Edged Weapons 223
Narrow seaxes remained in use from the second half of the 6th to first half of
the 7th century across the Merovingian territory.196 Most of these weapons were
found in Middle phase burials (second half of the 7th century) in the Carpathian
Basin. According to the view of Győző János Szabó these weapons were used as
bowie knives, with no connection to the development of seaxes.197 However,
due to their short chronology and limited geographical distribution, their func-
tion may be considered to be weapons. The examples from the Carpathian Basin
cannot be identified with Merovingian narrow seaxes but they show similar ten-
dencies in their development. Most of these weapons are dated to the Middle
phase198 but they remained in use during the first half of the 8th century.199
The main distribution area of these weapons is in the northern part
of the Great Hungarian Plain200 but some examples are also known from
Transdanubia and Southwestern Slovakia (map 37).201 This distribution area
and their chronological difference exclude the possibility of a western origin
for this weapon, suggesting that it was probably invented locally.
(Garam 1979, 11–12. Taf. 7; Taf. 29/1); Nagyréde–Ragyogópart grave No. 9 (Szabó 1968, 40.
VIII t. 11); Štúrovo–Vojenské cvičisko grave No. 224 (Točík 1968b, 59. Taf. XLV/18); Štúrovo–
Obid grave No. 8 (Točík 1992, 97–98. Obr. 61/22).
196 Kurt Böhner (1958, 137–138) dated narrow seaxes to his IIIth–IVth stages (Stufe),
while Ursula Koch (1977, 107) dated them to the 2nd-3rd phase (545–600) of the
Schretzheim-cemetery.
197 Szabó 1966, 50; Szabó 1968, 40.
198 Budapest XIV. Zugló, Népstadion grave No. 5 (Nagy 1998, 109, II. Taf. 84B/2); Dormánd–
Hanyipuszta, stray find (Szabó 1966, 50. XIV. t. 7); Győr–Téglavető-dűlő grave No. 867 (XJM
53.278.1102); Jászapáti–Nagyállás út grave No. 410 (Madaras 1994, 96, Taf. L/6); Nagyréde–
Ragyogópart grave No. 9 (Szabó 1968, 40. VIII t. 11); Štúrovo–Vojenské cvičisko grave No.
224 (Točík 1968b, 59. Taf. XLV/18).
199 Ártánd–Kapitány-dűlő grave No. 136 (Kralovánszky 1996, 52. 14. kép); Kisköre–Halastó
grave No. 23 (Garam 1979, 11–12. Taf. 7, Taf. 29/1) and Štúrovo–Obid grave No. 8 (Točík 1992,
97–98. Obr. 61/22) dated by cast bronze belt-sets.
200 Ártánd–Kapitány-dűlő grave No. 136 (Kralovánszky 1996, 52. 14. kép); Budapest XIV. Zugló,
Népstadion grave No. 5 (Nagy 1998, 109, II. Taf. 84B/2); Dormánd–Hanyipuszta, stray find
(Szabó 1966, 50. XIV. t. 7); Jászapáti–Nagyállás út grave No. 410 (Madaras 1994, 96, Taf. L/6);
Kisköre–Halastó grave No. 23 (Garam 1979, 11–12. Taf. 7; Taf. 29/1); Nagyréde–Ragyogópart
grave No. 9 (Szabó 1968, 40. VIII t. 11).
201 Győr–Téglavető-dűlő grave No. 867 (XJM 53.278.1102); Štúrovo–Vojenské cvičisko grave
No. 224 (Točík 1968b, 59. Taf. XLV/18); Štúrovo–Obid grave No. 8 (Točík 1992, 97–98. Obr.
61/22).