KÖH fined Betonút Szolgáltatóés Építő HUF 10 million for destroying archaeological findings during the construction of a stretch of the M7 motorway near Balatonlelle. The money will be used to keep up, renovate or protect important archaeological finds whose owners are short of funding.
Part of the HUF 10 million - some HUF 600,000 - will go toward archaeological research at the remains of a church built during the reign of the House of Árpád near the village of Kisberény. Another HUF 800,000 will be used for the restoration of a cloister in Pécs. HUF 300,000 will be used to make improvements at the former Korona Hotel in Dombóvár, HUF 2.5 million will go to the renovation of a residential building constructed in folk style in Magyarherelend, and HUF 1.1 million will go toward work on a structure in Nagytófalu. HUF 1 million will be used for work at a cellar in Palkonya and HUF 400,000 for upkeep at a Roman Catholic church in Tengőd.
Hungary is rich in archeological findd and a number of digs are usually taking place at any given time. Among the most recent finds are a series of Roman-era graves uncovered under a street in the village of Alibánfa. The graves, which date from the end of the first century or the beginning of the second century A.D., contain bones as well as dishes and other objects which belonged to the deceased. (As was common practice among pagans at the time, the deceased were cremated and dishes containing food and drink for the voyage to the afterlife were placed with their bones.) In one of the graves, archaeologists found a glass dish made in Northern Italy and ornamental clothing.
The area around the Zala River, which flows through the region, has been inhabited by humans for 6,000-7,000 years. Early Copper Age artifacts found in the area show Polish culture dominated at the time. During the Middle Copper Age, the region was peopled by the Balaton-Lasinja Culture, and the Baden Culture dominated in the Late Copper Age.
KÖH is spending HUF 1.5m to complete the excavation of a Bronze Age urn burial ground in Vőrs.
