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

Armament And Society 381

One hundred and three edged weapon were deposited in the left side of the

skeleton (65.61 %), while only 54 examples were to the right of the individual

(34.39 %). The left side was dominant according to our data.

Most of the swords on the left side were deposited next to the left arm (57

examples, 36.31 %). These swords were unslung from the belt and placed in

the burial with their scabbard. This mode of deposition was used from the

beginning of the Early phase until the end of the Late phase, and it was char-

acteristic for every type of edged weapon. These edged weapons were mostly

placed between the elbow and the knee, while in some cases its hilt was found

next to the left shoulder. Some edged weapons were deposited near the left

legs between the hip and the ankle (23 burials, 14.65 %), while in 23 burials

(14.65 %) such weapons were found at the left side of the body without any

further specification.

Edged weapons deposited on the right side of the body are much fewer in

number, only 54 such burials are known, in 12 cases these artefacts were found

along the right arm, in 18 cases along the right leg, while in 24 cases the exact

location of the edged weapon is unknown. The right side is frequent for seaxes,

which is the usual side for wearing these weapons.

The symbolic significance of the left or right side of the human body has

already discussed in Avar archaeology. Some researchers have suggested that

since the normal position of wearing the edged weapon is on the left side,

swords and sabres on the right side of the deceased might be regarded as evi-

dence of the invocation of the inverted hereafter. This interpretation has been

DIAGRAM 19 Positions of edged weapons in male burials.

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

armleg unspecified

le

right