A sceptre has arrived at GTK

One of these symbols is the sceptre, also known as the ceremonial staff, pedum or sceptrum in Latin. It is one of the most important insignia of university life and symbolises not only the offices of the rector and deans, but also the university's national and international standing. The history of ELTE's sceptres is deeply rooted in Hungarian higher education. The faculties' historical sceptres, bearing the statues of their patron saints, were already in use in the 17th and 18th centuries. The medical faculty's sceptre featured Saint Luke; the theology faculty's featured Jesus Christ the Saviour; the rector's featured the Virgin Mary; the arts faculty's featured Saint Francis Xavier; and the law faculty's featured Saint Ivo.

Original sceptres

These played an important role in ceremonial occasions: the rector, dean or promoter carried them during inaugurations, oath-taking ceremonies and processions involving the university community. However, by the mid-20th century, these sceptres had become partly outdated and the organisational structure of the university had changed. It became necessary to rethink them, not only from an aesthetic point of view, but also in terms of their structure and symbolism.

The creation of the new university sceptres is linked to the rectorship of Gyula Ortutay(1957–1963), who commissioned new sceptres and chains to mark the 325th anniversary of ELTE's foundation. Ortutay aimed to create insignia that would reflect the university's new structure and ideals: dignified yet modern in form. He entrusted the design to Gyula László, an archaeologist, historian, university professor and artist, who presented his designs for the new sceptres and chains in May 1958.

László approached the task not only as a designer, he also considered Baroque architectural traditions, Hungarian folk motifs, and the symbolism of university ceremonies. The spherical head of the rector's sceptre was given a chalice shape surrounded by lily leaves and topped with a female figure holding a book and a torch to express the light of education and the power of knowledge. The law faculty sceptre features a sword, scales and a paragraph symbol, while the faculty of arts sceptre depicts a wise owl and a Roman torch. The faculty of natural sciences sceptre features a globe, a test tube and scientific symbols. The traditional saint representations were replaced with more stylised, timeless symbols to emphasise the modernity and autonomy of university life.

Master Prim

When the Faculty of Economics was established as the ninth faculty of ELTE in 2021, the chain of office was completed and unveiled at ceremonial occasions that resumed following the Covid pandemic. At that time, the idea of creating a faculty scepter (pedum) also emerged. However, this required thorough preparation to ensure the creation of a truly artisticallycrafted, masterfully executed ceremonial object.This began in 2023 with the commissioning of a skilled and experienced artist. We found this artist in the person of József Prim, a metalwork restorer.

He was born in Debrecen in 1967 and encountered the goldsmith's craft at a young age through the work of his uncle, goldsmith Zoltán Prim, and a fortunate coincidence. After secondary school, he began working as a goldsmith in Hungary and Germany. He passed his master's examination in 1993 and obtained a gem-setting qualification in 1997. He then passed a professional examination to become an assistant in the conservation of works of art. In 2003, he graduated from the Hungarian University of Fine Arts with a degree in metalwork restoration. Since 2004, he has worked at the Military History Institute and Museum, where he has been responsible for conserving artworks at the Museum of the National Assembly since its establishment. 

Led by dean Dr. Tihamér Margitay, the special committee—drawing on art historical and university historical research—decided on a timeless symbol. As the central figure of thesceptre, they chose Hermes, the Greek god of commerce. The enamel background of the sidepanels features additional symbols related to economics.

Mr Prim first created a three-dimensional graphic design based on the dean's instructions. After receiving approval, he began working on the design at the end of 2024. The finished work was first presented to the university community at the Senate's ceremonial meeting in May 2025. From then on, it will be a permanent feature at university events, symbolising the past and the values that will guide the faculty's future.

Photo: ELTE University Library, Prim József's website, Péter Szikits, Gábor Rusznák