I was born on 2. January 1955. in Miskolc. I finished my primary and secondary school here too. I have studied latin and archeology at the Eötvös Loránd Science University, Budapest, between 1974 and 1979. I have started to work as an archeologist in 1979 at the Herman Ottó Museum, Miskolc. My primary research field was the study of settlements in the 10-13rd century. I have gained a doctorate in 1984 based on my research about settlements of the medieval Abaúj county. I have successfully passed a French language exam on intermediate C level  in 1985.

After a number of smaller excavations I have started the research of the Borsod earth fort in 1987. The excavations between 1987 and 1999 produced significant results regarding the lifestyle and agriculture of the 10th century Hungarians, as well as regarding the forts built around this time. These results were published in numerous papers. The complete work was also published as a book by the support of the Römisch-Germanisch Museum, Mainz. This is in press at the moment.

In 1988 I have started to research the history of settlements in the Bodrogköz together with László Révész, including the villages connected to the extremly rich  cemeteries from the time of the Conquest. As a continuation of this work further large scale excavations were carried out in 2006-2007 as part of the Vásárhelyi Plan including the previously found locations.

In 1991 I acted as a head of department at the Herman Ottó Museum, Department of Collection. In 1992 I have organised the 3rd Conference of the Young Researchers of the Conquest together with my colleagues. Between 1993 and 1996 I was working on large scale excavations linked to the M3 motorway. During this work I have excavated a village near Hejőkeresztúr, which was destroyed during the Mongol invasion of Europe.

In 1994 with my colleagues we organised a new permanent archeological exhibition in the Herman Ottó Museum. In 1995 together with my colleagues, László Révész, Ibolya M. Nepper and István Fodor, we organised the exhibition called „Őseinket felhozád… A honfoglaló magyarság”, dedicated to the 1100. anniversary of the Hungarian Conquest. This exhibition later was also on show in Budapest and Nyíregyháza, then between 1998-2000 in Italy, France, Finland, and Spain. I was actively involed in the editing and writing of the catalogue of this exhibition. A scientific conference was also organised in 1995 in this topic and I have edited the book called „A magyar honfoglalás régészeti emlékei” based on these. From 1996 I worked at the Hungarian National Museum in Budapest. I have also acted as part time lecturer at the ELTE BTK Archeological Institute from this year.

In 1997 I have received my postgraduate degree in GIS at the Budapesti Műszaki Egyetem. In 1999 I took part in the preparation of the exhibition „Hungaria Regia”, organised by the Hungarian National Museum in Bruxelles. Together with my colleagues we also organised another exhibition in Lahti, Finland. I also took part in the writing of the guidebook of this exhibition. In 2000 together with my colleagues I have organised the exhibition „Európa az első ezredfordulón”, which was a collaborative projekt with German, Hungarian, Polish, Checz and Slovakian partners. This was on show in Budapest, Berlin, Mannheim, Prague and Bratislava. In 2000 I have organised another exhibition dedicated to the 1000. anniversary of the Hungarian conquest in Edelény, using the findings of the  Borsod earth fort. I also took part in the recontsruction of the earth fort.

In 2002 I led and designed the first archeological part dedicated to the Árpád-age in Kisrozvágy, which highlights the housing, life and agriculture of this age. Between 1998 and 2002 I acted as an OTKA and between 2003-2004 as NKA research lead. In 2007 together with László Révész we organised the conference „New results in the archeological research of the 10-11. century Carpathian basin” in the Hungarian National Museum. I was co-editor of the book based on the presentation of this conference.

Between 2007-2008 I took part in the writing and editing of the Archeological Handbook, published by the Hungarian Archeological Association. In 2008-2009 I received a research fellowship at the Römisch-Germanisches Zentralmuzeum in Mainz. This resulted in the monography titled Die Erdburg von Borsod. Ein Komitatszentrum aus der Zeit der ungarischen Staatsgründung. Mainz (in press). Since 2008 I worked at the Archeological Department of the SZTE BTK. I participated in developing the educational program of the medieval master degree program and organised the specialisation in archeometry. I also acted as a regular supervisor for both undergraduate (BA) and graduate (MA) students. As a student supervisor I was actively involved in the work of the OTDK Humanities Section. Two of my students achieved second places in this. I received my PhD in 2009 at the SZTE BTK. I have also led an excavation in the same year at Hódmezővásárhely-Gorzsa X. sand mine.

Between 2009-2012 I was part of the projekt “Reiterkrieger und Burgbauer” initiated by the Römisch-Germanisches Zentralmuseum, Mainz, the Hungarian National Museum, the MTA Archeological Institue and the Eötvös Loránd Science University. As part of this projekt I have presented my results in Sopron at a scientific conference in 2010. Since 2010 I am the leader of the MA archeometry specialisation at the SZTE BTK Department of Archeology. Since 2011 I am an associate professor at the SZTE BTK Department of Archeology. In 2013 as part of the Erasmus programme I lectured at the Babeš-Bólyai University, Department of Archeology. Since 2012 I am working in the SZTE School of Medieval Studies, and since 2015 in the School of Medieval and Archeological Studies. I am an active supervisor of multiple students. I gained my habilitation in 2016 at the Pécsi Tudományegyetem.

I have more than 80 scientific paper, mostly focusing on the research of villages, earth forts and pottery in the Árpád-age. I have received the following awards during my career: 1989: B.-A.-Z. Megye Művelődéséért; 2000: Pro Urbe Edelény; 2002: Alkotói Díj B.-A.-Z. Megye Közgyűlése.

Publications:

https://m2.mtmt.hu/gui2/?type=authors&mode=browse&sel=10031481