Polearms 151
Lenticular spearheads of the P.III form-group are mainly characteristic of
Merovingian material culture293 but they can also be found amongst material
associated with the Byzantine forts of the Northern Balkans.294 The lenticular
spearheads with central blade (Dorfmerking type) (P.III.D) is usually distrib-
uted in Western and Central Europe from Italy to the Rhine.295
It appears that the role of spears decreased during the Middle and Late
phase. Only 39 spearheads are known from the Middle phase (map 3) and 200
examples from the Late phase (map 4). The small number of Middle phase
spears can be interpreted in various ways: for example, the period was the
shortest of the Avar Age (lasting for 50–60 years), and there is the fact that
Middle phase male burials are usually identified by their belt-sets, whilst
uncertain burials are instead mostly dated to either the Early or Late phase
according to their horizontal stratigraphy, meaning that many Middle phase
burials may have been incorrectly assigned.
The geographical distribution of the Middle phase spearheads testifies to
the predominance of Transdanubia, with 12 out of 39 Middle phase spear-
heads being found here, and three on the northern shore of the Danube.
The northwestern periphery played a significant role during the Late phase
in the distribution of these spearheads but Transdanubia and the Tisza river
were also of considerable importance. It is important to note that most of the
northern sites lie immediately on the shore of the Danube river. The Northern
Transdanubian Plain and Transtisia regions, however, are almost devoid of
spearheads, although in the Mureş valley in Transylvania there is a small con-
centration of finds.
Characteristic changes during the Late phase are the narrowing of the
reed-shaped blade and the cross section of the blade becoming quadrangular
(P.I.F). New developments include the appearance of narrow lenticular spear-
heads with rhombic cross section (P.III.C), as well as the appearance of new
types of western origin (Egling and Pfullingen type), such as the hooked spear-
heads (‘Hakenlanze’), though in very small numbers.
293 Hübener 1977, 510–527; Koch 2001, 61–63.
294 Sadovec (Uenze 1992, I. 445. II. Taf. 42/5–7); Caričin Grad (Kondić – Popović 1977, Tabl.
XVII/96; Bavant et al. 1990, 230, fig. 165, Pl. XL/246).
295 Hübener 1972, 196, Abb. 2.