Archaeologists in Hungary uncovered a treasure trove of valuable metal artifacts during excavations at a site known as Somló Hill, a prominent volcanic outcrop located in the western part of the country. The researchers deployed the most advanced laser scanning technology available to supplement their field surveys, and their discoveries so far have surpassed their expectations.
They ultimately unearthed six distinct hoards of metal objects from different historical eras, with the oldest dating all the way back to the 15th century BC. It became clear during the surveys that Somló Hill was once the site of a large and prosperous ancient settlement, which thrived for an extensive period of time.
The excavation that unearthed the truth about Somló Hill’s glorious past was the first effort it what is planned to be a long-term research project. Coming in with modest expectations, the archaeologists were stunned by the richness of the site, as they managed to collect hundreds of metal artifacts from the Late Bronze Age (1450–800 BC) and Early Iron Age (800–450 BC) over the course of their investigation. Their discoveries included ample quantities of jewelry, military attire, and weapons, all of which were buried in caches specifically reserved for particular types of objects. This practice of carefully organized burials very likely had ritual or symbolic meaning, as it suggests the people who lived there were “sacrificing” valuable objects that they cared about to curry the favor of the gods or of nature.
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So who exactly would have been responsible for creating and occupying this settlement for many centuries? As the researchers explain in an article published in Antiquity, the site has been linked to the Hallstat culture, an agricultural-oriented people who possessed sophisticated metal working skills and have been identified as the forerunners of the Celts. Active in Central and Western Europe in the Bronze and Iron Ages, the Hallstat people who lived on Somló Hill left behind collections of bronze lumps, droplets, casting jets, and fragmented ingots, revealing that multiple bronze workshops must have been present in the settlement.
Other non-metallic artifacts found during the fabulously successful excavations offered further insights into the lives and lifestyles of the Hallstat occupants of the Hill. This part of the treasure trove included amber beads, fragments of cloth and leather, and tusks of boar and domestic pigs. Advanced craftsmanship was a hallmark of the settlement, which seems to have been bustling with activity in the time when it was occupied.
A hoard of metal materials, some contained in a ceramic vessel found on Somló. (Soós, et.al/Antiquity).
A Lost Community on a Volcanic Hill
Somló Hill is now most famous for its vineyards and wine making proclivities, as the area features rich and fertile soil. Yet during the late 19th century, the location initially became the focus of archaeological interest when local farmers began to inadvertently unearth ancient artifacts when they were cultivating their fields. These initial finds suggested that the hill has been occupied by people for many centuries, even though the original positions of the artifacts and circumstances of their discovery were not well recorded.
Today, however, new archaeological techniques provide opportunities to return to Somló with high expectations. Led by archaeologist-museologist Bence Soós of the Hungarian National Museum, the team responsible for finding the hoards conducted systematic surveys included metal detecting and field-walking, and lidar scanning taking place from above.
The use of lidar, a technology utilizing lasers mounted on airplanes to generate very high-resolution maps of the landscape, allowed researchers to pick up on minor details that might otherwise have gone unnoticed.
A large and elaborate spearhead found at Somló. Biological material found nearby is set to be radiocarbon-dated by researchers. (Soós, et.al/Antiquity).
"Due to the work of our volunteers, our excavations logged the first metal hoards of Somló," Soós stated in an interview with Live Science.
As of April 2025, the excavations of the six hoards have yielded more than 900 metal artifacts, some of which were discovered on a plateau on the hill's eastern side. Many of these items appear to have been related to metalworking, which shows the manufacturing of bronze was a central preoccupation in the Hallstat settlement.
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Insights Into a Transitional Age and a Once-Widespread Culture
Although the team has not yet found definitive proof of a metal workshop, the presence of bronze-working tools and metal fragments indicates the presence of such facilities.
Perhaps the most significant find was known as "Hoard V," a Late Bronze Age hoard with metal items placed inside a pottery vessel. This is the earliest sign of local deposition from western Hungary at a period of changeover from the Bronze to the Iron Age was taking place, a period about which little has been known up to now.
The symbolic or ritual hoarding of metallic goods was a common and important cultural phenomenon in the first and second millennia BC in Europe. It is believed that this activity shows that society at the time was dominated by ruling elites who rose to power their their successes in warfare. This is supported by earlier discoveries on the hill, including widespread Early Iron Age grave mounds with contents testifying to the high standing of the dead warriors entombed within.
Somló Hill, western Hungary. (fabiolah/CC BY-SA 3.0).
Archaeologists have found Hallstat artifacts spread all across the landscape in Central Europe, especially in what is now Germany and Austria. The discovery of such an extensive collection in Hungary is a groundbreaking development, and has left the archaeologists responsible for the find eager to continue their search on Somló Hill and elsewhere in the region.
Top image: Early Iron Age metal finds from Somló Hill, including a sculpted disc, a brooch, and a large pendant.
Source: Soós, et.al/Antiquity
By Nathan Falde
