Introduction 29
Weapons can be classified as offensive and defensive by their function, and
close and distant-combat weapons by the reach of their use. Both of the exam-
ined weapon types in the present work are offensive close-combat weapons.160
Polearms or pole weapons are close-combat weapons composed of a long
wooden shaft and a sharp metal head attached to it, while edged weapons,
known also as cutting or blade weapons, consist of a long metal (mainly steel)
blade suitable for both cutting and thrusting. Battle axes are not examined as
part of the present study since their short cutting edge is supplemented by a
hitting surface, resulting in a functional difference, and as a consequence of
which these artefacts are termed ‘hitting weapons’.
3.1.1 Terminology of Polearms
Several different terms are used for describing polearms in English, such as
‘spear’, ‘lance’, ‘pike’, ‘javelin’, ‘jereed’ and ‘halberd’. Only single pointed pole-
arms are known from Avar-age burials of the Carpathian Basin, and are gener-
ally refered to as spears in Avar archaeology but ‘pike’ is also a frequently used
term.161 However, the latter is not a general term, such as to describe Avar-age
polearms used by mounted warriors, since pikes were originally used only by
infantrymen, while polearms of cavalry are generally refered to as ‘lance’.162
Avar polearms are mainly found in burial contexts (with the exception of
some sacrifices) and therefore very little is known about their original func-
tion. However, most of the terms for describing them are related to the weap-
on’s function. As a result several terms (like pike and lance) will be omitted,
and only the term ‘spear’ will be used for polearms in a very general sense with-
out regard of their use by mounted warriors or infantrymen, with only throw-
ing weapons being distinguished as ‘javelins’.
These polearms are composed of two parts: a wooden shaft and a spear-
head made of steel, which is divided into blade163 and socket.164 The main
function of the blade is to injure the foe, while the socket fixes the spearhead
to the shaft, therefore the blade should be suitable for frontal attacks which
160 Although some of the ‘spearheads’ can be identified as throwing weapons ( javelins), their
form is identical with other polearms.
161 Serious problems are caused by mistranslations of weapon types. The lances (polearms
of a mounted warrior) are often translated as javelins (‘Wurfspieß’ in the German text, see
Salamon – Erdélyi 1971, 56–57), which are throwing weapons or pikes which are weapons
of footmen (Cs. Sós – Salamon 1995, 67).
162 The use of the term ‘pike’ in Avar archaeology is probably a result of mistranslations.
163 In German ‘Blatt’, in Russian ‘перo.’
164 In German ‘Tülle’, in Russian ‘тулька.’