Ancient Treasure Trove Discovered on Somló Hill in Hungary

Archaeologists have unearthed a vast hoard of ancient treasure on Somló [Somlo] Hill in western Hungary. The discoveries date back over 3,000 years. The hilltop, located in Veszprém [Vesprem] county, has revealed over 300 buried artifacts.\The majority of metal discoveries belong to the Late Bronze Age (1400-900 BCE). The site also contains a large collection from the Early Iron Age (800-450 BCE). Researchers believe Somló Hill was once home to bronze-working workshops, based on the unearthed bronze lumps and fragmented ingots.\The hill appears to have been an important site for the Hallstatt [Hallstatt] culture. This farming society advanced metal work in Central and Western Europe. The discovery could clarify the timeline and distribution of this culture. The team, led by archaeologist Bence Soós [Bence Soos] from the Hungarian National Museum Public Collection Centre, suggests the hoarding tradition was intentional.\Somló Hill, standing at 431 meters (1,414 feet), remained untouched by modern quarrying. In 2023, Hungary’s National Institute of Archaeology launched a research project to understand the ancient inhabitants. Surveys and laser mapping in 2024 have shed light on the long-lost society.\Six new hoards of treasure were found, with one in an area of high metal density. Further research is needed to understand the burial purposes. Items were sometimes buried in ceramic pots, a new find for this period. Scientists also found amber beads, tusks, fabric, and leather.\Sediment samples revealed lentils and millet, key subsistence crops of the Bronze and Iron Ages. The team hopes to conduct radiocarbon dating on suitable materials. This could provide a clearer chronological understanding of the transition between the Late Bronze Age and the Early Iron Age.