330 CHAPTER 6
with the deceased. This difference again suggests the foreign origin of the
deceased buried with weapons.180 Their ethnic affiliation, however, cannot be
confirmed by the archaeological finds alone, though it is sure that the burial
customs are generally similar to those of Byzantine, while the weapon burial
rite itself is an alien characteristic.
The attributes described by Attila Kiss can be found on only two Early
Avar swords, from grave No. 85 at Aradac–Mečka181 and from grave No. 259 at
Kölked–Feketekapu A cemetery,182 the crossguard of which is an exact analogy
for that of the sword from Corinth. Both crossguards were cast of copper alloy,
their central part is rhombic, while their ends are fan-shaped and rounded,
and the crossguard is boat-shaped in plan.
The sword from Aradac was dated to between 613 and 626 by Attila Kiss
using historical arguments, since he supposed that the sword cannot be later
than the siege of Constantinople in 626.183 This burial is dated by the Fönlak
type belt-set and its chronological relationship with the Akalan hoard which
is dated by hexagrams minted between 613 and 631.184 The burial of Kölked
is dated by a Salona-Histria type purse-buckle and stamped copper alloy belt
mounts to the first quarter of the 7th century.185 On this basis, these Avar
swords can be dated to the first quarter of the 7th century.
Only one double-edged sword with crossguard cast of copper alloy is known
from the Late phase, from the 2nd grave in the cemetery at Čierný Brod–
Homokdomb. The sword is straight, double-edged, its crossguard ending in a
small tube, and its ends are composed of two discs. The end of the hilt is cov-
ered by a pommel cast of copper alloy with a small loop, probably used for fix-
ing the wrist strap. Both the tube of the crossguard and the cross section of the
pommel is octagocal.186 Anton Točík dated this cemetery to the Late phase.187
An analogy for the Čierný Brod sword is known from a Carolingian cem-
etery in the Zala valley: a double-edged sword with similar coppered iron
crossguard found in grave No. 55 at Garabonc Ist cemetery. According to Béla
Miklós Szőke this pommel and crossguard were later, secondary additions to
180 Vida – Völling 2000, 34.
181 Nađ 1959, 62, Tab. XXVII/1.
182 Kiss 1996, 75–76. Taf. 57/20.
183 Kiss 1987a, 203–204.
184 Bóna 1982–83, 128.
185 Kiss 1996, 75–76.
186 Čilinská – Točík 1978, 46; Točík 1992, 9–12. Obr. 7.
187 Točík 1992, 9–12.