Andrej Kmeť a jeho mamutie problémy
Andrej Kmeť and his mammoth problems

History of an extraordinary find from Beša

Author(s): Martin Neumann
Subject(s): Archaeology, Ancient World, Pre-WW I & WW I (1900 -1919)
Published by: Univerzita Palackého v Olomouci
Keywords: Andrej Kmeť; Beša; mammoth; Slovak National Museum;
Summary/Abstract: In March 1902, a mammoth skeleton was discovered in Beši (southwestern Slovakia). The discovery of the prehistoric animal immediately attracted the attention of local authorities and central institutions in Budapest. However, as it turned out, due to the lack of interest of the competent persons, the rare find remained almost untouched in its original place for many months. This situation was exploited by the Slovak Catholic priest Andrej Kmet'a, who dug up the mammoth skeleton and transferred it to his parish in Prenčov, where he preserved the damaged bones with the expert help of Jan Knies. However, the few months during which the mammoth rested in the rectory were also a period of persistent struggle of the Hungarian elites to obtain the precious find. Kmet, firm in his resolve, had the mammoth transported after several vicissitudes to the museum in Turčianske Sv. Martin - one of the few cultural institutions on which the Slovaks in the multinational state could rely in this period. Against the background of the fate of the Beše find, one can thus vividly trace not only the conditions of the cultural life of Slovaks at the beginning of the 20th century, but also the fascinating story of Andrej Kmet's determination in the struggle for the cultural upliftment of his own nation.

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