Folia archeologica 24.

Tibor Kovács: Representations of Weapons on Bronze Age Pottery

26 T. KOVÁCS explained by arguing with stylistic reasons.

5

9 It seems to be more likely that we have to do here with a dagger, hanging from a strap worn around the neck — this possibility is mentioned also by Makkay/

0 Given the knowledge of a pottery with modelled daggers, the representation of a hatchet, found at Pákozd and published more than four decades ago but fallen into oblivion, is worth of a greater attention (Fig. 7). Trying to identify it with any known type seems to be even a more futile task than in the case of the daggers: it does not correspond to any of the bronze or gold hatchets used by the Middle Bronze Age people of the Carpathian basin.

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1 We cannot say much more than the fact that its maker copied a socketed hatchet which rough definition is corroborated by the fact that the hatches of the Vatya culture are, in their major part, socketed ones (e.g. Budapest, Dunapentele, the environments of Paks, Solt.)"

2 The decoration of the clay hatchet is furthermore entirely different from those of the bronze hatchets with tubular sockets, these being ribbed and engraved, while the surface of the Pákozd piece is covered by combinations of flattened and pierced dots, applied also on the pottery made during the last period of the Middle Bronze Age.

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3 We find this pattern often on pottery coming to light from the upper strata of fortified settlements of the Vatya culture.

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1 While this corroborates our surmise as for the dating of the fragment - Koszider period-, the decoration underlines its being a local artefact. 5

9 We find in different places and different periods a general trend of representing weapons according to their actual way of carrying: Bercin, D., Neue Forschungsergebnisse zur Vorgeschichte Rumäniens. Antiquitas II.

4. (Bonn 1966) 27; Müller

, V., Frühe Plastik in Griechenland und Vorderasien. (Augsburg 1929) Pl. XIV, 293, XV, 248; Harden

, D., The Phoenicians. Ancient Peoples and Places 26. (London 1962) Pis. 80-81; Formentini, R., Saggio di una cronologia relativa delle statue-stele di Lunigiana. Studi Storici 1965. PI. III, 1; IV 7, 9;Nuovo frammento di stele in Lunigiana. BCSP 4(1968) 157, Fig. 67; Hoernes, M., op. cit. 217, Fig. 5; 219, Figs. 1-2; Bronzes antiques de Sardaigne. Bibliothèque Nationale. (Paris 1954) Pis. 1-2, 9, 14; Piggott, St., Ancient Europe. (Chicago 1965) 155, Pl. XXII a; Ziirn

, H., Eine hallstattzeitliche Stele von Hirschlanden, Kr. Leonberg. Germania 42(1964) 27sqq; Toncheva, G., Dva nadgrobnykh monumental'nykh pamiatnika frakijskim vozhdjam. In: Thracia. I. Congressus Studiorum Thracicorum. (Sofia 1971) 101-119. 6

0 Examining a Late Bronze Age dagger type of Oriental origin István Bona calls attention to a characteristic way of wearing daggers. A strap, serving for attaching the dagger to the wrist, was passed through the hole in the solid hilt of the bronze dagger; this way of wearing daggers survived in steppe regions long hereafter. Bona, I., HOMÉ 3(1963) 24. Among the Minusinsk daggers, published by M. D. Khlobystina, there are two items each with a ring under the pommel, attached with an eyelet to the hilt, serving for attaching the weapon. Though this gives no close analogy to our representation, it has to be mentioned that for these pieces, dated to the last centuries of the second millennium B.C., the author refers as parallels to the above, mentioned Central European daggers: Rannie minusinskie kindzhaly. SA 1970:4, p. 197, Fig. 2 nos 1-2. 6

1 Vulpe, A., Äxte und Beile in Rumänien I. PB IX. 2. (München 1970) 1-25, Fig. 2; Mo^solics, A., Bronzefunde etc. 13—49; - For the miniature clay hatchets of the Early Bronze Age cf. Kalicz, N., Die Frühbronzezeit etc. 56, 159. 6

2 Mozsolics, A., Bronzefunde etc. 24-33, Figs. 3-4; Bdndi, G., JPMÉ 1972. In print. 6

3 It is necessary to distinguish between the two variations of dot ornaments: while the "pierced" ones are general in the Bronze Age, "flattened" dots, especially in groups of three, are in first line characteristic of the Koszider period and somewhat later. 6

1 From authorized finds: Lovasberény-Mihályvár, Kajászó-Várdomb, Sárbogárd-Cifrabolondvár, Aba-Belsőbáránd-Bolondvár (István Király Múzeum, Székesfehérvár.)