Zalavár and its surroundings are considered one of the most important 9th-century localities in the Carpathian Basin. The centre at Zalavár-Castle Island retained its role even after the Hungarian conquest and kept it until the 13th c. By the middle of the 20th c. the remnants over the surface were completely destroyed, and in some places even the foundations were removed. Although archaeological research revealed many remains, only a few were reconstructed. Considering the 19th and 20th-century political/national ideas about the site, its interpretation Archaeological excavations resulted in new information about the region, which led to an increased interest in the site and to both tourism and pilgrimage evolving significantly. The site became a place of political commemoration. Due to social changes among the villagers from Zalavár, the community gradually lost interest in the site, even though it lies only 1.5 km from the village. Experience suggests that without involving the local community, conservation work will be unviable.
One of the most attractive themes in archaeological research is the excavation of central places. These include early medieval centres which mirror the political and socio-economic relationships, reflecting the changes of their time. Zalavár-Vársziget is undoubtedly one of the most important fortified sites in Central Europe in the Early Middle Ages. Its short-lived existence from the 840s to the beginning of the 10th c. perfectly illustrates the rise and fall of Carolingian power in Pannonia. It was a place where important people of that time, including Pribina, Kocel, Methodius, and Arnulf, lived and worked. Its repeated occurrence in written historical sources also points to its significance. In these sources, it appears under various names, but especially as Mosaburg. Systematic archaeological excavation of the site has been conducted for approximately 70 years. Within the last decade, geophysical surveys followed field research. By comparing previous knowledge and new results from the geophysical prospection, we were able to, with the help of statistics and spatial analyses and evaluate the similarities and differences between the central area and its surroundings, identifying the basic characteristics of the individual parts of the site.
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