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H A V R Á N O K
The outdoor archeological museum Liptovská Mara – Havránok is situated on the top of the hill Úložisko and belongs to the most significant archeological localities of the Liptov region. A settlement from the late Iron Age (300 – 100 BC) has been found there. At present reconstruction of a part of a celtic settlement of Cotini with a sacrificial place from the 1st century BC is taking place. There were found remnants of the burned sacrifices (grain, jewels) and in the water well bones of seven people, very likely the sacrifices of the religious rituals.
The present-day archeological findings proved the existence of about seven settlements in the Havránok territory. The archeological investigation will, however, tell us more. It is assumed that these settlements were inhabited during the same time period. In one settlement lived Germanic peoples, in two Celts and in four settlements lived Slavs.
The Germanic peoples worked stone, the Slavs engaged mainly in agriculture. They grew grain (millet), flax, bred livestock and bees and partly they pursued fishing. For work they used horses. Their sacred drink was mead. They weaved linen. From clay they made ceramic pots – the so called Prague ceramics – patted. They built dwellings from wood. They made the farming tools also from wood. They made jewels from various metals (belts, anadems). Around their dwellings and gords they built protection walls and palisades.
Although the sanctuary was built by the Celts, it was used for religious rituals also by the Slavs. Unlike the Celts they didn’t carry out human sacrifices but they sacrificed honey, millet and eggs. The Germanic peoples sacrificed herbs.
From the 11th to the 15th century a small Slavic residence built from wood and fortified by palisades was standing here. Dwellings, sacrificial places, oven and various objects were partially reconstructed. Further, one can find here reconstructed Celtic buildings, a reconstructed La Téne defensive wall and a gate, a medieval moat, a bridge, a paved courtyard and the basement of a wooden residential tower.
The primeval Celtic nation handled at a high level the production of iron and objects made from this metal. This is proven not only by iron weapons but also by scythes, hatchets and small shovels. A rarity is an iron drill used for drilling holes in wood. The Celts gave ground to the development of crafts. At the time of their coming to Slovakia also the potter’s wheel started to be used. A significant place in the Celtic heritage have had jewels. The Celts made richly decorated trappings, e.g. bracelets and foot bands, from gold, silver, but also from bronze and iron. In preparing meals they used a mortar.
In 1991 was the archeological site at Havránok declared a national monument. The outdoor archeological museum Havránok is administered by the Liptov museum in Ružomberok.
In the vicinity of the groundage there is situated an original tower of one of the oldest churches in the Liptov region – the church of The Virgin Mary. During the turist season there are organized for the visitors various undertakings that present the common life of the ancient Havránok habitants.
Lecturer
- Kolektív zamestnancov Liptovského múzea v Ružomberku
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