Polearms 141
and its socket is open. A similar spearhead was depicted on the 2nd gold jar of
the ‘Nagyszentmiklós’ hoard on the representation known as the ‘victorious
prince’ holding a flagged spear with rhombic, pierced blade on its shoulder.250
Similar spearheads with pierced blade are only known from the so-called
‘forest-steppe’ variant of the Saltovo-Majaki culture, mainly from cremation
burials, although their shape is somewhat different: the blade being broad and
lenticular in shape with a central rib.251
The spearheads with long and narrow neck (P.IV.B/2) comprise a distinct
variant of the triangular spearheads: their socket is extremely long, the socket-
wings are bent next to each other, and the blade is short (one third of the whole
length). The blade is broad and triangular in shape, its cross section is flat
and rhombic. Such spearheads are known from grave No. 757 at Tiszafüred–
Majoros which is dated to the Middle phase by its stamped belt-set with a
strap-end of interlace ornament.252 The function of this variant can be inter-
preted as a throwing weapon ( javelin).
1.5 Javelins (P.V)
The weapons of this group do not belong to either spears or to arrowheads but
comprise a transitional group. Their common characteristics are their small
size (10–19 cm) and extremely narrow socket (1–1.5 cm).253 These weapons can
be identified as javelins as consequence of their physical properties (map 23,
fig. 55).
250 On Avar-age spear-representations: (Bálint 2004a, 359; Husár 2007, 29–41; Fancsalszky
2007) The description of 2nd gold flask of the hoard: (Gschwantler 2002, 15; Bálint 2004a,
424) Csanád Bálint cited the openwork spears of Transylvanian group and the representa-
tion of the gold solidus of Tiber III (698–705) as analogy for the spear-representation of
Nagyszentmiklós (Bálint 2004a, 364).
251 These spears are different from the spearhead of grave No. 48 of Košice–Šebastovce
and the representation of 2nd gold flask of ‘Nagyszentmiklós’ hoard, since their lenticu-
lar blade is centrally ribbed. (Miheev 1985, 118. ris. 9, 119. ris. 10/12, 120. ris. 11; Aksenov –
Miheev 2006, ris. 40/1, ris. 63/8. ris. 72/2).
252 Garam 1995, Taf. 117.
253 Bratislava–Devinska Nová Ves–A–Tehel’ňa grave No. 200 (Eisner 1952, 60, Obr. 28/6);
Komárno–8. Shipyard grave No. 85 (Trugly 1987, 271–272. Taf. XXVI–XXVIII. Taf.
XXVI/13); Košice-Šebastovce grave No. 58 (Budinský-Krička – Točík 1991, 17–18, Taf.
V); Mosonszentpéter–Kavicsbánya grave No. 1 (Sőtér 1885, 202); Mosonszentpéter–
Kavicsbánya grave No. 3 (Sőtér 1885, 202); Mosonszentpéter–Kavicsbánya grave No. 4
(Sőtér 1885, 202); Mosonszentpéter–Kavicsbánya grave No. 5 (Sőtér 1885, 202); Regöly–
Kupavár grave No. 108 (Kiss – Somogyi 1984, 134–135. 75. tábla 15); Valalíky–Všechsvätých
grave No. 46/83 (Zábojník 1995, Taf. III; Husár 2005, Tab. 12/13).