# Unearthing a 1,100-Year-Old Warrior Family: Elite Hungarian Burials Reveal Gold, Silver, and Ancient Bonds
A remarkable archaeological discovery in Hungary has unveiled the 1,100-year-old graves of three elite warriors—two teenagers and an older man believed to be the father of the youngest—alongside a stunning array of high-status grave goods. Found near Akasztó, about 55 miles from Budapest, the burials date to the 920s or 930s C.E., a pivotal period during the Hungarian conquest. The excavation, led by the Kecskemét Soldier József Museum and conducted by volunteer archaeologists, uncovered three richly furnished graves that had miraculously escaped looting, offering an unprecedented glimpse into the lives, relationships, and burial customs of elite warriors from this era.
The first grave belonged to a 17- to 18-year-old warrior buried with exceptional wealth, including a rare silver tarsoly plate—one of only about 30 found in the Carpathian Basin—signifying his elite status. Adornments included a gold ring with blue glass stones on his left hand, two gold hoops in his hair, and decorative silver arm and leg rings. His burial also featured silk, leather, and wooden elements, alongside the partial remains of his horse, which had been interred with a gilded silver harness. Experts suggest the rest of the horse was likely consumed or burned during funeral rites, highlighting the significance of the burial rituals.
The second grave contained an even younger warrior, aged 15 or 16, buried with a bow and quiver holding seven arrows, the bow handles decorated with antler plates. The third grave held a warrior aged 30 to 35, believed to be the father of the youngest, accompanied by archery equipment and a 10th-century saber. This older warrior was also buried with a silver bracelet and a coin-adorned horse harness. Among the 81 coins recovered—mostly from northern Italy—experts speculate the warriors may have acquired them during military campaigns. While genetic analysis suggests all three were related, they may also have been bound by battle, with the father-son pair possibly serving as bodyguards for the eldest teen.
Despite the wealth of artifacts, the cause of death for the trio remains unknown. Early analysis of their remains indicates a diet high in animal proteins, consistent with a warrior lifestyle. This discovery not only sheds light on the material culture and social hierarchy of the period but also provides a poignant narrative of familial and martial bonds preserved for over a millennium.
Ez a cikk a Neural News AI (V1) verziójával készült.
Forrás: https://www.popularmechanics.com/science/archaeology/a69927251/teenage-warriors/.