A Nyíregyházi Jósa András Múzeum évkönyve 44. (Nyíregyháza, 2002)

Régészet - Igor Gavritukhin: On the study of double-plate fibulas of the first subgroup

On the study of double-plate fibulas of the first subgroup

1 Igor Gavritukhin Double-plate fibulas are one of the basic categories of the finds in the archaeological study of the Migration Period. This work is devoted to some unresolved points and perspectives of work with this type of object.

2 It is not possible to analyse in detail the long history of study of these objects (see AMBROZ 1966. 77-81, DIACONU 1973. 257-258, KOKOWSKI 1996. 154-155). I shall pay attention only to the initial moments, which help to clear up the character of the research in question. The basis of the modern conception of double-plate fibulas is the work by A.K. Ambroz (AMBROZ 1966. 76-91). The most important studies of subsequent years were built as a discussion of local material from various regions: Romania (DIACONU 1973.), Western Europe (KOENIG 1980. 227-233, KAZANSKI 1984., KAZANSKI 1991. 116, KAZANSKI 1993. 175), the Crimea (AIBABIN 1990. 18-19), Central and Eastern Ukraine (GOROKHOVSKI 1988., GOROKHOVSKI 1988A.), Northern Bulgaria (HARALAMBIEVA 1990., HARALAMBIEVA 1991.). The importance of the new This article was presented as a paper at the international conference "International connections of the Barbarians of the Carpathian Basin in the lst-5th centuries A.D." held on August 24-27 1999. For technical reasons it was not included in the volume of the conference. The term "double-plate fibulas" in this work includes fibulas with a head-plate close to the shape of a semicircle, and a foot close to the shape of a rhombus, with plates - smooth or decorated by engraved ornament. Fibulas with similar characteristics, but decorated by superimposed plates or mountings (so-called "polychrome" etc.) require special analysis (GAVRITUKHIN-OBLOMSKI in print - with further references). Neither is special examination given to the double-plate fibulas which have "button-shaped rivets" or lugs at the edges of the foot or head-plate, which are closely connected with the types that have a triangular head-plate (GAVRITUKHIN 1999. with further references). In subgroup I, according to A.K. Ambroz (AMBROZ 1966. 77), I put double-plate fibulas the foot of which is widened closer to the edge opposite to the bow, or near its middle. However, the specified criteria are not absolutely formal. Researchers of double-plate fibulas have noted that some variants of fibulas with the area of maximal extension of foot moved closer to the bow are very close to the above-mentioned in all other parameters (GOROKHOVSKI 1988A. Zhurovka and Lebekhovo variants; KOKOWSKI 1996. - group F and some other specimens); on the other hand, some variants of double-plate fibulas belonging by all signs to series typical for subgroup II have the area of maximal extension of foot situated about in the middle or even moved to the end of foot (e.g. DMITRIEV 1982. variant la and ris. 1: 5, 6, GAVRITUKHIN 1997/98.). I consider such an approach to be generally correct which is why I have placed in subgroup I some small fibulas with wide foot and the area of maximal extension of the foot moved a bit to the bow (which obviously belong to the series Boromlia-Zhurovka and Präjeni-Uspenka), and also the type of Villafontana-Kerch, excepting some of the Crimean variants, where the tendency to move the area of maximal extension of the foot closer to the bow has obviously already attained "irreversible" character. Double-plate fibulas of the Eastern subgroup require special research; here I deal only with the variant Volnyi aul and some other specimens closest or belonging to the series mentioned here, although some other specimens of the Eastern subgroup correspond formally with the characteristics of subgroup I. Finally, the fibulas with cast relief lugs (type Liebenau etc.) also remain outside the purview of this work. 113