From tea leaves to leaf-shaped tools. Studies in honour of Zsolt Mester on his sixtieth birthday

Abstract

Another consequence of your arrival was that spectacular piles of rocks appeared in various corners of the institute, the beauty of which arouses the interest and admiration of any student or researcher dealing with a later era, even when simply trying to get across them. I am happy to support your proposal to create a lithic collection that will facilitate teaching and research.However, what captures all of us the most is the way you see and present people behind the objects and phenomena, who created and developed their tools and transformed their environment, who continuously fought for their survival. Based on the Palaeolithic archaeological record, which can only be appreciated by the initiated today, you get to know and explain the lifeways of the people who once lived, their adaptation to the environment, their battles with rival communities or even their cooperation, and last but not least, their beliefs that elevate people above the ordinary, material world. In recent years, many of us have been able to enjoy your various lectures on human evolution and struggles for survival.In addition to piles of rocks, domestic and foreign researchers, there are groups of interested and engrossed students surrounding your table and studying the lithic blades, waste, and other worked stone and bone tools for hours. The multitude of enthusiastic students shows the true meaning and appreciation of your work.Dear Zsolt! I congratulate you on your achievements so far and behalf of the staff of the Institute of Archaeological Sciences of the ELTE Eötvös Loránd University, Faculty of Humanities, I wish you a lot of joy, perseverance and all the best for your further successful teaching and research work.