Introduction 63
tion of weapons are representative of the armament and even social position
of the person buried.275 Others even suggest that these weapon combinations
represent a fighting method and can be interpreted functionally.276 Besides
the armament, social hierarchy and fighting methods, several other factors
could influence the deposition of weapons in burials, like burial rite, the age
of the deceased, their role in the community and the ideology of the society.277
The most important factor in the examination of Avar-age weapons is that the
vast majority are found in burials,278 which represents intentional deposition,
reflecting either the intentions of the buried person or rather the community
organizing the funeral.279
The quality, combination and quantity of the weapons deposited in a grave
are the results of a burial rite. Weapons could be treated variously, they could
be deposited intact or injured, deformed, fragmented or re-heated. Deposition
of a whole armament is impossible for various reasons like size,280 value281 or
inheritance of the fighting equipment. Weapons were mainly deposited as
symbols in graves, as represented by the armour lamellae deposited as amu-
lets in some female burials.282 Weapons could symbolise power, wealth and
275 Steuer 1968, 18–87; Steuer 1970, 352–353.
276 Frank Siegmund (2000, 177–194) separated functional sets through statistical methods,
while Robert Reiß (2007) examined the relation of close and distant combat based on
weapon combinations.
277 Härke 1992; Härke 1997, 119–127.
278 Most of the Avar-age weapons are found in burials, and only one spear is known as a
settlement find (Kölked–Feketekapu) (Hajnal 2003, 190–191, 8. kép 6). Some spears are
regarded as offerings, although most of these artefacts do not have any clear archaeo-
logical context except for the Csengele find (Csallány 1939, 129–131; Csallány 1953, 133–141;
Kovrig 1955a, 30–44; Tomka 1986, 35–57; Némethi – Klíma 1992; Liska 1995, 91–98).
279 For distinguishing intentional and functional data in archaeology: Härke 1993, 141–146.
280 One example for extreme sized weapons are siege engines known from Byzantine sources
(Kardaras 2005), as an exception for such a behaviour see the grave monument of Atatürk
(Anıtkabir) in Ankara, where a cannon and his two cars were deposited.
281 Deposition of complete arms is extremely rare, only three such examples are known from
the Avar age: Kunszentmárton (Csallány 1982), Tiszavasvári (Csallány 1960a), Hajdúdorog
(Csallány 1960b) and Budakalász (Pásztor 1995, 58–78), similarly no helmet find is known
from the Avar Age and helmets are extremely rare finds from Early Medieval burial con-
text, although ‘Spangenhelm’ was worn by almost every Byzantine soldier during the 6th
century, they are known only from elite burials of Barbarians, who used it as a status
symbol (Steuer 1987, 191–197).
282 Such use of Avar-age lamellar armour is discussed in the studies of Dezső Csallány, who
drew attention to the fact that some lamellae were buried in women’s or children’s graves.
(Csallány 1972, 9–12) Arrowheads could have a similar function.