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CHAPTER 2
Polearms
The Avars arrived in the Carpathian Basin around 567–568 after fleeing from
the Turks and their establishment of an empire in Inner Asia.1 Due to its geo-
graphical position, Avar material culture was influenced by traditions from the
steppes (Inner and Central Asia, Eastern Europe), Byzantium and Merovingian
West.2 This process is reflected in the polearms, one of the most important
close combat weapons of the Avars. The old Turkic word for spear ‘süngü’
appears often on Turkic runic inscriptions on monuments of Inner Asia sug-
gesting an important role for polearms in the contemporary armament of the
steppes.3 The spear was clearly a significant weapon for the Avars as demon-
strated by the 656 recently known spearhead finds from this period, exceeding
the number of Central Asian Turkic4 and ancient Hungarian (10th–11th centu-
ries) polearms.5
Among the 658 catalogue entries, 126 specimens (19.15%) could not be clas-
sified because of either damage or lack of information, while most of them:
532 specimens (80.85%) were attributed to the form-group of polearm blades
(maps 2–4). The classification was mainly limited by the poor preservation of
artefacts: in some cases only the socket of the spearhead survived6 and several
1 Pohl 2002, 27–31.
2 Daim 2003, 463–480.
3 The significant role of these spears is evident from the fact that the word ‘battle’ (süngüsh)
and ‘spear’ derive from the same etymology (DTS 517; Erdal 1991, 566–567).
4 According to the data of Jurij Khudiakov (1986, 156–157) only 8 spearheads were known
from Inner Asia from the 6–10th centuries. Gleb V. Kubarev added four further examples
(Ulandryk kurgan I. 20. Barburgazy kurgan I. 20. Balyk-Sook kurgans I. 11. and 23) (Kubarev
2005, 98).
5 Only 18 spearheads are dated to the early Hungarian period (generally known as the age of
Hungarian conquest and state foundation, 10th–11th centuries) (Kovács 1972, 84–94; Kovács
1977, 62–65). 51 polearms were formerly dated to this period but three of them proved to
be prehistoric, seven Avar age, 18 winged-spearheads of Carolingian period (9th–10th cen-
turies), eight examples were medieval and six pieces are unreliable entries (Kovács 1972,
96–99).
6 Komárno Shipyard grave No. 130 (Trugly 1993, 207. Abb. 30. Taf. XXXVIII/5); Mezőkovácsháza–
Agyagbánya grave No. 5 ( Juhász 1973, 104, II. t. 5); Tiszaderzs–Szentimrei út grave No. 19
(Kovrig 1975, 221. fig. 5/4), grave No. 29 (Kovrig 1975, 221–222. fig. 6/35) and grave No. 38
(Kovrig 1975, 222. fig. 7)