A new exhibition at the Hungarian National Museum is shedding light on life during the Hunnic era through a remarkable collection of archaeological finds uncovered near the village of Tiszagyenda in eastern Hungary.
The chamber exhibition, titled "The Hunnic Era Destruction Layer from Tiszagyenda", opened on June 10, 2026 and explores the dramatic social and cultural changes that swept through the Carpathian Basin during the Migration Period.
According to the Hungarian National Museum, the exhibition uses the history of a single settlement to illustrate how large-scale historical events transformed everyday life between the 3rd and 12th centuries.
Archaeologists investigated an area nearly one kilometre long and covering more than 10 hectares near present-day Tiszagyenda. Excavations revealed evidence of continuous occupation over several centuries, offering researchers a rare opportunity to reconstruct the lives of communities that lived through the Hunnic period and its aftermath.
Among the artefacts displayed are jewellery, ceramic vessels, combs, and fibulae recovered from graves and settlement layers. Researchers also employed modern genetic testing and scientific analysis to better understand the customs, burial practices, and daily routines of the region’s former inhabitants.
One of the exhibition’s most striking features is the preserved destruction layer of a 4th-century Sarmatian settlement that was destroyed by fire during the Hunnic era.
The burned remains provide direct archaeological evidence of the upheaval that accompanied the arrival of the Huns and the subsequent transformation of local communities. Layers from later cultures built above the destroyed settlement further illustrate how populations and lifestyles evolved over the centuries that followed.
“Our chamber exhibition is special because it aims to present history from below, at the level of everyday life,” said Dr. Gábor Zsigmond, Director General of the Hungarian National Museum.
The exhibition offers visitors an intimate look at how ordinary people experienced periods of migration, conflict, and cultural change during one of Europe’s most turbulent historical eras.
By combining archaeological discoveries with advanced scientific research, the exhibition provides fresh insight into the complex interactions between local populations and incoming groups during the Migration Period, helping to paint a more detailed picture of life in the Hunnic age.
Header Image Credit : MNM
Sources : NatGeo