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

Armament And Society 365

Spearheads were mainly placed near the feet in male burials,8 though in some

cases these weapons can be found next to the head,9 humerus,10 at the thighs11

at the pelvis12 or at the hands.13 Most of the spearheads were found next to the

right foot of the deceased,14 while the position near the left foot is much rarer.15

The image of the inverted world of hereafter did not show up in the deposition

of weapons, since these weapons were also held on the right side during their

carrying, though the tip of the spearhead did usually point to the feet.

8 72 cases (62.06 %).
9 16 cases (13.79 %).
10 13 cases (11.2 %).
11 Eight cases (6.89 %).
12 Band grave No. 159 (Kovács 1913, 355); Bóly–Sziebert puszta–A grave No. 59 (Papp 1962,
179–180); Kölked–Feketekapu A grave No. 39 (Kiss 1996, 29); Szekszárd–Bogyiszlói út grave
No. 335 (Rosner 1975–76, IV. t. 6; Rosner 1999, 46–47); Szekszárd–Bogyiszlói út grave No.
551 (Rosner 1999, 72): five cases (4.3 %).
13 Tiszafüred–Majoros grave No. 159 (Garam 1995, 26); Tiszafüred–Majoros grave No. 1246
(Garam 1995, 150. Abb. 62): two cases (1.72 %).
14 41 cases.
15 Nine cases.

DIAGRAM 17 Position of polearms deposited in horse burials.

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

16

rightle unknown

skull

front leg

back leg