As Pestbuda have previously reported, the Budapest History Museum is exploring in Óbuda, in the area of the former Buszesz, i.e., distillery (3rd District, 1 Sorompó Street). From mid-July, archaeologists began a new phase of excavation, where more than fifty metal objects were unearthed in a few days at the beginning of the process, writes the archaeological portal regeszet.aquincum.hu on the website of the Budapest History Museum.

In addition to two dozen Roman coins, a round, so-called crescent-shaped military mounting made of bronze, and a bronze fibula depicting a swastika were found at the site in the first week of excavation. Both costumes are primarily associated with the Roman military, which is not surprising since, as in previous years, excavations are currently taking place in the northern cemetery of the military town of Aquincum (canabae).

More than fifty metal objects were found at the excavation in Óbuda, on the site of the former Buszesz, i.e., distillery, in July (Photo: regeszet.aquincum.hu)

According to the report, the swastika symbol has accompanied almost the entire history of mankind, the first such patterns were carved into mammoth tusks fifteen thousand years ago in the territory of present-day Ukraine. On this small carved animal figure, the individual crosses were still connected, and the stand-alone ones appeared seven thousand years ago.

The swastika appeared in India, where it was associated with the Aryans and became the holiest non-syllable symbol of Hinduism, and the name Swastika also originated in Sanskrit. It appeared in the Greeks, Etruscans, Celts, and later in the Anglo-Saxons. In the Roman Empire, swastika fibulas dating from the third quarter of the 2nd century to the beginning and middle of the 3rd century were found mainly in the provinces along the limes.

It also showed up in the Middle Ages. It is also known in folk art. The meaning of the swastika symbol was distorted in the twenties of the 20th century, when Adolf Hitler himself reworked it (e.g., rotated it 45 degrees and coloured it) to make it a symbol of the National Socialist Party.

The Budapest History Museum has been conducting excavations in the area of the former Buszesz since 2017 in preparation for a major investment. So far, prehistoric, ancient and Árpádian finds and groups of finds have been found in the area.

Read the full article in Hungarian here.

Source: regeszet.aquincum.hu

Cover photo: The Buszesz factory in 2018, and the now unearthed ancient swastika (Photo: Csaba Szűcs/pestbuda.hu; regeszet.aquincum.hu)