Avar-Age Polearms and Edged Weapons

Gergely Csiky, Ph.D. (2010, Budapest), Institute of Archaeology, RCH HAS, is a researcher of Avar archaeology, weapon and military history. He has published several articles on Avar-age weaponry and weapon burials.

• ContentsAcknowledgements ixList of Figures, Maps and Diagrams xiAbbreviations xxviAbbreviation of Museums xxxi1 Introduction 11 Objectives 42 History of Research 72.1 Antiquarian Perspective and Cataloguing Artefacts 82.2 Classification and Typology 112.3 Ethnic Interpretations and Questions of Origin 162.4 Social Reconstruction 233 Methods Applied in this Study 283.1 Terminology and the Methods of Classification 283.2 Technology 463.3 Chronology and Distribution 533.4 Armament and Society 613.5 Methods of Data Collection 642 Polearms 681 Classification of Polearms 691.1 Reed-shaped Spearheads (P.I) 701.2 Conical Spearheads (P.II) 1041.3 Lenticular (Leaf-shaped) Spearheads (P.III) 1111.4 Triangular Spearheads (P.IV) 1351.5 Javelins (P.V) 1412 Ferrules 1433 Shafts 1444 Representations of Polearms 1465 Conclusions 1493 Edged Weapons 1521 Classification of Edged Weapons 1531.1 Double-edged Swords (E.I) 1541.2 Single-edged Swords (E.II) 1731.3 Sabres (E.III) 1921.4 Seaxes (E.IV) 2152 The Fittings of Edged Weapons 2322.1 The Hilt 2322.2 The Crossguard 2452.3 Decoration of the Scabbard 2592.4 The Chape 2643 Suspension 2653.1 One-point Suspension 2663.2 Two-point Suspension 2734 Conclusions 2884 Technology—Manufacturing Techniques 2925 Chronology—Continuity and Discontinuity 2991 Early Avar I. (568–620s) 2992 The Turn of the 6th–7th Century 3013 Early Avar II. (610–650) 3024 Middle Phase (650–700) 3025 Late Avar I. (700–750) 3036 Late Avar II. (750–820?) 3047 General Types Characteristic of Longer Timespans 3056 Origins and Cultural Contacts 3061 The East and the Steppe Lands 3061.1 Polearms 3071.2 P-shaped Suspension Loops 3111.3 Ring-pommel Swords 3151.4 Sabres 3182 Southern Mediterranean Region 3262.1 Crossguards Cast of Copper Alloy 3282.2 P-shaped Suspension Loops 3313 Western Germanic Area 3323.1 Early Phase 3323.2 Middle and Late Phase 3363.3 Questions in the Research on Seaxes 3423.4 Chronological Problems of Seaxes and the Difficulties ofChronological Synchronisation 3457 Armament and Society 3481 Deposition of Weapons in Burials—Cemeteries and RegionalDifferences 3482 The Deposition of Polearms and Edged Weapons in Burials—Chronology and Combinations 3593 The Position of Polearms and Edged Weapons in Burials 3623.1 Polearms 3623.2 Edged Weapons 3724 Weapons and Age Groups of the Deceased 3825 Conclusions 3898 Armament and Cavalry Warfare in the Aver-age Carpathian Basin 3919 General Conclusions 400References 409Maps 454Index 517