Hungarian archaeological excavations abroad in the past and today
MúzeumCafé 28.
The field work of Hungarian archaeologists abroad always generates great interest. The institutional background has generally been ensured by the archaeologists in charge of the exploration. Archaeological field work abroad involves four extensive periods from the aspect of the history of excavations and represents two main groups with respect to the cultures examined. The latter include areas which used to share a territorial or cultural unity with Hungary. Another group comprises distant cultures whose explorations have been facilitated by the Hungarian higher education curriculum. The first outstanding period of Hungarian excavations abroad dates from the pre-1914 era. The second was defined by the foundation of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences’ Archaeological Research Group. In the 1980s an important centre of Hungarian archaeological excavations focussed on Mont Beauvray in France. In recent decades young archaeologists have joined foreign explorations and expanded the range of Hungarian archaeological field work abroad with new research projects. As to the two groups, today the first involves research in a varied spectrum of international cooperation ranging from frequent participation in field work to field work involving interdisciplinary and processing projects in areas formerly enjoying a cultural and political unity with Hungary. The organisation and financing of research projects in distant areas faces increasing difficulties for those managing excavations. Sometimes a negative attitude to foreign researchers who may still be regarded as colonizers of the national past and the often critical current political situation in certain countries may result in the absence of cooperation or even make it difficult for a project to continue.