Edged Weapons 169
which is dated by a copy of a golden solidus of Maurice (582–602),50 or grave
No. 2 at the Kiszombor ‘O’ cemetery with a golden solidus of Phocas (602–610)
(fig. 61/3).51 Besides the coins, other grave goods like belt-sets or pieces of jew-
ellery also help with their dating,52 demonstrating that these swords were used
in the first half of the Early phase, earlier than the so-called pseudo-buckle
horizon or the horizon of complex back-mounts.
The double-edged swords with lenticular cross section equipped with a
crossguard (E.I.B/2) are quite rare finds in the Avar-age Carpathian Basin: only
seven examples are known which is only 13.46% of the swords belonging to
this type (fig. 62). Two variants can be identified within this type: the swords
with iron crossguards and those with copper alloy crossguards. As will be dem-
onstrated, these double-edged swords with copper alloy crossguards are of
Byzantine origin.
The swords with iron crossguards (E.I.B/2.a) are very few in number, only
four such examples being known, and in some cases only the impression of
the crossguard could be observed.53 These are distributed evenly between the
Great Hungarian Plain54 and Transdanubia.55 All of the known examples are
dated to the Early phase, and they were often found together with Masque type
belt-sets56 which date them to the first half of the Early phase. Their form and
structure is similar to the swords of the 5th century (Huns),57 though there are
50 For the coin-imitation: (Bóna 1980, 31–36; Somogyi 1997, 84–85).
51 Garam 1992, 142. Taf. 33–36; Somogyi 1997, 53–54.
52 The golden pyramid-shaped earrings of grave No. 8 at Deszk G (Csallány 1939, 127, 129)
and grave No. 2 at Kiszombor O (Garam 1992, 142, Taf. 33–36), and the granulated golden
pyramid-shaped earring, rosette-shaped forehead-decoration and lamellar armour from
Szegvár–Sápoldal (Bóna 1979, 5–8; Bóna 1980; Garam 1992, 139–140) all suggest the same
period.
53 Szentes–Lapistó (Csallány 1933–34, 207–208; Simon 1991, 307).
54 Kiszombor E grave No. 29 (Csallány 1939, 137; Simon 1991, 295. 10. kép 5, 19. kép); Szentes–
Lapistó (Csallány 1933–34, 207–208; Simon 1991, 307).
55 Keszthely–Fenékpuszta grave No. 1 (Lipp 1885a, 9; Hampel 1894, 89–90; Bóna 1982–83,
117–119. 12. t. 1; Simon 1991, 294. 11. kép 6); Tolnanémedi (Nagy 1901a, 317. I/11. 3. 4; Fettich
1937, 128; Simon 1991, 309).
56 Keszthely–Fenékpuszta grave No. 1 (Lipp 1885a, 9; Hampel 1894, 89–90; Bóna 1982–83,
117–119. 12. t. 1; Simon 1991, 294. 11. kép 6); Szentes–Lapistó (Csallány 1933–34, 207–208;
Simon 1991, 307); Tolnanémedi (Nagy 1901a, 317. I/11. 3. 4; Fettich 1937, 128; Simon 1991,
309).
57 For Hunnic swords, see Bóna 1991, 175–176; Menghin 1994–95, 165–186; Anke 1998, 73;
Botalov 2006, 35–45.