The Hungarian National Museum presents its virtual exhibition
A Country for Women?
The testimony of early medieval graves about the role of women in society
“All that splendour they dress their women in, may it be woven out of saints' halos or demons' flames, in the end it all comes to this cry of surprise and marvel: Ah you womenfolk!”
Ferenc Móra writer, archaeologist
At the dawn of the Middle Ages, in a period when peoples of various origin and cultural background succeded each other in the Carpathian Basin, written sources mainly inform us about the world of men and warfare, while women mostly stay ‘invisible'. However, from an archaeological point of view it is exactly women's graves which are more spectacular, richer and more colourful than those of men. These women – including saints, queens, women and daughters of noble families, women brought in bondage or whose marriage sealed an alliance, and of course mothers intriguing for their children's prosperity – also played a significant role in the transformation of Europe.
Through archaeological finds recovered at excavations we can not only learn about contemporary women's clothing and personal articles, but also about the outstanding roles women played within their community. Their jewellery made of precious metals and their personal artefacts of first class craftsmanship prove that the material objects of the ‘fair sex’ were not less impressive than men’s items of prestige and power.
HUNNIC PERIOD
End of the 4th century – Middle of the 5th century AD
GERMANIC PEOPLES
Middle of the 5th century – Middle of the 6th century AD
AVAR PERIOD
Middle of the 6th century – Beginning of the 9th century AD
CAROLINGIAN PERIOD
9th century AD
HUNGARIAN CONQUEST PERIOD
10th century AD
When creating this virtual exhibition we sought to present a new perspective of archaeological eras already popular and well known with the general public; and furthermore to focus attention on the unique wealth of the archaeological collections of the Hungarian National Museum. The spectacular pictures and 3D models as well as the respective texts not only allow the visitors a closer look at the high quality goldsmith's works but also provide them with a glimpse into the personal stories behind the objects.
Hajnal Zsuzsanna
archaeologist
Migration Period Collection
Hungarian National Museum
Gergely Katalin
archaeologist
Zalavár Collection
Hungarian National Museum
Soós Rita
archaeologist
Hungarian Conquest Period Collection
Hungarian National Museum
Digital graphics: Taivainen Karolina
Graphics, reconstructions: Andics Bernadett, László Gyula, Nagy Katalin, Narmer Stúdió, Ősi Sándor
Photos: Dabasi András, Kardos Judit, Rosta József, Vágó Ádám
Translation: Bartus-Szöllősi Szilvia
Virtual exhibition: Farkas Krisztina, Kovács Rita
Coordinator: Kómár Éva
A MuseuMap aggregációs szolgáltatásának kiterjesztése, ahol a műtárgyak történeteivel, virtuális kiállításokkal és térbeli tárgyrekonstrukciókkal a magyar kultúra kincsei elevenednek meg.
MNM OMMIK
1088 Budapest, Múzeum krt. 14-16.
ommik@mnm.hu
museumap@mnm.hu