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

(Nandana) #1

220 CHAPTER 3


Figure 82 Short and narrow seaxes (E.IV.A–B) 1. Környe, grave No. 18 (Salamon – Erdélyi 1971,
15.); 2. Környe, grave No. 97 (Salamon – Erdélyi 1971, 23, Taf. 15; Simon 1991, 297.);



  1. Budapest XIV. Zugló, Népstadion, grave No. 5 (Lipták 1963, 331; Nagy 1973, 201–202;
    Lipták 1983, 51, 62, 78–88, 90; Nagy 1991, 443, No. 43; Nagy 1998, 109,
    II. Taf. 84B/2.).


As well as size, other attributes like the curved back or the existence of a fuller


have also been used for distinguishing short seaxes from knives (map 37,


fig. 83).


These weapons are mainly known from the Early Avar cemeteries of Eastern


Transdanubia which demonstrate strong Merovingian influences;187 however,


knives over the blade length of 15 cm weapons. Ursula Koch (1977, 106) described short
seaxes of 20–25 cm blade length and of 2.8–3 cm blade width, while the system of Jo
Wernard (1998, 774–775) used a blade length of 18 cm as a distinguishing attribute.
187 Kölked–Feketekapu A grave No. 29, 31 and 39 (Kiss 1996, 27. Taf. 24/1, 29, 228, Taf. 26/19);
Környe grave No. 18, 66 and 97 (Salamon – Erdélyi 1971, 15, 20, Taf. 9/19–21; 23); Szekszárd-
Bogyiszlói út grave No. 44 (Rosner 1999, 16, Taf. 4/3).

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