Hungarian ancestors ate snails!

Nlcafe.hu reports of the latest findings of an excavation in Csongrád county. Numerous shells were found on location, dating back to the time of the Hungarian conquest of the Carpathian basin around the 10th century. Many archaeologists are led to take it as evidence that snails were a part of Hungarian ancestors’ diet.

The stretch from Kübekháza to the Serbian border is being explored before a route is built there. Archaeologists found three major locations over the 7000 square meter-stretch, with many interesting finds. Apart from clay bowls, an overwhelming number of snail shells was found.

The only explanation so far is that they were part of the diet of the Hungarians who first arrived to the country.

Snail shells

There used to be a river nearby, providing an explanation for the vast number of shells in the area. Experts believe that Hungarian ancestors from the Árpád-dynasty era, apart from harvesting wheat and keeping animals, were also open to adding snails to their dietary customs.

During the excavations, remnants of community settlements from the Bronze Age were also found. Among other things,

a 1000-year-old well was found. It is assumed that this well has some ancients bowls, some in their entire original state, at the bottom.

However, archaeologists cannot reach them right now because of the high level of groundwater. Remains of fences and huge ditches suggest that animals were kept in the area, too.

Archaeological excavation

These were the result of the first excavation, but two more locations are planned to be explored. One of them, very close to the border, promises more valuable finds.

Experts say that location may hold remnants of entire buildings and furnaces.

Apart from ancient findings, remnants of more recent history were uncovered, too. Archaeologist found pieces of the railway line that used to run between two big cities of pre-World War I Hungary, Szeged and Temesvár. This route was very important in the 19th century.

However, the fateful peace treaty of Trianon caused a disruption in the use of the route,

explaining how it’s possible that a hundred years later the line so crucial in the past is now just a finding of excavations.

To learn more about Hungarian history, check out this article.

Source: nlcafe.hu, rtl.hu