Ancient settlement and cemetery found during M1 motorway expandion works – Photos

Significant archaeological discoveries have been made during preparatory works for the expansion of Hungary’s M1 motorway, where experts uncovered more than one hundred medieval graves along with traces of a short-lived Árpád-era settlement. Photographs of the findings were only recently released, as protecting the artefacts had been a priority for months.

Ancient settlement and cemetery have been found during works on the M1 motorway

According to the project coordinator, Magyar Koncessziós Infrastruktúra Fejlesztő Zrt. (MKIF), archaeological assessment formed a key part of the construction process of the M1 motorway. Researchers first reviewed historical records, analysed aerial imagery, and conducted geophysical surveys to identify potential sites. Trial excavations then confirmed that the area contained valuable cultural remains.

During the digs, specialists from the Nemzeti Régészeti Intézet discovered the remains of a late Avar row cemetery. In total, more than one hundred graves were documented, dating from roughly the 8th to the 11th centuries. The burials and associated artefacts are expected to provide important insights into the population that once lived in the region, writes Magyar Építők.

Another major breakthrough came from archaeologists at the Rómer Flóris Művészeti és Történeti Múzeum, who uncovered parts of an 11th-century settlement from the Árpád period. The remains included houses, ovens, ditches, and clearly visible structural patterns, indicating a small but organised community that was likely inhabited for only a short time.

In case you missed it: Hungarian-born microbiologist’s name to be put on the Eiffel Tower! Unexpected tragedy: Tower of 15th-century Hungarian Reformed church collapses.