302 CHAPTER 5
3 Early Avar II. (610–650)
The Early Avar period marks significant changes in its material culture with
the formation of the so-called Bócsa – Kunbábony horizon by the 620–30s.
These transformations mainly concentrated on belt-sets and to a lesser degree
polearms but some changes occurred, like the spread of reed-shaped spear-
heads with long socket and short blade (P.I.B/2, fig. 23–24) and the appearance
of conical spearheads with extra narrow blades (P.II.B/1, fig. 35–36). Both of
these types were used continuously throughout the Middle phase.
Significant transformations also occurred in the case of edged weapons.
The beginning of the development of ring-pommel swords (E.I.C and E.II.B)
cannot be easily determined but their height was during this phase (Bócsa—
Kunbábony horizon, figs. 63 and 71–72). By the last decades of the Early phase
there were significant changes to the blades of single-edged swords as they
already show some features of early sabres, like false edge (E.II.C, fig. 73–74)
and slightly curved blade (E.III.A, fig. 75). The rhombic decoration of sword
hilts had already appeared during the Early phase, previewing similar decora-
tive rivets on the hilt of the sabres from the Middle phase. The light variant
of the broad seax (E.IV.C, fig. 83) appeared contemporaneously with earliest
sabres, and their use is mainly characteristic of the Middle phase. The more
frequent use of crossguards (mainly of type CG.4, fig. 92) also started around
this date. Besides P-shaped suspension loops (S.4.a–c, fig. 100–102), the similar
semicircular loops (S.5.a, fig. 104) and the triple-arched loops (S.6, fig. 103) were
used frequently. Summarising these developments, those elements character-
istic of the Middle phase had already begun to appear by the end of the Early
phase, clearly demonstrating that there is no sharp chronological boundary
between the two periods.10
4 Middle Phase (650–700)
From the middle of the 7th century, and the horizon called Ozora – Igar –
Gyenesdiás, there were further clearly observable changes in the material cul-
ture of the Avars.11 This process is also reflected in its weaponry.
10 Continuity between the Early and Middle phases was emphasised by the study of burial
customs (Tomka 1989, 171–173), and pottery (Vida 1999a, 190–191).
11 Radical changes were observed in belt-sets and women’s jewellery (Bóna 1970; Garam
1976; Garam 1978; Pástor 1986), Byzantine imports (Garam 1991d; Garam 2001, 180), pot-
tery (Vida 1999a) and burial customs (Tomka 1975; Tomka 1989; Tomka 2008). This phase