren damit auch, wie es dem Jubilar immer wieder gelungen ist, unterschiedliche Disziplinen und Menschen miteinander zu verbinden.

Tivadar Vida – Dieter Quast – Zsófia Rácz – István Koncz, eds., 2019

This is the first conference volume focused on the history, archaeology, onomatology, coinage, cr... more This is the first conference volume focused on the history, archaeology, onomatology, coinage, craftsmanship, and settlements of the Gepidic Kingdom in the Tisza Region, Sirmium, and Transylvania. The heritage of the Gepidic period is presented through the most recent archaeological discoveries. Various aspects of the cultural contacts of the Gepids, as discussed in the book, shed light on their connections to European and Byzantine cultures, their relationship with the Langobards, as well as their beliefs and religion.

Tivadar Vida – Dieter Quast – Zsófia Rácz – István Koncz (Hrsg./Eds.), Gepiden nach dem Untergang des Hunnenreiches, Kollaps – Neuordnung – Kontinuität / Gepids after the Fall of the Hun Empire Collapse - Reorganization – Continuity. Tagungsakten der Internationalen Konferenz
an der Eötvös Loránd Universität, Budapest, 14. - 15. Dezember 2015 / Proceedings of the International Conference at Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, 14th - 15th December 2015. Budapest, 2019.

Papers by Tivadar Vida

In: Nagy, Margit Das jüngerkaiserzeitliche Gräberfeld von Budapest-Rákoscsaba, Péceli út (2.-4. Jahrhundert n. Chr.) : ein grenznaher Fundort im Barbaricum gegenüber Aquincum, 2023

In: Nagy, Margit Das jüngerkaiserzeitliche Gräberfeld von Budapest-Rákoscsaba, Péceli út (2.-4. J... more In: Nagy, Margit Das jüngerkaiserzeitliche Gräberfeld von Budapest-Rákoscsaba, Péceli út (2.-4. Jahrhundert n. Chr.) : ein grenznaher Fundort im Barbaricum gegenüber Aquincum. Monumenta Archaeologica Barbarorum inter Pannoniam Daciamque (MABiPD) 1., Zsófia Masek und Tivadar Vida (Hrsg.) Budapest: HUN-REN Bölcsészettudományi Kutatóintézet, Régészeti Intézet, ELTE BTK Régészettudományi Intézet, Budapesti Történeti Múzeum, Aquincum Múzeum, Martin Opitz Kiadó, 2023, pp. 9-11.

Travaux et Mémoires 27., 2023

Migration- and early medieval-period mask and face representations from the Carpathian Basin, dis... more Migration- and early medieval-period mask and face representations from the Carpathian Basin, discussed in this paper, are associated with contemporary beliefs, religion and rituals. In their appearance, they preserve ancient Germanic pagan traditions, which were transformed by Mediterranean (late Roman and early Byzantine) cultural influence. The symbols, chosen and created by communities living in the Carpathian Basin express the identity of their members and, at the same time, indicate intensive relations between ethnic groups and their elites in northern, western, east-central and southern Europe. Furthermore, the representations signify a transformation and expansion of meanings in the artistic expression of pagan Germanic beliefs, allowing for the representation of Christian content. The syncretic reinterpretation of the
meanings conveyed by mask and en-face representations in the Migration- and early medievalperiod “barbarian” world exemplifies the much-discussed cultural influence of the late antique Mediterranean on “non-Roman” contexts.
Vida Tivadar: From Mask to Face: Changing Meaning of an Image in the Early Medieval Carpathian Basin. Travaux et Mémoires 27. Collège de France – C N R S. Centre de Recherche d’Histoire et Civilisation de Byzance. Paris 2023, 85-104.

Harald, Meller; Falko, Daim (Hrsg.) Grenzüberschreitungen - Reiternomaden in Mitteleuropa, ihre östlichen Wurzeln und Verbindungen = Crossing boundaries - mounted nomads in Central Europe, their eastern roots and connections Halle (Saale), Landesmuseum für Vorgeschichte (2022) 261-275., 2022

Neue archäologische und archäogenetische Forschungen zur awarishen Elite des 7. Jahrhunderts im K... more Neue archäologische und archäogenetische Forschungen zur awarishen Elite des 7. Jahrhunderts im Karpatenbecken /New archaeological and archaeogeneticresearche ont he 7th élite in the Carpathian Basin/ In: Harald, Meller; Falko, Daim (szerk.) Grenzüberschreitungen - Reiternomaden in Mitteleuropa, ihre östlichen Wurzeln und Verbindungen = Crossing boundaries - mounted nomads in Central Europe, their eastern roots and connections Halle (Saale), Németország : Landesmuseum für Vorgeschichte (2022) 419 p. 261-275.

Römisch-Germanische Forschungen 76. / Monumenta Germanorum Archaeologica Hungariae 7., 2022

ISBN: 9783752006544

Hungarian Archaeology at the Turn of the Millenium. Ed by: Zs. Visy. Budapest 2003, 302-307.

Visy Zsolt (szerk.), Magyar Régészet az ezredfordulón Budapest 2003, 302-308.

Anke Bodo /László Révész / Tivadar Vida: Reitervölker im Frühmittelalter. Hunnen – Awaren –Ungarn. Konrad Theiss Verlag, Stuttgart 2008, 47-74., 2008

Tivadar Vida – Dieter Quast – Zsófia Rácz – István Koncz, eds., 2019

In: Nagy, Margit Das jüngerkaiserzeitliche Gräberfeld von Budapest-Rákoscsaba, Péceli út (2.-4. Jahrhundert n. Chr.) : ein grenznaher Fundort im Barbaricum gegenüber Aquincum, 2023

Travaux et Mémoires 27., 2023

Archaeologiai Értesítő, 2021

A régészeti örökség megmentése és feltárása, eredményes feldolgozása, gondos megőrzése és hatékon... more A régészeti örökség megmentése és feltárása, eredményes feldolgozása, gondos megőrzése és hatékony továbbadása érdekében 2019 őszén Maróth Miklós, az Eötvös Loránd Kutatási Hálózat elnöke, egy középtávú Régészeti Stratégia elkészítését kezdeményezte. Az ELTE BTK Régészettudományi Intézetében született jelen javaslat az elméleti keretek rövid felvázolásával kísérli meg összefoglalni a magyar régészet előtt álló lehetőségeket és legfontosabb feladatokat. A magyar régészetet az elmúlt évtizedekben az ellentmondásos és kapkodó törvényalkotás, a változó és mindinkább romló feltételekkel működő intézményi háttér határozta meg, amely a régészet jelentős presztízsvesztéséhez vezetett. A múlt történetileg hiteles rekonstrukciója érdekében a jelen írás a magyar régészeti örökség gondozásának feladatait a nemzetközi kutatás kihívásainak figyelembevételével határozza meg mind a feltáró és feldolgozó munka, mind a múzeumi megőrzés és bemutatás, az állami feladatvállalás, mind pedig az egyetemi o...

in "Current Biology", 2023

As the collapse of the Western Roman Empire accelerated during the 4th and 5th centuries, arrivin... more As the collapse of the Western Roman Empire accelerated during the 4th and 5th centuries, arriving ‘‘barbarian’’ groups began to establish new communities in the border provinces of the declining (and eventually former) empire. This was a time of significant cultural and political change throughout not only these border regions but Europe as a whole.1,2 To better understand post-Roman community formation in one of these key frontier zones after the collapse of the Hunnic movement, we generated new paleogenomic data for a set of 38 burials from a time series of three 5th century cemeteries3–5 at Lake Balaton, Hungary.
We utilized a comprehensive sampling approach to characterize these cemeteries along with data from 38 additional burials from a previously published mid-6th century site6 and analyzed them alongside data from over 550 penecontemporaneous individuals.7–19 The range of genetic diversity in all four of these local burial communities is extensive and wider ranging than penecontemporaneous Europeans sequenced to
date. Despite many commonalities in burial customs and demography, we find that there were substantial differences in genetic ancestry between the sites. We detect evidence of northern European gene flow into the Lake Balaton region. Additionally, we observe a statistically significant association between dress artifacts and genetic ancestry among 5th century genetically female burials. Our analysis shows that the formation of early Medieval communities was a multifarious process even at a local level, consisting of genetically heterogeneous groups.

In: Vida, Tivadar (Ed.) Thesaurus Avarorum. Régészeti tanulmányok Garam Éva tiszteletére - Archaeological Studies for the Honour of Éva Garam. Budapest 2012, 63-83., 2012

Die Ohrringe mit geschlossenen Körbchenanhängern, die vom 5. bis 7. Jahrhundert in mediterranen u... more Die Ohrringe mit geschlossenen Körbchenanhängern, die vom 5. bis 7. Jahrhundert in mediterranen und mitteleuropäischen Fundorten vorkommen, sind Produkte von Werkstätten, die grundsätzlich spätrömischer Formtradition folgen. In diesen Gebieten hängt die Untersuchung der Körbchenohrringe mit der Frage der Kontinuität der römischen provinzialen Kultur bis in das 5.-6. Jahrhundert, und mit der Abstammung, Präsenz und den kulturellen Beziehungen der romanisierten Bevölkerung eng zusammen. Auf Grund der Analyse der erörterten Typen der Ohrringe mit geschlossenen Körbchen ist heute deutlich erkennbar, dass die spätrömischen Körbchenohrringe des 4. Jahrhunderts in Italien, im Ostalpenraum, in Dalmatien, Makedonien, Bosnien und Pannonien in das 5. Jahrhundert hinein weitergelebt haben. Dadurch gelang es, den früher vermuteten Hiatus mit gut datierbaren Funden auszufüllen, und durch die formale und chronologische Bestimmung der Übergangstypen der Ohrringe mit geschlossenen Körbchen zu ähnlichen Ohrgehängetypen, die in morphologischer und technologischer Vielfalt am Ende des 6. Jahrhundert massenhaft auch nördlich der Alpen verbreitet waren und bis ins 7. Jahrhundert kontinuierlich in Verwendung blieben, Bindeglieder zu finden. Die von der spätrömischen Zeit bis zum Frühmittelalter kontinuierliche Herstellung der Körbchenohrringe im untersuchten Raum ist ein Zeichen des Weiterlebens der lokalen romanisierten Kultur. Anhand neuerer Ausgrabungen konnte dokumentiert werden, dass diese romanisierte Kuturgemeinschaft im 5.-6. Jahrhundert auch in Pannonien existierte. Die detaillierte Untersuchung der pannonischen Ohrringe mit geschlossenen Körbchen kann die Frage des Ursprunges der pannonischen Bevölkerung in der Spätantike zwar nicht lösen, aber einen weiteren Mosaikstein zur Klärung dieser Frage beitragen.

Szent István Király Múzeum, Jul 1, 2017

F. Daim /H. Meller/W. Pohl (eds), Von den Hunnen zu den Türken: Reiterkrieger in Europa und Zentralasien: Internationale Konferenz am Römisch-Germanischen Zentralmuseum, Mainz, 25.–26. April 2018. Tagungen des Landesmuseums für Vorgeschichte. Halle 2021, 171–189.

F. Daim /H. Meller/W. Pohl (eds), Von den Hunnen zu den Türken: Reiterkrieger in Europa und Zentr... more F. Daim /H. Meller/W. Pohl (eds), Von den Hunnen zu den Türken: Reiterkrieger in Europa und Zentralasien: Internationale Konferenz am Römisch-Germanischen Zentralmuseum – Leibniz Forschungsinstitut für Archäologie in Kooperation mit dem Institut für Mittelalterforschung der Österreichischen Akademie der Wissenschaften und dem Landesmuseum für Vorgeschichte Halle, Mainz, 25.–26. April 2018. Tagungen des Landesmuseums für Vorgeschichte. Halle 2021, 171–189.

Magyar Tudomány 182,, May 15, 2021

Valóságos könyvtár – könyvtári valóság. Könyvtár- és információtudományi tanulmányok 2020. Szerk. Kiszl Péter, Boda Gáborné Köntös Nelli. Budapest, ELTE BTK Könyvtár- és Információtudományi Intézet. 2021. 27–35., 2021

Magyar Tudomány 182, 2021, 75–89

Discussed in this study is the current stand of, and new directions in, research on the roots of ... more Discussed in this study is the current stand of, and new directions in, research on the roots of the Avars occupying the Carpathian Basin in 567–568 after fleeing the threat represented by the rise of the First Türkic Khaganate based on the new findings of archaeology, linguistics, biolog-ical anthropology, and archaeogenetics. A brief overview of the historical sources and the main problems in this field of research is followed by a discussion of which Avar-period artefact types (horse gear fittings, metal and carved bone and antler fittings of belts and weapons, ring-hilted swords, etc.) and mortuary customs (sacrificial assemblages, horse burials) can be securely associated with the Avars arriving to the Carpathian Basin from the east. The study briefly covers the archaeological groups that can be linked to the Avars on the testimony of the biological anthropological record, with a focus on the Mongolid groups appearing in the Carpathian Basin, alongside presenting the results of the archaeogenetic analyses of the seventh-century elite burials richly furnished with gold costume accessories, weaponry, and various luxury goods excavated in the Danube-Tisza interfluve (Kunbábony-Bócsa group). The population genetic and phylogenetic analyses revealed that the paternal (Y chromosome) and maternal (mtDNA) lineages of two-thirds of the 26 sampled individuals can be traced to Inner Asia, indicating that this particular Avar group had migrated westward as a kinship group and not as a military unit made up of males. The assessment of the biological background to the social status and social organisation of this steppean community of eastern ancestry indicated that the elite had been organised along kinship lines and that the dominance of the Asian lineages survived for some 3–5 generations. The genetic analyses of the common folk revealed a dominance of European elements.

Mons Sacer 996-1996. Takács Imre/Szovák Kornél/Monostori Martina (szerk.). Pannonhalma 1996, 309-318, 370.

Fight for a museum. The career of Elemér Lovas OSB, 1889-1949. Harc egy múzeumért. Lovas Elemér é... more Fight for a museum. The career of Elemér Lovas OSB, 1889-1949.
Harc egy múzeumért. Lovas Elemér életpályája 1889-1949 (Kampf um ein Museum: Elemér Lovas OSB). in: "Mons Sacer" 996-1996. Takács Imre/Szovák Kornél/Monostori Martina (szerk.). Pannonhalma 1996, 309-318, 370.

Keresztény gyökerek és a boldog magyar élet. Budapest 2010, 17–38.

Christianity in the early medieval Carpathian Basin. Kereszténység a kora középkori Kárpát-medenc... more Christianity in the early medieval Carpathian Basin. Kereszténység a kora középkori Kárpát-medencében, 2010.

Takács Miklós – Masek Zsófia – Samu Levente – Vida Tivadar (szerk./eds.), Artificia mirabilia. Tanulmányok Vaday Andrea tiszteletére - Studies in honour of Andrea Vaday. Budapest, 2022, 337-384.

Three south-west to north-east oriented burials dating from the onset of the fifth century came t... more Three south-west to north-east oriented burials dating from the onset of the fifth century came to light at Szihalom-Budaszög: the burial of a roughly 14-year-old girl lavishly furnished with silver and gold jewellery, whose grave was covered with stones, the burial of a robust, roughly 40-year-old man laid to rest with his weapons (a spatha and a spear) and the burial of an elderly woman interred in a more modest costume. The quality and composition of the finds suggest that the graves contained the burials of individuals who had been part of the new elite rising to prominence at the onset of the Migration period: the social display of these individuals was a distinctive blend of local and foreign elements. The stone packing reflects the local Sarmatian tradition, as does the necklace of glass beads and the pottery. The man’s sword was of Roman origin and he wore Roman spurs, conforming to the custom of the Barbarian nobles. The girl’s headdress
decorated with gold rosettes, her gemstone and precious metal beads, as well as her “shoulder ornaments” represent new eastern cultural elements. The finds exhibit traits typical for the local Sarmatian, provincial Roman and eastern cultural milieu, the latter drawn from the Chernyakhov-Marosszentanna culture and the late antique Pontic. It seems likely that this should not be interpreted as the settlement of a new ethnic group, but rather as a reflection of cultural impacts in the wake of eastern populations set in motion by the Huns. The new elite emerging on the fringes of the Roman world at the onset of the Migration period following an internal social transformation adopted new cultural elements from the east when creating its modes of social display. The new elite was made up of local and foreign elements, both in terms of its members and its material and spiritual culture.

Rubicon 2016/1, 50-57.

Vida, Tivadar, Változó kép az ókor végi népvándorlásokról. Rubicon 2016/1, 50-57.

Quast, D. (Hrsg.) Foreigners in Early medieval Europe. Thirtheen International Studies on Early Medieval Mobility. Mainz 2009, 233-260.

64. Vida, Tivadar.: Local and Foreign Romans ? The Problem of the Late Antique Population of the ... more 64. Vida, Tivadar.: Local and Foreign Romans ? The Problem of the Late Antique Population of the 6th-7th Centuries AD in Pannonia. in: Quast, D. (Hrsg.) Foreigners in Early medieval Europe. Thirtheen International Studies on Early Medieval Mobility. Mainz 2009, 233-260.

Heinrich-Tamáska, Orsolya – Herold, Hajnalka – Straub, Péter – Vida, Tivadar (Hrsg.), „Castellum, civitas, urbs”. Zentren und Eliten in frühmittelalterlichen Ostmitteleuropa (Castellum Pannonicum Pelsonense 6.) Budapest–Leipzig–Keszthely–Rahden/Westf.: Verlag Marie Leidorf 2015, 313-327.

On the question of yellow tableware among the Early Medieval elites of the Middle Danube region: ... more On the question of yellow tableware among the Early Medieval elites of the Middle Danube region:
In the 8th–11th centuries AD the production of ne tableware made of yellow pottery played a signi cant role in projecting prestige in the central places of central-eastern and south-eastern Europe. A type of ware identical in shape and technique to the Late Avar yellow ceramics is also known in the area settled by the Bulgars (especially in Pliska) in the 8th–9th century. Although it shares formal traits with Early Byzantine wares, this ware is technologically not related to them. It is more likely that it is the product of locally rooted traditions or is influenced by western models. The technological tradition of yellow prestige ceramics continues to continued in the 9th century, its distribution area extending to southern Moravia, south-western Hungary and lower Austria. These pottery types owe their formal vocabulary to the Mediterranean sphere, combined with techniques of production that were either local or of eastern origin.

Lőrinczy G. – Major B. – Türk A. (eds.): A szegvár-oromdűlői temető és a Tiszántúl kora avar időszaka (The Szegvár-Oromdűlő Cemetery and the Avar Period in the Trans-Tisza Region). Studia ad Archaeologiam Pazmaniensia 25. Budapest, 2022, 509-554.

Local hand-formed vessel types typical of the Trans-Tisza region dominate among the vessels of th... more Local hand-formed vessel types typical of the Trans-Tisza region dominate among the vessels of the
Szegvár-Oromdűlő cemetery, which reflects the cultural separation of crafts (pottery production) at the
Early Avar Age settlement area. Burial practices (niche graves, animal offerings), ornaments and clothing customs also indicate regional characteristics in the Trans-Tisza region. All these cultural features can be associated with Eastern European steppe-nomadic material culture that, however, received constant impulses from the Asian steppe. These influences are detectable on the burial practices, the finds, as well as the anthropological and archaeogenetic data.

Kóczán, András Imre; Marsai, Viktor; Pócza, István; Vargha, Márk; Vér, Ádám (szerk/eds.) DT 60: Dezső Tamás: Tanulmányok Dezső Tamás hatvanadik születésnapja alkalmából (Studies on the occasion of the sixtieth birthday of Tamás Dezső). Budapest, Magyarország: Virtuóz Kiadó és Nyomdaipari Kft, 2023

Vida Tivadar: Kora középkori migráció és genetika. Új módszerek és eredmények (Early medieval mig... more Vida Tivadar: Kora középkori migráció és genetika. Új módszerek és eredmények (Early medieval migration and genetics. New methods and results). In: Kóczán, András Imre; Marsai, Viktor; Pócza, István; Vargha, Márk; Vér, Ádám (szerk/eds.) DT 60: Dezső Tamás: Tanulmányok Dezső Tamás hatvanadik születésnapja alkalmából (Studies on the occasion of the sixtieth birthday of Tamás Dezső). Budapest, Magyarország: Virtuóz Kiadó és Nyomdaipari Kft (2023) 96-106.

Magyar Tudomány 184 (2023) 3, 377–388

After the strong focus on prehistoric populations, archaeogenetic studies are nowadays being carr... more After the strong focus on prehistoric populations, archaeogenetic studies are nowadays being carried out in increasing numbers on early Medieval communities (400–1000 AD). The engage¬ment of historiography–with its own methodologies for interpreting biological data–with these studies is generating a debate as to whether the methods of natural sciences are relevant to his¬torical and archaeological research or not, and whether biological data can help to provide re¬liable answers to major questions of human history. The paper addresses the general problems of cooperation between the natural sciences and the humanities, and social sciences. Above all, the paper draws attention to the ethical implications of archaeogenetic studies, the dangers of biological determinism, and the various attempts to define any ‘identity’ biologically. It outlines how aDNA data sheds light on kinship, biological traits, health, and predispositions can broaden archaeological and historical interpretation. It outlines the theses of some historians’ sceptical and critical discussion papers. It argues that genetics can only detect events, relationships and diseases that have left their mark on human DNA, and that historians, archaeologists and genet¬icists should be aware of the epistemological limitations of archaeogenetics. Archaeogenetics not only provides new biological data of a demonstrative nature but can also point to specific elements of large-scale historical constructs, shed light on specific new questions, and in some cases even answer historical questions that have not yet been settled. The historian’s task is to explore the impact of biological information on society, using new methodologies and in inte¬grative collaboration with geneticists, archaeologists, and anthropologists.

Történelmi Szemle 64,, 2022

Few parts of Europe witnessed so many population shifts in a few centuries as the Carpathian Basi... more Few parts of Europe witnessed so many population shifts in a few centuries as the Carpathian Basin in 400–900 AD. In this macro-region along the middle Danube, Pannonians, Romans, Goths, Gepids, Longobards, Avars, Bulgars, Slavs, Franks and many others came and went. This is an intriguing test case for the relationship between ethnic identities constructed in texts, cultural habitus attested in the archaeological record, and genetic profiles that can now be analysed through ancient DNA. What was the impact of migrations and mobility on the population of the East-Central Europe? Was the late antique population replaced, did it mix with the newcomers, or did its descendants only adopt new cultural styles? To what degree did biological distinctions correspond to the cultural boundaries and/or ethnonyms in the texts? If pursued with methodological caution, this case study will have implications beyond the field. HistoGenes will analyse c. 6,000 samples from graves with cutting edge scientific methods, and contextualize the interpretation of these data in their archaeological and historical setting. The rapid progress of aDNA analysis and of bio-informatics now make such an enterprise viable. However, the methods of historical interpretation have not kept pace. HistoGenes will, for the first time, unite historians, archaeologists, geneticist, anthropologists, and specialists in bio-informatics, isotope analysis
and other scientific methods. A wide range of particular historical questions will be addressed from an interdisciplinary perspective, and fundamental theoretical and methodological issues can be explored. HistoGenes will not only advance our knowledge about a key period in European history, but also establish new standards for the historical interpretation of genetic data. The six-year HistoGenes Synergy Grant was launched on May 1, 2020.

Historical Studies on Central Europe , 2021

Few parts of Europe witnessed so many population shifts in a few centuries as the Carpathian Basi... more Few parts of Europe witnessed so many population shifts in a few centuries as the Carpathian Basin in 400-900 CE. In this macro-region along the middle Danube, Pannonians, Romans, Goths, Gepids, Longobards, Avars, Bulgars, Slavs, Franks and many others came and went. This is an intriguing test case for the relationship between ethnic identities constructed in texts, cultural habitus attested in the archaeological record, and genetic profiles that can now be analysed through ancient DNA. What was the impact of migrations and mobility on the population of the East-Central-Europe? Was the late antique population replaced, did it mix with the newcomers, or did its descendants only adopt new cultural styles? To what degree did biological distinctions correspond to the cultural boundaries and/or ethnonyms in the texts? If pursued with methodological caution, this case study will have implications beyond the field. HistoGenes will analyse c. 6,000 samples from graves with cutting edge scientific methods, and contextualize the interpretation of these data in their archaeological and historical setting. The rapid progress of aDNA analysis and of bio-informatics now make such an enterprise viable. However, the methods of historical interpretation have not kept pace. HistoGenes will, for the first time, unite historians, archaeologists, geneticist, anthropologists, and specialists in bio-informatics, isotope analysis and other scientific methods. A wide range of particular historical questions will be addressed from an interdisciplinary perspective, and fundamental theoretical and methodological issues can be explored. HistoGenes will not only advance our knowledge about a key period in European history, but also establish new standards for the historical interpretation of genetic data. The sixyear HistoGenes Synergy Grant was launched on May 1, 2020. 1 This project has received funding from the European Research Council (ERC) under the European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme (grant agreement n° 856453 ERC-2019-SyG).

Few parts of Europe witnessed so many population shifts in a few centuries as the Carpathian Basi... more Few parts of Europe witnessed so many population shifts in a few centuries as the Carpathian Basin in 400–900 CE. In this macro-region along the middle Danube, Pannonians, Romans, Goths, Gepids, Longobards, Avars, Bulgars, Slavs, Franks and many others came and went. This is an intriguing test case for the relationship between ethnic identities constructed in texts, cultural habitus attested in the archaeological record, and genetic profiles that can now be analysed through ancient DNA. What was the impact of migrations and mobility on the population of the East-Central-Europe? Was the late antique population replaced, did it mix with the newcomers, or did its descendants only adopt new cultural styles? To what degree did biological distinctions correspond to the cultural boundaries and/or ethnonyms in the texts? If pursued with methodological caution, this case study will have implications beyond the field. HistoGenes will analyse c. 6,000 samples from graves with cutting edge scientific methods, and contextualize the interpretation of these data in their archaeological and historical setting. The rapid progress of aDNA analysis and of bio-informatics now make such an enterprise viable. However, the methods of historical interpretation have not kept pace. HistoGenes will, for the first time, unite historians, archaeologists, geneticist, anthropologists, and specialists in bio-informatics, isotope analysis and other scientific methods. A wide range of particular historical questions will be addressed from an interdisciplinary perspective, and fundamental theoretical and methodological issues can be explored. HistoGenes will not only advance our knowledge about a key period in European history, but also establish new standards for the historical interpretation of genetic data. The six-year HistoGenes Synergy Grant was launched on May 1, 2020.

Historical Studies on Central Europe

Archaeological and Anthropological Sciences, 2022

This study presents the results of the petrographic and geochemical analyses of the entire potter... more This study presents the results of the petrographic and geochemical analyses of the entire pottery assemblage discovered at the sixth-century (AD) cemetery of Szólád, Western Hungary, associated with the Langobard era in the territory of the former Roman province of Pannonia. Szólád is one of the most prominent archaeological sites of this period, where prior studies have shown that the cemetery was used for ca. one or two generations by a migrating group of diverse genetic background. The present work is the first integrated typological and archaeological science pottery analysis from the early migration period (fifth to sixth century) Hungary. We applied polarising light optical microscopy (OM), prompt gamma activation analysis (PGAA), and neutron activation analysis (NAA) on all samples and, additionally, scanning electron microscopy equipped with energy dispersive spectrometry (SEM-EDS) on one selected sample. One main fabric group with three subgroups were defined by OM, to whi...

Cell, 2022

The Avars were a mysterious population that settled the Carpathian Basin in 567/ 68 CE, and their... more The Avars were a mysterious population that settled the Carpathian Basin in 567/
68 CE, and their origins have remained enigmatic. Genomic analyses of 66 pre-
Avar and Avar-period individuals, integrated with archaeological and
historical data, suggest that Avar elites underwent a long-distance, trans-
Eurasian migration from the East Asian steppe.

European Journal of Human Genetics, 2019

PloS one, 2014

In 2005 to 2007 45 skeletons of adults and subadults were excavated at the Lombard period cemeter... more In 2005 to 2007 45 skeletons of adults and subadults were excavated at the Lombard period cemetery at Szólád (6th century A.D.), Hungary. Embedded into the well-recorded historical context, the article presents the results obtained by an integrative investigation including anthropological, molecular genetic and isotopic (δ(15)N, δ(13)C, (87)Sr/(86)Sr) analyses. Skeletal stress markers as well as traces of interpersonal violence were found to occur frequently. The mitochondrial DNA profiles revealed a heterogeneous spectrum of lineages that belong to the haplogroups H, U, J, HV, T2, I, and K, which are common in present-day Europe and in the Near East, while N1a and N1b are today quite rare. Evidence of possible direct maternal kinship was identified in only three pairs of individuals. According to enamel strontium isotope ratios, at least 31% of the individuals died at a location other than their birthplace and/or had moved during childhood. Based on the peculiar 87 Sr/86 Sr ratio d...

Nature communications, Jan 11, 2018

Despite centuries of research, much about the barbarian migrations that took place between the fo... more Despite centuries of research, much about the barbarian migrations that took place between the fourth and sixth centuries in Europe remains hotly debated. To better understand this key era that marks the dawn of modern European societies, we obtained ancient genomic DNA from 63 samples from two cemeteries (from Hungary and Northern Italy) that have been previously associated with the Longobards, a barbarian people that ruled large parts of Italy for over 200 years after invading from Pannonia in 568 CE. Our dense cemetery-based sampling revealed that each cemetery was primarily organized around one large pedigree, suggesting that biological relationships played an important role in these early medieval societies. Moreover, we identified genetic structure in each cemetery involving at least two groups with different ancestry that were very distinct in terms of their funerary customs. Finally, our data are consistent with the proposed long-distance migration from Pannonia to Northern ...

International journal of paleopathology, Jan 17, 2018

The prevalence of hyperostosis frontalis interna (HFI) was examined in different periods of the C... more The prevalence of hyperostosis frontalis interna (HFI) was examined in different periods of the Carpathian Basin from 4900 BCE to 17th century AD. The study seeks to evaluate temporal changes in HFI and the possible impact of lifestyle on it. The studied material consisted of 4668 crania from Hungary and Serbia. The crania were analyzed employing macroscopic and endoscopic examination. In historic periods, sex and age played a pivotal role in HFI development. Among predominantly pastoralist populations of the 5th-8th and 10th centuries, prevalence of HFI was considerably higher than in the medieval populations of the 9th-17th centuries. In addition to age and sex, other factors could be implicated in HFI development. The physiological effects of the pastoralist lifestyle and diet on insulin regulation could explain the increased risk of developing HFI in the 5th-8th and 10th-century populations. The study provides the first comprehensive dataset of HFI from different archaeological ...

After 568 AD the Avars settled in the Carpathian Basin and founded the Avar Qaganate that was an ... more After 568 AD the Avars settled in the Carpathian Basin and founded the Avar Qaganate that was an important power in Central Europe until the 9th century. Part of the Avar society was probably of Asian origin, however the localisation of their homeland is hampered by the scarcity of historical and archaeological data.Here, we study mitogenome and Y chromosomal STR variability of twenty-six individuals, a number of them representing a well-characterised elite group buried at the centre of the Carpathian Basin more than a century after the Avar conquest.The studied group has maternal and paternal genetic affinities to several ancient and modern East-Central Asian populations. The majority of the mitochondrial DNA variability represents Asian haplogroups (C, D, F, M, R, Y and Z). The Y-STR variability of the analysed elite males belongs only to five lineages, three N-Tat with mostly Asian parallels and two Q haplotypes. The homogeneity of the Y chromosomes reveals paternal kinship as a ...

The skulls from grave 34 and grave 43 represent examples of an adult female and an infans II chil... more The skulls from grave 34 and grave 43 represent examples of an adult female and an infans II child with very similar deformations in an upward-backward direction and recessions resulting from binding (deformation variant II). The skull of grave 85 (infans I) combines an artificial deformation of variant I (circular binding and strong upward deformation) with post-mortem deformation. (PDF)

Archaeological and Anthropological Sciences, 2021

This study presents the results of the petrographic and geochemical analyses of the entire potter... more This study presents the results of the petrographic and geochemical analyses of the entire pottery assemblage discovered at the sixth-century (AD) cemetery of Szólád, Western Hungary, associated with the Langobard era in the territory of the former Roman province of Pannonia. Szólád is one of the most prominent archaeological sites of this period, where prior studies have shown that the cemetery was used for ca. one or two generations by a migrating group of diverse genetic background. The present work is the first integrated typological and archaeological science pottery analysis from the early migration period (fifth to sixth century) Hungary. We applied polarising light optical microscopy (OM), prompt gamma activation analysis (PGAA), and neutron activation analysis (NAA) on all samples and, additionally, scanning electron microscopy equipped with energy dispersive spectrometry (SEM–EDS) on one selected sample. One main fabric group with three subgroups were defined by OM, to whi...

Cell, 2022

The Avars were a mysterious population that settled the Carpathian Basin in 567/ 68 CE, and their... more The Avars were a mysterious population that settled the Carpathian Basin in 567/ 68 CE, and their origins have remained enigmatic. Genomic analyses of 66 pre- Avar and Avar-period individuals, integrated with archaeological and historical data, suggest that Avar elites underwent a long-distance, trans- Eurasian migration from the East Asian steppe.

PLOS ONE, 2022

The aim of our paper is to demonstrate a middle-aged male (KK61) from the 8th-century-CE cemetery... more The aim of our paper is to demonstrate a middle-aged male (KK61) from the 8th-century-CE cemetery of Kiskundorozsma–Kettőshatár I (Duna-Tisza Interfluve, Hungary), who appears to represent the lepromatous form of Hansen’s disease. Leprosy has affected not only the rhinomaxillary region of his face but also his lower limbs, with severe deformation and disfigurement of the involved anatomical areas (saddle-nose and flat-foot deformity, respectively). Consequently, he would have experienced disability in performing the basic activities of daily living, such as eating, drinking, standing or walking; and thus, he would have required regular and substantial care from others to survive. Despite his very visible disease and associated debility, it seems that KK61 was accepted as a member of the community in death, since he has been buried within the cemetery boundaries, among others from his community. In addition, his grave has conformed to the mortuary practices characteristic of the Kisk...

PLOS ONE

To give an insight into the different manifestations of leprosy and their biological consequences... more To give an insight into the different manifestations of leprosy and their biological consequences in the Avar Age of the Hungarian Duna-Tisza Interfluve, two cases from the 7th-century-CE osteoarchaeological series of Kiskundorozsma–Daruhalom-dűlő II (Hungary; n = 94) were investigated. Based on the macromorphology of the bony changes indicative of Hansen’s disease, KD271 (a middle-aged male) and KD520 (a middle-aged female) represent the two extremes of leprosy. KD271 appears to have an advanced-stage, long-standing near-lepromatous or lepromatous form of the disease, affecting not only the rhinomaxillary region but also both upper and lower limbs. This has led to severe deformation and disfigurement of the involved anatomical areas of the skeleton, resulting in his inability to perform the basic activities of daily living, such as eating, drinking, grasping, standing or walking. The skeleton of KD520 shows no rhinomaxillary lesions and indicates the other extreme of leprosy, a nea...

Juhász, Irén: Awarenzeitliche Gräberfelder in der Gemarkung Orosháza, 1995

Monograph of the Avar time cemeteries around Orosháza in Hungary (7-8 centuries AD), which appear... more Monograph of the Avar time cemeteries around Orosháza in Hungary (7-8 centuries AD), which appeared in the Monumenta Avarorum Archaeologica series. Publishers and editors: Éva Garam and Tivadar Vida.

BioRxiv, 2019

Here, we study mitogenome and Y chromosomal variability of twenty-six individuals, a number of them representing a well-characterised elite group buried at the centre of the Carpathian Basin more than a century after the Avar conquest.
The studied group has maternal and paternal genetic affinities to several ancient and modern East-Central Asian populations. The majority of the mitochondrial DNA variability represents Asian haplogroups (C, D, F, M, R, Y and Z). The Y-STR variability of the analysed elite males belongs only to five lineages, three N-Tat with mostly Asian parallels and two Q haplotypes. The homogeneity of the Y chromosomes reveals paternal kinship as a cohesive force in the organisation of the Avar elite strata on both social and territorial level. Our results indicate that the Avar elite arrived in the Carpathian Basin as a group of families, and remained mostly endogamous for several generations after the conquest.

https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/415760v2

Call for papers in session 371: Population history and community formation in Early Medieval East... more Call for papers in session 371: Population history and community formation in Early Medieval East-Central Europe: Integrating genetic, isotopic, archaeological and historical perspectives