Early Settlers
At the time of early human presence, the water level of Lake Balaton was several meters higher than it is today. As a result, the inlets and bays along its shores extended much farther inland than they do now. This explains why traces of early human habitation are rarely found along the present-day shoreline. The history of Szigliget and its immediate surroundings dates back to the Copper Age (c. 2500–2000 BC). On the northern side of Castle Hill, near Ciframajor, Kálmán Darnay, a dedicated researcher of the region, discovered a copper axe without a shaft hole, shaped like a stone axe, at the end of the 19th century. Further archaeological finds from the early 20th century confirmed that the area had been inhabited since ancient times. On one occasion, two stone chisels and a stone core from the perforation of a stone axe were found; on another, two coiled copper wire ornaments were uncovered. This area, once lying like an island among the bays of Lake Balaton, provided abundant food and natural protection for its inhabitants. For these reasons, life here may have continued uninterrupted for long periods. Remains from the Bronze Age are more numerous, especially around Ciframajor, where several urns containing ashes, bone fragments, and bronze objects were discovered—evidence of the cremation burial practices typical of the time. The so-called Szigliget hoard was also found by Kálmán Darnay in the late 19th century: hidden beneath a pile of stones, a vessel contained a total of 63 items, including jewelry, pins, bracelets, and lumps of bronze. These objects testify to a highly developed level of craftsmanship. The Bronze Age population was later subjugated by Celtic tribes arriving from the west, who established one of their centers in the Tapolca Basin—likely because they found significant settlements and earthworks of the earlier inhabitants in the area. From Celtic skeletal graves in Szigliget, well-crafted pottery, spearheads, and other iron objects have been unearthed. Among them, a particularly remarkable iron spearhead stands out: near its middle, it features a projection perpendicular to the tip, ending in the shape of a serpent’s head.