Hungary 2025

Hungary

Date of Issue: 9th May 2025

two stamps (2x 1020.- HUF) issued in one souvenir-sheet of 4 stamps (2 of each)

Somló Hill played an important role in the Late Bronze Age and Early Iron Age, and was most likely the seat of an elite who hid their treasures there during mysterious sacrificial ceremonies. For this reason, this isolated hill is among the most important archaeological sites in Hungary today. Archaeological excavations on Somló have uncovered numerous fascinating finds which provide important information about the history and culture of the region. The archaeologists, with the help of volunteers, found ritual treasures dating from the Late Bronze Age during a metal detecting survey. The neck collar discovered at Somló is a unique find, as it consists of an eggshell-thin bronze plate covered by a thin gold foil held in place by its edges being folded back over the rim of the bronze plate. The neck collar is divided into four fields by three bundles of cord-ribs and is also adorned with densely stamped concentric circular patterns. This jewellery was probably part of a set of ceremonial vestments and may have been a sign of the wearer’s high social status. The gold and amber jewellery is evidence of a flourishing Late Bronze Age culture. These pieces of jewellery indicate that there was probably a close network of European contacts spanning the Baltic, the Alps and the Carpathian Basin. The excavations have also unearthed a set of wild boar tusk trophies and individual weapons, which are indicative of the rich culture and traditions of the region’s warring communities.

The two stamps of the special miniature sheet focus on the bronze neck collar covered in ornate gold foil, and an ornate bronze disc likewise covered in gold foil with amber beads, while the design of the frame features a composition of artefacts from Hoard I.