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

362 CHAPTER 7

Edged weapons show an interesting correlation with ornamented belt-sets,

with 43.89 % of all edged weapons found in graves with belt-sets (309 burials).

This rate is relatively high compared to the ratio of burials with edged weapons

and horses (16.9 %).

The rate of burials with edged weapons and ornamented belts is not constant

during the Avar Age, with this rate being just 36 % during the Early phase, 67 %

during the Middle phase, and 43 % during the Late phase, suggesting some

kind of growing importance for this combination as shown by the diagram

above. The very high rate of Middle phase burials is related to the fact that

most such burials can only be dated by the means of these belt-sets.

3 The Position of Polearms and Edged Weapons in Burials

3.1 Polearms

The characteristic position of polearms and edged weapons in burials will

be presented below. Unfortunately, the great number of stray finds among

polearms makes the determination of their original position largely impos-

sible, especially as grave robbery and other disturbances of burials can change

their original position. Only the position of 156 spearheads could therefore be

examined.

The deposition of polearms in graves is closely connected to horse skeletons:

spearheads were usually placed next to the head of the horse (32 examples),

DIAGRAM 16 Percentage of the burials with edged weapons containing

ornamented belts.

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

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