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

(Nandana) #1

Edged Weapons 189


This type is dated to the Early phase, and was usually accompanied by char-


acteristic grave goods of the Bócsa – Kunbábony horizon,109 and can therefore


be dated to the second half of this Early phase.110


1.2.3 Single-edged Swords with False Edge (Proto-sabre) (E.II.C)


The blade of this type is straight and single-edged but its tip being double-


edged, a false edge having been sharpened on the back of the blade at its tip


(map 33, figs. 74–75). These blades can be equipped with crossguard (seven


examples)111 but a number without crossguard are also known (nine pieces).112


Most of the examples equipped with crossguards belong to the Late phase


(five pieces), while the single-edged swords with false-edge and no crossguard


have a more even chronological distribution: four examples belong to the


Early phase,113 four to the Middle114 and one to the Late phase.115


This type played a significant role in the history of research on Avar weap-


ons, since it was regarded as a transitional type between single-edged swords


and sabres. It was first identified by János Győző Szabó116 but it was László


109 Belt-sets with pseudo-buckles, rhython and goblet.
110 László 1955, 232; Garam 1993, 25; Gavritukhin 2001, 154–155; Gavritukhin 2005, 406–411;
Gavritukhin 2008, 82–85. The Bócsa horizon is parallel to the Pereshchepina horizon, veri-
fying its late dating: (Kiss 1991, 193–210).
111 Čataj I.–Zemanské-Gejzove grave No. 60 (Hanuliak – Zábojník 1982, 498; Zábojník 1995,
No. 17, Abb. 4); Komárno–8 Shipyard grave No. 30, 71 and 72 (Trugly 1987, 256. Abb. 3, Taf.
V/6, 265. Taf. XV/15, 265–266. Taf. XVI/17); Tarnaméra, Urak dűlő grave No. ‘X’ (Szabó 1965,



  1. VIII. t. 1–3); Valalíky–Všechsvätých grave No. 85/83.
    112 Budapest XXI. Csepel–Kavicsbánya (Nagy 1998, I. 178–180); Győr–Téglavető-dűlő grave
    No. 72 (Börzsönyi 1902, 21; Fettich 1943, 16–17); Hajdúdorog–Városkert utca 7. grave ‘A’
    (Kralovánszky 1992, 136. 138. 10. ábra); Keszthely, városi temető, stray find (Lipp 1885b,
    30, 27–28. rajz); Košice–Šebastovce grave No. 161 (Budinský-Krička – Točík 1991, 38, Taf.
    XXII/16); Szeged–Fehértó B grave No. 61 (Madaras 1995b, 143. Pl. 12/8–9); Üllő, Kund col-
    lection grave No. 1 (MNM 9/1951.1); Váchartyán–Gosztonyi szőlőhegy grave No. 6 (Ferenczy
    1963, 85, 14. kép 1); Želovce grave No. 78 (Čilinská 1973, 49, Taf. XIV/20–21).
    113 Budapest XXI. Csepel–Kavicsbánya (Nagy 1998, I. 178–180); Győr–Téglavető-dűlő grave
    No. 72 (Börzsönyi 1902, 21; Fettich 1943, 16–17); Hajdúdorog–Városkert utca 7. grave ‘A’
    (Kralovánszky 1992, 136. 138. 10. ábra); Keszthely, városi temető, stray find (Lipp 1885b, 30,
    27–28. rajz).
    114 Szeged–Fehértó B grave No. 61 (Madaras 1995b, 143. Pl. 12/8–9); Üllő, Kund gyűjtemény
    grave No. 1 (MNM 9/1951.1); Váchartyán–Gosztonyi szőlőhegy grave No. 6 (Ferenczy 1963,
    85,14. kép 1); Želovce grave No. 78 (Čilinská 1973, 49, Taf. XIV/20–21).
    115 Košice–Šebastovce grave No. 161 (Budinský-Krička – Točík 1991, 38; Taf. XXII/16).
    116 Szabó 1965, 42. VIII. t. 1–3.

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