Farming

CHAPTERS

This is one of the most important activities and the foundation of acquiring food. Through agriculture man was able to free himself to a large degree from the caprices of nature and significantly more people were able to live on a much smaller area. This is why civilization rose to higher levels in those parts of the world where great agricultural civilizations appeared.

The Magyars were thought to be entirely nomadic husbandmen during the centuries preceding and following the Conquest (9th to 11th centuries).

The latest research, however, no longer defines this question so unequivocally. A great many words testify that in the time of contact with the Bulgaro-Turks, the Magyars already had acquired certain agricultural knowledge, as is indicated by many Hungarian words (eke, plough; tarló, stubble field; sarló, sickle; búza, wheat; árpa, barley; szérű, threshing yard, etc.). This knowledge increased when they became acquainted with the famous garden culture of the Khazar Khaganate and learned the basic elements of vine growing (szőlő, grape; bor, wine; seprő, lees, etc.). They could also have learned from the Eastern Slav peoples of the South Russian steppes, who possessed a highly developed agriculture. When the Magyars appeared in the Carpathian Basin, a significant proportion were already occupied in agriculture. This is proven by archaeological sources and also by written notes.