Gödény-halom
Gödény-halom (transl. Pelican mound) is a prehistoric mound situated near the village of Békésszentandrás in Békés County, in the Southern Great Plain region of south-east Hungary.
Panoramic view of Gödény-halom | |
Shown within Hungary | |
Location | Békésszentandrás |
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Region | Hungary |
Coordinates | 46.813306°N 20.444658°E |
Type | Tumulus |
History | |
Periods | Neolithic / Bronze Age |
Description
Gödény-halom is situated 7 kilometres away from the inner area of Békésszentandrás, close to the old road to Szentes.[1] It is in the one-time flood area of the River Hármas-Körös.[1] The name gödény (English: pelican) refers to the fact that it was once a roosting spot for pelicans in the swampy area.[1] Today, it marks the county boundaries of Békés, Csongrád and Szolnok.[2] Part of the northern side has been destroyed for the building of roads and a nearby dam.[1]
Gödény-halom is the largest of the so-called Cumanian mounds of central Europe, and the highest prehistoric mound in Hungary with a height 12.2 metres.[3] The Cumanian mounds are structures of uncertain age and origin and made by humans.[2] It is generally thought that they were used as burial places in the Neolithic and Bronze Ages.[3]
References
- "Békésszentandrás (The County of Békés)". National and historical symbols of Hungary. Retrieved 1 March 2017.
- "The mysterious Cumanian mounds". Tajgazda. 27 September 2016.
- Loczy, Dénes (2015). Landscapes and Landforms of Hungary. p. 256. ISBN 3319089978.