Between 5 August 2013 and 30 August 2013, the Dobó István Castle Museum conducted a full-surface excavation in the courtyard of the Archbishop's Palace of Eger. This project was carried out in collaboration with the Department of Archaeology at the Faculty of Humanities, Pázmány Péter Catholic University.
The excavation focused on the area in front of the central wing of the Archbishop's Palace, where planned construction for an 80 m² heat pump building and a 16 m² pool building was to take place.
Unfortunately, both research areas were disturbed in several locations by previous excavations. In section 2013/2, we uncovered the remains of a brick-lined 'well/spout,' whose foundation had been laid with coffee stones, indicating the presence of water from a former Baroque well. At an average depth of 50 cm below the current walkway level, we found a well-preserved Baroque walkway surface in both sections, previously uncovered during the 2011 excavations and subsequent specialist surveys. Beneath this Baroque walkway, at a depth of 45–50 cm, we identified a narrow 'walkway' oriented east-northwest. This may have belonged to the former structures used in the construction of the Archbishop's Palace.
In the fill between the two walkways, we discovered a 1705 medallion. Additionally, beneath the Baroque ambulatory and pavement, a row of piles was found in the southeast corner of section 2013/1, surrounded by a uniform layer of charcoal and patiche, interpreted as the Turkish decay layer. The artifact material from this decay layer dates to the 16th and 17th centuries, including numerous animal bones and pottery fragments.
Below the decay layer, a homogeneous yellow gravel layer was found, which in some areas contained unrelated pottery from the Árpád-period. This coherent layer is interpreted as alluvium from a former floodplain, which likely washed away artifacts from what is believed to have been an Árpád-period settlement, possibly in the area of the present basilica.
Excavation Manager: István Kováts (MNM - King Matthias Museum of Visegrád)
Archaeologist: Róbert Kalácska (Lecturer, Department of Archaeology, PPKE BTK)
Experience
“Thanks to the excellent organizational skills and hands-on training offered by the newly established Department of Archaeology at Pázmány Péter Catholic University, I had the opportunity to participate in the excavation of the Archbishop's Palace courtyard in Eger during August, even before officially starting my studies as a first-year archaeology student. The Department welcomed a diverse group, including students from art history and history, as well as enthusiastic local students from Eger, all of whom participated in the excavation.
The Archbishop’s Palace is situated in the heart of Eger, next to the basilica, with its impressive wrought-iron gate overlooking Széchenyi Street, one of the busiest areas of the city. Our accommodation was in the St John's House of the Eger Theological College, a short three-minute walk from the palace. The excavation was part of the ongoing renovation of the palace. A previous excavation had taken place in 2011 under the direction of archaeologist István Kováts, and this year’s work was a continuation, supervised by Róbert Kalácska, archaeologist-museologist and lecturer at our Department, with assistance from archaeologist-historian Orsolya Zay.
Excavation work took place daily from seven in the morning until five in the afternoon and included significant student involvement. We had the chance to observe and participate in various aspects of archaeological practice: from the work of restorers to documentation, photography, and leveling. Thanks to architect Tamás Borosházi, we also learned the basics of photogrammetry. As a first-time excavator, I assisted with the excavation of various sections, and by the third week, I was able to help with documentation tasks.
After hours and on weekends, we were encouraged to explore the city of Eger. With the guidance of local experts and staff from the Dobó István Castle Museum, we toured the city’s most significant sites, including exhibitions at the Eger Castle and the Kazamatas. We were fortunate to coincide our visit with one of Eger's major attractions, the Végvár Vigival festival, where we attended a lecture on the Syrian-Hungarian Archaeological Mission, presented by our acting head of department, Balázs Major. In the evenings, we would visit popular local spots, with the Bíboros restaurant becoming a regular gathering place for our group.
Although the excavation did not yield significant discoveries, for me, finding remnants like the Soviet wine cellar, Baroque walkways, fountains, a variety of pottery, pipe bowls, and even medals was an invaluable experience. These moments only deepened my passion for archaeology and my commitment to pursuing this profession.”
Erzsébet Bojtár
