Hemispherical horse harness mounts and rosettes from the Avar period

Csuthy András

Hadak útján. A népvándorláskor fiatal kutatóinak XXIV. konferenciája. Esztergom, 2014. november 4–6. Conference of young scholars on the Migration Period. November 4–6, 2014, Esztergom

MŐT Kiadványok 3.1 (2015) 669–689

DOI 10.55722/Arpad.Kiad.2015.3.1_25

A cikk az avar kor egyik legáltalánosabb, elsősorban lószerszámdíszként funkcionáló verettípusához, a félgömbveretek és az egyszerűen csak rozettaként leírt veretek elemzéséhez nyújt támpontokat. Ezen kívül érinti a pajzs alakú, a piramis alakú és a háromkaréjos rozetták kérdéskörét is. Az anyaggyűjtés nem teljes, az értékelést egy nagyobb minta segítségével próbá-lom szemléltetni.

Kulcsszavak: Kárpát-medence, avar kor, lószerszámdísz

This paper analyses the most typical mount type of the Avar period, that is, hemispherical mounts and rosettes, principally functioning as horse-harness ornaments. It also touches upon the issue of shield-shaped and pyramidal rosettes. The material collected is incomplete, assessment was carried out using a larger range of samples.

In the analysis separate assessement is made of hemisperical mounts and flat-topped hemispherical mounts (A), molded rosettes (B), cast rosettes (C), iron mounts (D), cast square-based pyramidal mounts (E), and shield-shaped molded rosettes and trilobate horse-harness mounts (F) are also covered.

Horse-harness mounts in the Early and Middle Avar period may well have been arranged in two rows; this assumption is corroborated by Central Asian iconographic representations. Press molds and negative forms of hemispherical mounts were found in Felnac (Romania) and Kun-szentmárton; rosettes, in addition to those mentioned, in Biskupija-Pliskov (Croatia), in grave 11 at Gátér, in grave B at Rákóczifalva-Kastélydomb and as stray finds at Szentes.

Rosettes with the acanthus motif above all can be regarded as belonging to the Middle Avar period when square-based pyramidal rosettes and, with the molded rosettes, shield-shaped “rosettes” also appear. Presumably, the latter was used on the bridle.

The rest of the mounts from the Late Avar period are cast openwork bronze rosettes. Some specimens of iron occur as well, but all of these can be dated to the last two phases of the Late Avar period. Big-size cast ornaments can probably be regarded as the latest ones among the mounts. The dating of the rest of the mounts is problematic.

Filling materials have been rarely analysed. Pastes containing lead, wax mixed with millet seeds, porous materials such as bitumen and clay and a sort of siliceous tenax are often referred to. Besides this, wooden core and leather used for covering the filling material were also found.