(An Attempt to Explain Some Debatable Ways of Depositions of Spears, Lances, or Javelins in Graves of the Early Medieval Carpathian Basin)

Abstract: In his article, the author dealt with debatable ways of depositions of the early medieval spears, lances, and javelins (thrusting pole arms) in graves from the Carpathian Basin. The time frame of the article is, in the given region, connected with the period of the Avar Khaganate, then with the 9th century and finally the period of the 10th – 11th centuries. Martin Husár identified the following ways of spears, lances, or javelins’ depositions in the aforementioned graves as debatable or questionable: the sticking into walls of a grave pit, oblique deposition over and under the deceased or a dead horse, deposition within a wooden construction or outside of it, deposition on or under a wooden construction, horizontal deposition in the filling of a grave, vertical sticking into the filling and the bottom of a grave, possible killing of a horse by a thrusting pole weapon deposited in a grave and the deposition of a deformed or broken head of a thrusting pole weapon. It can be stated that only during the period of the Avar Khaganate, all eight abovementioned ways of depositions were carried out.

Authors: Husár, Martin

DOI: 10.17846/CL.2018.11.1.51-66

Publication order reference: Mgr. Martin Husár, PhD.; Constantine the Philosopher University in Nitra, Faculty of Arts, Institute for Research of Constantine and Methodius’ Cultural Heritage, Trieda A. Hlinku 1, 949 74 Nitra, Slovakia; email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Source: Konštatínove listy, 2018, vol.: 11, issue: 1, pages: 51-66 (PDF file)

Keywords: SPEARS, LANCES, JAVELINS, EARLY MIDDLE AGES, CARPATHIAN BASIN, GRAVES, DEBATABLE WAYS OF DEPOSITIONS

Language: SLOVAK