250 CHAPTER 3
the type, and are dated to the end of the 7th and the beginning of the 8th cen-
tury (fig. 92/4).328
2.2.2 Star-shaped Crossguards (CG.5)
Star-shaped crossguards are characterised by a central rhombic part and short
projections,329 and therefore could not have been used for fencing, since the
crossguard was too short to stop the enemy’s blade (maps 42–43, fig. 93). Its
function was probably to hinder the blade when placed into the scabbard,
similar to Ottoman sabre crossguards. The lower projection runs into the scab-
bard, and was of particular importance when pulling out the blade.330 These
crossguards were called star-shaped by Éva Garam,331 whereas previously they
had been called rhombic.
Some of the star-shaped crossguards are covered with gold or silver sheets
(CG.5.a, fig. 93/1).332 Other decorative schemes are also known, such as the oval
52, Taf. 177/1); Wien XIII. Unter St. Veit, Spohrstrasse (Daim 1979, 63. Taf. 7/2); Želovce
grave No. 27 (Čilinská 1973, 38, Taf. IV/1); Želovce grave No. 175 (Čilinská 1973, 67, Taf.
XXXI/1); Želovce grave No. 843 (Čilinská 1973, 183, Taf. CXXXIII/17).
328 Éva Garam (1991a, 143) classified the grave No. 4 at Košice-Barca to this form (Pástor 1954,
137, Tab. I/1), though this attribution is questionable.
329 Their average length is 5–6 cm, but examples from the Late phase are usually 8–10 cm
long.
330 A similar function is known from the crossguards (tsuba) of samurai swords (katana)
(Icke-Schwalbe 2006, 92).
331 Garam 1991a, 148.
332 Éva Garam referenced more sabres of this type than are actually known as a result of
problems with identification: the sword cited from grave No. 125 at Jánoshida is identical
to that from ‘Csanád’ mentioned by Géza Nagy (1901b, 285), and József Hampel (1905. I.
196–197, 470–471. kép, II. 628–629; Hampel 1907, 109–110) identified it with the sword from
Baracs by István Bóna. In the publication of the Jánoshida cemetery the photograph of
the former sword is published (Erdélyi 1958, 25, XLIV. t. 1). All other edged weapons from
the site disappeared during World War II, but János Kalmár made descriptions and draw-
ings of these weapons between 1930 and 1939 in the Weapon Depository, and according to
his drawing and descriptions the sword from Jánoshida did not have silver covering. The
crossguard of the sabre from Kecskemét-Miklóstelep cannot be regarded as having silver
covering, since it was published with a silver quadrangular belt-mount on its crossguard
(Kada 1896, 153–154; Hampel 1897, 46; Hampel 1905, II. 379–380. III. Taf. 277). The cross-
guard of the sabre from grave No. 820 from Želovce (Čilinská 1973, 180, Taf. CXXXI/1) is
not covered by silver foil either. These weapons are: Baracs–Ágocs-tanya (Nagy 1901b, 285,
Hampel 1905. I. 196–197, 470–471. kép, II. 628–629; Hampel 1907, 109–110); Dunaújváros–
Öreghegy, Rákits D. földje (Dunapentele) grave No. 7 (I) (Hekler 1909, 97–105; Fettich
1926a, 27–28; Marosi – Fettich 1936, 9–17, Taf. I–VI; Bóna 1970, 250, 3–8; Bóna 1971a, 249–
250 (33–34), 271 (51); Bóna 1982–83, 62–64, No. 20a-d, Taf. 27–28, 35.9; Garam 1994–95,
134, 8. kép); Gyenesdiás–Algyenes grave No. 64 (Müller 1989, Abb. 2, 143–147, Abb. 3–5);