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Archaeoacoustic Approach to the Rotunda in Bény

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Archaeoacoustic Approach to the Rotunda in Bény Archaeoacoustic Approach to the Rotunda in Bény Irén Lovász, Paolo Debertolis IRÉN LOVÁSZ, PhD is an associate professor in the Institute of Arts Studies and General Humanities at KRE University in Budapest, Hungary. Her research has included ethnomusicology, anthropology of religion and music, sacred communication. She is also a professional singer, applying traditional singing in voice therapy. PAOLO DEBERTOLIS, M.D., aggregate professor at Department of Medical Sciences, University of Trieste (It- aly), President of Super Brain Research Group1(*) ABSTRACT: We would like to draw the attention to a medieval sacred place in Central Europe in the Carpathian basin, where unusual sound phenomena can be experienced. We focus our research on the „12 Apostoles’ Rotunda” of Bény. The settlement used to belong to the Hungarian Kingdom for cen- turies during the Middle Ages and also continuously until the first part of the 20th century. Now it is situated in the southern part of Slovakia. Recent studies suggest that the rotunda was already built by the 10-11th century, which raises more questions about who built it and for what purpose. The unique feature of the Rotunda are the 12 mysterious vaulted niches within. Each of these niches strengthens different resonances, which gives a unique sound to the human voice there, according to our hypothesis they were very probably tuned on purpose. In 2016 and 2017 fieldwork was undertaken to test the ro- tunda’s archaeoacoustic and resonant properties. Equipment, methods, results with our conclusion are described in this paper. KEYWORDS: acoustics, resonance, rotunda, niches, medieval, Central Europe Introduction (90%) belonging to ethnic minority nowa- days. e would like to draw the attention to Wa special early medieval sacred space According to the previous concepts on the of Central Europe in the Carpathian basin, origin of the building, it was purportedly where unusual sound phenomena can be ex- built at the beginning of the 13th Century1, perienced. We focus our research on the 12 together with the Premontrei Monastery and Apostoles’ Rotunda in Bény (Bína). The Abbey in the neighborhood. settlement used to belong to the Hungarian Kingdom for centuries during the Middle Ages and also continuously until the first part of the 20th century. Now it is situated in the southern part of Slovakia, closed to the present Hungarian border. The settle- ment is populated mostly by Hungarians Fig. 1 – The location of Bény (Bína) in Slovakia today. (*) Note. SB Research Group (SBRG) is an international and interdisciplinary team of researchers, researching the archaeoacoustic properties of ancient sites and temples throughout Europe and Asia (www.sbresearch- goup.eu). 1 Cervers –Molnár Vera: A középkori Magyarország rotundái. Akadémiai Kiadó, Budapest, 1972. 39. ARCHAEOAC OUSTICS III 111 | P a g e the Northern one you can hear the highest sound.” Our hypothesis is that there was probably a Fig. 2 – The rotunda together the abbey placed in front of it. definite awareness of resonance and the conscious application of artificial niches into the architectural construction in order to improve sound quality thus serving spir- itual purposes, since „niches, recesses or al- coves were used as natural resonators”3 in medieval architectural construction. After discovering its marvelous mysterious acoustics while giving a solo concert in the neighboring abbey, initial fieldwork was carried out in 2013. Oral history as an an- thropological method of study was used and Fig. 3 – Some of the 12 niches within the Rotunda local people were interviewed to understand local legends relating to the rotunda. A Recent studies however, suggest that the ro- priest now in service in Bratislava, who was tunda was built already in the 10-11th cen- born in Bény and spent all his childhood in tury,2 which raises more questions about the village said that sitting and singing in who built it and for what purpose? There is the niches to find which of them his feet no consensus as archaeologists and art his- could reach the floor, was his favorite activ- torians have different theories. The Ro- ity as a small boy. tunda uniquely features 12 mysterious vaulted niches. Each of the 12 niches Unfortunately, we discovered the rotunda’s strengthen different resonances, which give acoustics had changed after some construc- a unique sound to the human voice there. tions, reconstructions and renovations were All of them are little different in size, and carried out during the centuries, as de- according to our hypothesis they were very scribed bellow. probably tuned on purpose. In 2016 and 2017 fieldwork was undertaken There is a rumor in the village, shared also in partnership with Irén Lovász and Paolo by the former local priest: “The niches are Debertolis to test the rotunda’s archaeo- tuned as if you sit in the first one from the acoustic and resonant properties. South and put your ear to the wall, you hear the lowest sound, and at the last one, from Historical Background 2 Szilágyi András: A Kárpát- medence rotundái és Dvanastich Apostolov v Bíni In: Valeková, Anna centrális templomai, Semmelweis kiadó, Budapest, (ed) :Ranostredovekásakrálna architektúra Nitrians- 2008. 249. keho kraja: Zborník zo seminaára a katalóg ku Németh Zsolt: A Kárpát.medence legkülönösebb vystave. Nitra, 2011. középkori templomai, BKL Kiadó, Szombatheely, 3 2017. 103-119. Reznikoff, Iegor: The Evidence of the Use of Sound Resonance from Palaeolithic to Medieval Sabasosova, Elena – Havlik, Marian: Rotunda times, in: Archaeoacoustics, Lawson, G. and Dvanastich Apostolov v Bíni- dokumentácia od- Scarre, C. eds. University of Cambridge, Cam- krytych murív s vyhodnotením nálezov. 2010. bridge, 2006, 80. Sabasosova, Elena – Havlik, Marian: Rotunda 112 | P a g e ARCHAEOACOUSTICS III Bény (Bína) is located on the right side of After the importance of the city of Eszter- the river Garam, 17 kms North from Eszter- gom in Hungarian History, Bény should be gom, the first medieval capital of the Hun- considered as an important small village, garian Kingdom. Esztergom is 46 kilome- especially given it is located 17 kilometers tres northwest of the capital Budapest. It lies North of Esztergom on the eastern side of on the right bank of the river Danube, which the river Garam. forms the border with Slovakia there today. Its cathedral, the Esztergom Basilica is the Historical records first mention the village, largest church in Hungary. Esztergom is written as Byn in 1135. Earlier the Romans one of the oldest towns in Hungary. The built a fortress here, and Emperor Marcus first people known by name were the Aurelius wrote his famous diary in this re- Celts from Western Europe, who settled in gion in 173. According to local knowledge, the region in about 350 BC. A flourishing proved by archeological excavations, Bény Celtic settlement existed there until the re- used to be the Northern limes, border of the gion was conquered by Rome. Thereafter it Roman Empire. Later, King Stephen, the became an important frontier town of Pan- first king of Hungary, gave the region to nonia, known by the name of Salvio Man- Bény, son of Hont. It was already Géza, the sio, or Solva of the Roman Empire. Slavic father of St. Stephen, who invited the Kraut people immigrated into the Pannonian Ba- knights, Hont and Pázmány to stay in Hun- sin at about 500 AD. The Magyars (Hungar- gary on their way to the Holy Land.4 It is ians) entered the Pannonian Basin/ Carpa- also possible that the rotunda was built by thian Basin in 896. In 960, the ruling prince Byn himself or by his descendants at the of the Hungarians, Géza, chose Esztergom centre of genus for the leader. 5 as his residence. His son, Vajk, who later came to become Saint Stephen, the first The great system of escarp or redoubt with king of Hungary, was born here around 969- 5 kilometers in its inside diameter, was the 975. In 973, Esztergom served as the start- biggest and strongest that time in Europe. ing point of an important historical event: Finally it lost its original function during the during Easter of that year, Géza, the ruling 11-12th centuries, it was left empty. But one prince sent a committee to the international can still find remains of it around the vil- peace conference of Emperor Otto I in lage, about 1 kilometer from the rotunda. Quedlinburg. He offered peace to the Em- This military post might has been the gath- peror and asked for missionaries. And it ering basis of the army of St. Stephen the might be a crucial point for us! first Hungarian king, before going against the tribes of the pagan leader, Koppány. There was a church also built by the Ger- Very probably it was the place where Ste- man missionaries from around Passau be- phen I was given his first sword as a symbol tween 973- 1000 in Esztergom. The center of his puberty-ritual or of age of discretion of the hill was occupied by a Basilica dedi- as part of an ancient rite de passage ages 21 cated to St. Adalbert who, according to leg- in 998 AD. (There was a monument erected end, baptized St. Stephen. Stephen's coro- a few years ago in front of the abbey for the nation took place in Esztergom on Christ- memory of this historical fact by the proud mas Day 1000. local citizens of Bény). During the time of early Christianity every 10 villages was or- Bény dered to build a church and several rotundas were built in this time. According to some presuppositions, one of them might has 4 Szilágyi 249. 5 Szilágyi, 249. ARCHAEOAC OUSTICS III 113 | P a g e been the rotunda of Bény.
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