The Magic of the Stones
There is some ancient magic is the land around here.
When I first thought of coming to Hungary and buying some land here, I had the intuition to explore the Northern Highlands (Északi Középhegység). I was guided here, because of some ancient, yet unexplored sites linked to the miraculous. This was not much more than a hunch, but from my previous experiences with the unseen world I learned that these tiny feelings of inner intrigue had to be taken seriously. They can be very helpful, like a scent for a wolf or a dog to find what they want or need.
Beehive Stones at Szomolya
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For years, I knew that something was around but only began to explore in earnest at the end of summer 2023. Local traditional knows of 41 locations of so-called beehive stones. These are carved rock alcoves, of unknown orginin. The name beevestone comes from the hypothesis that these semi-windows in the rocks may have been used for honey production - which is an obvious non-sense, as many are located at very hard-to-reach, cold, and dark spots.
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Sanctuary Carved into the Volcanic Rock
The truth is, we know nothing of the origin of these stones...
There is no written history, there is virtually nothing we know about these places. Only a few geological and archaeological explorations have been conducted at these sights, which suggest the carvings may be older than Hungary - going back more than a thousand years - and the sites may have been in use since the Upper Paleolithicum, i.e as old as 20-30.000 years. There is nothing we know as a fact which somehow makes these sites the more intriguing to me.
If you visit them with an open heart, you shall find that the stones are not quiet. They speak to you, in a silent language from an invisible realm, whispering: 'There is more - more than what you have seen so far of the world.' These stones stand as threshold guardians at the border of our everyday perception, intriguing us to step over into a land of wonder.
There is no written history, there is virtually nothing we know about these places. Only a few geological and archaeological explorations have been conducted at these sights, which suggest the carvings may be older than Hungary - going back more than a thousand years - and the sites may have been in use since the Upper Paleolithicum, i.e as old as 20-30.000 years. There is nothing we know as a fact which somehow makes these sites the more intriguing to me.
If you visit them with an open heart, you shall find that the stones are not quiet. They speak to you, in a silent language from an invisible realm, whispering: 'There is more - more than what you have seen so far of the world.' These stones stand as threshold guardians at the border of our everyday perception, intriguing us to step over into a land of wonder.
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Wondering, I have decided to explore these places and listen to the stories the stones have to tell. Maybe, these are stories of the past, maybe these are stories from the depths of the psyche, about what it emans to be human. Here, I am beginning the psych-archaeology into the symbols and vibes I can find, and in this space will share all places I can find...
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Marius, my Familiary at Demjén Rock
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The Somolya BeehivesMost of these sites are hardly known, difficult to find, and hidden away in forests or on far-away mountain-tops. The beehive stones around Szomolya constitute the iconic exceptions, where trails, safety railings, and even scaffolds aid your walk. Here is my story...
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Sirok Rock Split Rock at Sirok
In the woods around Sirok - a pretty settlement with a famous fort to visit - you may walk and feel like in any other forest around here. There is not even a path, but if you find these rocks... they suddenly take you to dazzling heights and you are... somewhere else. You are at a different time, in a different space, and wonder who was here before you.
I had celtic impressions at some of these sites. There are two rock sites with carvings around Sirok - luckily I read about and made sure I found them both. |
He Who Saw the Deep
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Demjén Rock Paths Less Travelled lead to most of these sights
On a tiny path not easy to find (old Hungarian fairy tales refer to úttalan utakon - pathless paths) we leave the Demjén Thermal Hotel. (The landscape around Eger offers many sources of hot, natural spring water, often volcanic in its origin, with wholesome, healing properties.)
Once we reach the rock, an otherworldly, Lunar kind of terrain opens up - an instant traveling sensation both in time and space. History, indeed, is all alive here: Tools from the Upper Paleolithic emerged from surface collection on the site. We found some interesting carvings in the rocks, too: a triangle shape with something that could have been a map perhaps - all lost now in time... |
Conical Shape that seems typical for these rock sites
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Saddle Rock
Sunset at the Double Peaks of the Saddle Rock
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Rock Shelter under the Saddle Rock
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Dragon Temple
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Somewhere behind the famous vineyards of Eger, deep within the forest, marked by trail signs, yet only to be reached by trails that are overgrown and largely forgotten, lies this rock sanctuary that I nicknamed the 'Dragon Temple.'
During day, the Sun shines in a little, at night, bats fly around it cool walls. Never before have I felt spiritually as much at home as here. There is peace in the simplicity of this soul shelter and something ancient begins to speak to you from all around the forest as soon as you enter... |
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Egerszalók
There's a single rock site near the village of Egerszalók, a small sanctuary carved into the rock. Only a tiny path is leading towards it through the forest - when you find it, it's quite a stunning surprise.
Egerszalók also has some of the cave dwelligs on display (today a Skanzen museum) - habitations carved into the rocks. These dwellings, furnished as traditional village houses, with whitewashed walls, have been in use up until the last century. They constitute another local example of carving into the volcanic rhyolite tuff. |
The Egerszalók Rock Chamber
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Cave Dwellings carved into Volvanic Rock
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Traditionally furnished inside
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