Avar-Age Polearms and Edged Weapons. Classification, Typology, Chronology and Technology

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Polearms 123


their blade width is less than 3 cm. The narrower diameter of the socket is


of functional importance, since a narrower shaft would have been required


which would have effected its power and increased its fragility. Altogether 54


spearheads belonging to this type were found in 41 burials (map 17, figs. 45–47).


It was mainly used in the Early phase (figs. 45–46), with 41 spearheads hav-


ing been found in 29 burials from Transdanubia (map 17). The Middle phase


is represented by only two examples,177 whilst a slightly larger group of these


spearheads (ten pieces) are dated to the Late phase, mostly from Southwestern


Slovakia and the Great Hungarian Plain.178 Consequently, this type can be


divided into an Early and Late variant which will be presented separately.


The 41 spearheads from the Early phase were found in 29 burials, mainly


from Transdanubia, the only exception being a Transylvanian burial.179 Some


of these burials contained two180 or even three spearheads.181 This deposi-


tional rite was only typical for the Early phase Transdanubian cemeteries. Only


one ‘Gepid’ burial is known with double spearsheads of this type which dates


to the 6th century.182 One possible interpretation of the deposition of these


spearheads in pairs or threes is that they were used as javelins.183 The type is


dated to the second half of the Early phase, with a small-sized variant from


grave No. 360 at Pókaszepetk being dated by a cast copper alloy purse-buckle


decorated with two animal figures to the middle of the 7th century.184


177 Radvaň nad Dunajom–Žitavská Tôň grave No. 3 (Čilinská 1963, 89. tab. III/18); Tiszafüred–
Majoros grave No. 577 (Garam 1995, 76, Abb. 31. Taf. 104. 181/1).
178 Bóly–Sziebert puszta–A grave No. 1 (Papp 1962, 168–169; III. t. 16); Bratislava–Devinska
Nová Ves–A–Tehel’ňa grave No. 765a (Eisner 1952, 161–162, t. 81/8); Čataj I. Zemanské–
Gejzovce grave No. 113 (Hanuliak – Zábojník 1982, 498; Szentpéteri 1993, 121); Košice–
Šebastovce grave No. 131 and 232 (Budinský-Krička – Točík 1991, 32–33. Taf. XVIII/28, 50–51,
Taf. XXXII/6); Mistelbach–Krankenhaus grave ‘A’ (Mitscha-Mähreim 1941, 7.Taf. 1/15;
Distelberger 1996, 105–109); Štúrovo–Vojenské cvičisko grave No. 258 (Točík 1968b, 67–68.
Taf. LI/14); Terehegy–Márfai dögkút grave No. 6 (Kiss 1977, 147–148. Pl. LX); Tiszafüred–
Majoros grave No. 692 (Garam 1995, 88, Abb. 35. Taf. 112. Taf. 182/1).
179 Band grave No. 52 (Kovács 1913, 324–325. 43. kép 15).
180 Cikó grave B (or 555) (Kiss – Somogyi 1984, 41. tábla 21–22); Pécs–Köztemető grave No. 30
(Kiss 1977, 6, XXXVIII. tábla); Várpalota–Unió homokbánya grave No. 210 (Erdélyi –
Németh 1969, 190); Pókaszepetk grave No. 76 (Sós – Salamon 1995, Pl. IX: 5–6) and 360
(Sós – Salamon 1995, Pl. XXII: 1)
181 Budakalász–Dunapart grave No. 1271; Csákberény–Orondpuszta grave No. 44
(Székesfehérvár, IKM 10.217); Oroszlány–Borbálatelep (Sós – Salamon 1995, 71. unpub-
lished); Pókaszepetk grave No. 88 (Sós – Salamon 1995, Pl. X/1–3).
182 Kisköre–Pap tanya grave No. 43 (Bóna – Nagy 2002, 194; Taf. 29/6–7).
183 Sós – Salamon 1995, 72. (based on: Zásterová 1971, 78).
184 Garam 2001, 111–112.

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