Polearms 69
other polearms were lost, and therefore these could not be studied.7 Some data
from the published literature was clearly unreliable: some socketed arrow-
heads were described as spearheads8 and in some cases Iron Age (La Tène)
spearheads were inventoried as Avar-age artefacts.9 Some unpublished ceme-
teries containing several graves are only known from excavation reports, hence
some spearheads are merely mentioned.10
A general classification and chronology of Avar-age polearms has never pre-
viously been studied, with only small series (like individual cemeteries) having
been examined and therefore their conclusions limited to specific sites.11 Parts
of this study have been published elsewhere in Hungarian.12
1 Classification of Polearms
As already described, the polearms have been classified based on the form
of the blade into four form-groups (P.I: reed-shaped; P.II: conical; P.III:
leaf-shaped; P.IV: triangular) (fig. 3) and subdivided into several blade types
(figs. 4–7). Variants are distinguished by the ratio of the length of the blade and
socket, and finally by the manufacture of the socket (fig. 8). Some spearheads
could not be classified by a blade type finer than a form-group, and in these
cases they will be mentioned only as part of general categories.
7 18 spearheads were lost during the World War II.
8 As in the case of the ‘javelins’ of the Mosonszentpéter site (grave No. 1, 3, 4, 5: Sőtér 1885,
202) which are actually socketed arrowheads.
9 Some spears mentioned by Szentpéteri appear not to exist, like that from grave No. 6
of Budapest XIV. Tihanyi tér (Nagy 1998, 116. Taf. 91–92). La Tène spearheads dated
formerly to Avar Age: Kölesd (Kovrig 1955b, 170).
10 11 examples from Mezőfalva–Vasútállomás (grave No. 20, 23, 27, 66A, 76, 87/100, 115, 122,
134, 136, 200) and 13 pieces from Rácalmás–rózsamajor (grave No. 1, 15, 23, 26, 55, 80, 82,
102, 118, 121, 131, 150, 152) are simply mentioned by Szentpéteri (1993, No. 435 and 545). The
unpublished spearheads (33 pieces) from Szekszárd – Tószegi dűlő (No. 168, 176, 179, 188,
195, 232, 252, 336, 345, 358, 505, 512, 521, 533, 619, 645, 1040, 1063, 1083, 1085, 1110, 1112, 1138,
1346, 1460, 1589, 1607, 1760, 1768, 1785, 1786, 1787, 1831, 1842) are only used for statistics of
burial rite, and I am indebted to János Ódor for this information.
11 Ilona Kovrig (1955a; Kovrig 1955b) listed only 41 spears; Attila Kiss (1962) used data of 59
early Avar spears, József Szentpéteri (1993) listed 200 Avar-age polearms. The newest cata-
logue of Avar-age polearms contains 666 spearheads (404 spearheads from Early phase).
This means an increase of more than 300%.
12 Csiky 2007, 305–323.