By Viktoria Pomazi-Horvath | Association Member
The summer of 2023 turned out to be quite busy in the life of the association. During the past months, besides our own events our members and volunteers have participated in several other programs, representing our goals and learning from others at the same time. Let us present some of the activities to bring the atmosphere a little closer to those who live further away!
Some 9 years ago, one of the teachers at the Hungarian University of Fine Arts published excellent reconstruction ideas about Szádvár Castle in a booklet-shaped publication. This booklet has been recently sold out, so we decided to update and reissue it - for the delight of castle lovers. A new version was published in cooperation with the author, the publisher and the printer.
On July 1, 2023, the national meeting of the Archaeological Communities was organized within the framework of the Szigetzug Danube Days, for the fourth time now, and we as the Friends of Szádvár were presented for the fourth time as well. Visitors could hear lectures on sea wrecks, traditional activities and Danube islands, besides protocols of community archaeology in Hungary. This event is a fine example of collaboration, as professionals and enthusiastic amateurs created a pleasant atmosphere together a fine summer day.
The most anticipated programme of the summer was definitely the 'Save the Castle' Excavation Week, which was the 15th of this kind of event. Under the supervision of the archaeologist of Herman Otto Museum, the volunteers helped excavate another part of the castle. The colorful stove tiles, rifle bullets, knives, silver coins and who knows what other kinds of objects went in a neat row into the buckets and then into paper bags. Many hikers watched our activities with interest, to whom we were happy to tell the history of the castle and the association. This is how our days passed on the castle hill, which was blessed with sometimes sunny and sometimes gloomy weather. In the evenings, we watched presentations about history that have also become a tradition during the past years. We are always looking for enthusiastic people who can give their free time, physical and financial strength, to work together to protect the monument of Szádvár, which rises in one of the most beautiful regions of our country.
In September 2023, professionals and volunteers involved in the topic of community archeology, researchers and civilians met for the second time at II. National Community Archeology Conference, which was jointly organized by the Hungarian National Museum - National Institute of Archaeology, the Community Archeology Association and the Hungarian Archeological Association in the Royal Palace in Visegrád. In our presentation, we touched on the challenges that have primarily affected our activities since 2021.
What we were able to succeed in, however, was the involvement of younger volunteers. Thus, in the second half of the presentation, we outlined this process, the involvement of larger student groups, college and university students, and high school groups. We consider this important from several points of view. On the one hand, we introduce the younger generations to the values of voluntary, community work, the joys, usefulness, and appreciation of the preservation of cultural heritage as a task. Everyone can experience this with us, also through the experience of belonging to a narrower and wider community. We definitely wanted to highlight the human side of this, without which this activity simply cannot work.
In two weeks' time, the autumnal 'Save the Castle Days' will be organized, where everyone is warmly invited. See you soon in Szádvár!
By Viktoria Pomazi-Horvath | Association Member
By Janos Dobos | Board member of Friends of Szadvar
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