Horváth Attila – H. Tóth Elvira szerk.: Cumania 4. Archeologia (Bács-Kiskun Megyei Múzeumok Közleményei, Kecskemét, 1976)

Matolcsi J.: Táltosló az Izsák-baláspusztai honfoglalás kori sírban

Nevertheless, we want to mention that that the praemolar-molar row of the maxilla developed in a different way than in the mandible, while in the maxilla the right row is longer, in the mandible the length of the left row surpasses that of the right. This reversed situation is the result of the opposite wear of the teeth. A similar phenomenon can also be observed on the incisors. The upper incisois are not evenly, but obliquely worn, and so their heights increase from the right to the left. The heights of the different incisois (from the right ot the left) are as follow: I

3 = 17.0; I« = 21.0; l

l = 22.3; I

1 == 25.5; I

2 = 27.2; P = 23.2. Because of the different heights of the incisors the upper and lower incisor rows do not close, and the greater length of the left incisors resulted in a larger gap from the left to the right between the two incisor rows. The tongue probably lolled out through this gap. This gap, however, could disappear during biting when the long upper left incisors did not meet their lower equivalents. The form of the dental row and the mandible caused the slanted mouth of this hot se. This horse had one other reason to hold its lower jaw in a slanted way. In the left side of the lower jaw the first praemolar (Р

х

) has a crest (Fig. 4.) which abraded not only the P

1 of the upper jaw to its alveole but which also made a deep hollow in the maxillar bone itself (Fig. 3.) Such a grave lesion of the peiiosteum and the bony tissue was so painful that the horse avoided bringing these two surfaces into contact. In fact, this part of the maxilla shows the symptoms of a periostitis. This grave situation can be well demonstrated by the more than 100% difference between the heights of the right and left lower first premolars : the height of right P

x is 20 mm, the height of left P

x is 42 mm. It is obvious that the uneven abrasion of the upper premolar row is connected with the phenomena described above, however, the series of abnormities of the dental row does not end with this. The upper M

3 too is so peculiar that it is worth mentioning separately. The comparatively small crest that developed on its aboral edge gives it a strange appearence, and its shortness makes it different from its right equivalent. Let us finish the enumeration of the anatomical pecularities and abnormities with the demonstration of the different measurements of the distance between the aboral end of the upper molar row (V

ostdentale) and the aboral point of the maxilla (Uranion). This distance measures 48.8 mm on the right side, and 42.7 mm on the left side. The larger distance between the last right upper molar (M

3

) and the Uránion on the right side shows the asymmetry of the skull form, the better developed right side of the naso-facial part described earlier and the general deformation of the skull also in the basilar view. III. The si^e and proportions of the extermity bones The length measurements of the extremity bones are generally not compared to the basilar length of the skull, nevertheless, the lack of the bones of the shoulder-blade, upper arm, lower arm, thigh and shin forces us to make such a comparison in older to be able to judge the relative size of the metapodials, the only long bones at our disposal. The absolute measurements of the metapodials — the metacarpals and the metatarsals — lag remarkably behind those of the Avar and early Hungarian horses, although their length in comparison to the basilar length of the skull is similar to that of the Migration Period horses. This means that the metacarpal length of the Izsák-Balázspuszta horse is 44.9% of the basilar length of the skull and the same ratio is between 43 and 47% on Avar horses. The same ratio of the metatarsal is 53.6% on the horse of Izsák-Balázspuszta, and 52 to 55% on Avar horses. It is worth mentioning that on recent English thoroughbred horses the body proportions have changed in such a way that the length of the metacarpals comes to 50 to 52% and that of the metatarsals 59 to 60% of the basilar length of the skull.

22 According to Zalkin

lz markedly short metapodials combined with medium wide forehead point to mountain horses. Although, the 207.7 mm long metacarpal of the Izsák-Balázspuszta horse fits Zalkirfs group of 205—228 mm metacarpal length, we still cannot group it among the mountain horses but consider it a proof of the variability of the horses of 22 MATOLCSI J.: 1970, 223. 23 ZALKIN, V. L: 1952, 153. 202