Szilágyi András (szerk.): Ars Decorativa 27. (Budapest, 2009)
Katalin E. NAGY - Ádám BÍRÓ - Ádám BOLLÓK - László KÖLTŐ Péter LANGÓ - Attila Antal TÜRK: Byzantine Silk Fragments from a Tenth-century Grave at Fonyód
and decide to use the most general caftan definition: an overgarment reaching below the knees, with long sleeves and open partly or wholly at the front. This fairly broad caftan definition is particularly justified for researchers of the tenth century Carpathian Basin, since conquest-period archaeological finds do not provide adequate proof for a more exact differentiation. Apart from the sparseness of archaeological finds, the diversity of early mediaeval Eurasian caftan depictions must also warn against a more exact definition of this garment. Types reaching to the knee and below the knee (figs 9. 3-7) fastened on the right (figs 9. 4-7), on the left (figs 9. 1-3) or in the middle (figs 10. 1-4), with buttons (fig 10.4) or without are all illustrated. In the group of garments that are fastened on the same side in the same way, there may be different collar shapes (figs 9; 10. 1-4). It follows from the aforesaid that apart from the "Sogdian caftan" at least two types of garment in the broadest sense can be reckoned with among the finds of the period. One is the so-called Bulghar or "frogged" caftan 21 usually adorned with silk stripes. This caftan type is well known from archaeological remains and also Byzantine depictions, which are, however, from a later age. It is a shorter garment, not going below the knees. It is open to the waist in front, fastens with two lines of buttons surrounded by silk stripes. They often include textiles interwoven with metal threads. The "frogged" caftans with many buttons, considered by K. A. Mikhailov as of Byzantine or Bulgarian origin, were well known from the second half of the tenth century in the Old Rus, around Novgorod and Kiev, and also in Northern Europe among the Vikings (fig. 10.5). In the archaeological record of the Carpathian Basin, however, it is hardly present: no silk interwoven or embroidered in metal thread is known from the age, and there are only few examples of the presence of a long row of buttons (fig. 10.6). The scarcity of relevant finds suggests that in the Carpathian Basin it was not in common use in the period under study. The other such over-garment is what Vogelsang-Eastwood defined as "coat". Its onetime presence is mainly alluded to by two relatively parallel lines of mounts on the chest of the unearthed skeletons. Traces suggestive of this garment have very sporadically been found in reconstructable form. 2 2 In the light of the above, one might venture to define our find as a caftan in the broadest sense. The presence of the insert specifically suggests an over-garment that reached to the thigh or the knees, with a system of fastening so far unknown. The fact that no button or clasp that could serve to hold the garment together was found in the grave, calls for caution. It is naturally possible that during internment these or some parts of these - if they were made of durable materials - were removed from the deceased's garment for some unknown reason. It is, however, more likely that the closing of the garment was not made of durable materials. As the so-called Senmurw-caftan (belonging to the Sogdian caftans) found in Moscevaya Balka suggests, it was sufficient to have three buttons in the bodice and one in the "skirt" part together with the respective loops to secure the whole garment. In Caucasian and steppe caftans the loops were mostly made of perishable materials as the few luckily surviving textiles prove (fig. II). 2 3 The use of similar buttons made of wood, hard leather or other organic materials could so far not be substantiated in the Carpathian Basin, which holds true of the majority of the simply and cheaply-pro27
