Bíró Szilvia - Székely Zoltán: Arrabona - Múzeumi Közlemények 49/2. (Győr, 2011)
Tanulmányok - Nagy Andrea: Kora avar sírok Győr-Pápai vám lelőhelyen
NAGY ANDREA KORAI AVAR SÍROK GYŐR-PÁPAI VÁM LELŐHELYEN EARLY AVAR GRAVES AT THE GYŐR-PÁPAI VÁM SITE In autumn of 2006 five early Avar graves were found in Győr at the Pápai vám site during a rescue excavation preceding a construction project where previously only Neolithic and early medieval material had been known. The graves - similarly to the ones found at the Börcs-Nagydomb site - were scattered relatively far from each other on a sandy mound at the southern and south-eastern side of the site. The burial site might have extended to the southern, already developed area. The graves are oriented to the N-NE - S-SE direction, but they are less divergent than the graves of Bores and the distance between them are also smaller. In Object 25, which is a long, narrow, rectangular pit with rounded corners, an adult man was buried. The discoloration of the coffin was found under the bench running along the longitudinal wall of the pit. It may suggest that boards were placed onto the bench to protect the coffin from the earth and separate it from the sacrificial animal. The skin of the flayed sheep with the skull and the leg bones left in it was placed onto this bench (partial animal burial). Additional bones suggest that some mutton and beef were also placed to the grave. The dead lay on his back in stretched position. On his waist there was a belt with embossing imitation, decoration studs and an iron buckle. Under his left arm there was an iron knife, while under his knees there were some tale and rump bones of a cattle. The sheep rump was a frequent food provision in case of the early Avar burials, which at certain nomadic tribes (i.e. in Mongolia) is considered a delicacy and during the meals it is due to the head of the family or a respected guest. However, in case of our burials there were cattle rumps instead of sheep rumps that in each case were placed under the leg of the deceased around the knee area. This custom raises several questions, i.e. the lack or rarity of the sheep in the area or the existence of other unknown rites within the community. However, the presence of the flayed sheep as sacrificial animals contradicts to the supposition of the rarity of the sheep. Grave Nr. 39 stands out of the others as it maybe the grave of one of the leaders of the community. Its pit is big, trapezoid, deep pit with steep sidewalls. The skeleton of an adult man was situated in its eastern side. Next to it there were the bones of his flayed horse with bridle and the remains of a flayed sheep as sacrificial animals and as food provision there was a hen and some mutton placed to the grave. The dead man and his animal companions were separated only with their different layer levels, while traces of a coffin or a grave structure were not found. Two vessels found near the head suggest additional food and drink grave goods. One of them is a pot with scratched signs on its neck and shoulder that may be the characters of a runic script. The other vessel is a hand-shaped jug with special Byzantine reminiscences (a similar one was found in the Avar cemetery of Budakalász). On the waist of the man there was a belt with pressed studding and an iron buckle. He wore his bag on his right side and it contained corroded remains of bone, iron and bronze objects. From his weapons only two arrow-heads were found at his right thigh. Only one adult grave fell pray to the grave robbers, namely, grave Nr. 67. The robbers intentionally plundered the torso and waist area leaving only a small bronze 31
