A Nyíregyházi Jósa András Múzeum évkönyve 41. - 1999 (Nyíregyháza, 1999)

Régészet - Kristian Kristiansen: Understanding Bronze Age weapon hoards. Observations from the Zalkod and Vaja hoards, Northeastern Hungary

Understanding Bronze Age weapon hoards. Observations from the Zalkod and Vaja hoards, Northeastern Hungary Kristian Kristiansen In this article I wish to demonstrate that there exists an unrecognized information potential in the metalwork of Bronze Age hoards. I further propose that this information is the starting point for understanding the use of ornaments and weapons, and for understanding the nature of hoard deposition. The reason for choosing hoards is the fact that bronzes in hoards are normally well preserved, compared to burial finds. Several bronzes were often deposited together, and many hoards were deposited in wet environments, both of which had a preserving effect on the bronzes. If later museum conservation has not destroyed the original surface, which unfortunately is sometimes the case in a misunderstood attempt to restore the original shining surface, observations can be made as to the use of the objects, reflected in traces of wear, sharpening of blades, damage, repairs etc. Also the colour of the patina indicates if the hoard is from a wet or a dry deposition. In the following I shall illustrate these aspects of Bronze Age metalwork on the weapon hoards from Zalkod and Vaja in Northeastern Hungary.

1 0 10cm Fig. 1 Zalkod-churchyard. The upper part of the five swords, showing traces of edge damage and resharpening 1. kép Zalkod-temető, az öt kard felső része a sérülések és javítások nyomaival Zalkod The Zalkod hoard (Inv.N.: JAM 58.124.1-12.) consists of five flange hilted swords (Fig. 1), two pairs of "handprotectmg" armspirals, and probably two pairs of so called "elbowprotecting" armspirals (Fig. 2), of which only three is left. According to Kemenczei the hoard originally consisted of 8 swords, 5 elbowprotecting armspirals, and 4 handprotecting armspirals (KEMENCZEI 1984.127). Fig. 2 Zalkod-churchyard. The three elbow protecting armspirals 2. kép Zalkod-temető, könyökvédő tekercsek 1. The two hoards were published by Amália MOZSOLICS (1985. Taf. 7-10: Zalkod and Taf. 208-209: Vaja), Tibor KEMENCZEI (1984.227, number 53 and 189, number 77), and in KEMENCZEI 1988., 1991., where they are discussed separately according to type. My registration and observations on the two hoards are part of a registration of patterns of wear, sharpening and damage on Central European swords from Hungary that I have undertaken in recent years, and finished this year. A more full presentation of the results will be published later. I wish to thank the museum in Nyíregyháza for their hospitality during my stay there, for their help and interest in publishing this article. The photographs were taken by György Boros. A JósaAndrás Múzeum Évkönyve XLI. 1999. 101-107. 101