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

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

Igor Gavritukhin Germany (SCHULZE 1977. Gr. 158, 163) (map 6: 4) indicate the other tradition, which is parallel and could hardly be connected with the one we are concerned with here. Among the North European finds, it is possible to single out a number of other specimens of double-plate fibulas with semicircular head-plate and rhombic foot. In the Western Baltic the finds from Bfgebjergkullen and from Kristianstad (fig. 3: 12, 15: 3, map 6: 3) are close to the specimens of Marne series, differing from it by the presence of a knob (the fibula from Kristianstad is also the product of a different manufacturing technique). We have no reason to regard these objects as the prototypes of the Marne series, but borrowings in the opposite direction are quite conceivable. However, no less likely are the connections of the objects in question, especially the one from Kristianstad, with specimens from the North Pontic and Dniester region (fig. 8: 25, 31, 35, 36, 9: 5-8, 13: 21, 22 etc.), which probably influenced the updating of local fibulas (fig. 15: 5), continuing the Sackrau/Zakrzów tradition (fig. 1: 32-33). The interconnections of the Baltic region with the North Pontic and Danube zones during the Migration Period have already been discussed. In this context it is necessary to consider Baltic regional fibulas with knob-shaped rivets (cf. fig. 15: 4 and 3: 13, 14, 6: 21-22 - form of feet and other details; map 6: 9 - concerning knob-shaped rivets). Under the influence of the specimens mentioned (fig. 15: 3 and 15: 2, 4) new forms appeared, which were the basis of some typical Scandinavian Early Medieval fibulas (fig. 15: 1). The fibula from Traprein belongs to the North European imitations of Eastern Carpathian specimens (fig. 3: 15). The "pearls" on its perimeter are most likely imitations of knobshaped rivets. The nearest analogy to the specimen from Traprein is the fibula from BaitalChapkan (fig. 3: 5). Let us note in this assemblage the find of a P-shaped crossbow fibula with hinge (Zwiebelknopffibel), which is an imported piece from the territory of the Roman Empire (ABRAMOVA 1997. 54). On the other hand, the fibulas made from a thin metallic plate and decorated with "pearls", which developed over the course of the 5

th-7

th c, are represented in the Caucasus by a number of variants of subgroup II, although all of them have a foot of rhombic form (GAVRITUKHIN ET AL. 1996. fig. 6: e). Returning to the fibulas of Marne series, their formation is explained only by the appearance of a new population, connected with East European cultural traditions, in the northern part of Gaul. The tradition of using double-plate fibulas in this territory is registered for the period from the middle of the 5

th to the beginning of the 6

th c. as well (KAZANSKI-PERIN 1997.). I concur with the judgment of M. Kazanski and P. Perin that the prototypes of northern French fibulas with straps were from the Danube zone and were not West Gothic, as V. Bierbrauer believes. We cannot exclude the possibility of some sort of communications between the people using fibulas of Marne series and some groups of the population of North Gaul in the second half of the 5

th - beginning of the 6

th c. Even if there was no such interaction, the appearance of Marne series hardly can be explained by the migrations of West Goths, or of the group of them united under the power of Alarich and Atawulf (in the zone of their actions - from the Balkans up to Aquitania - neither specimens nor prototypes of Marne series have been found). It is also difficult to link these objects with the Vandalian-Alanian group of Godegiesel-Hunderich whose stay in Gaul is known to have been quite short. Most likely, in this case we are dealing with migrations less destructive than the ones mentioned above; such migrations would not have been described by historians but would have left a more distinct mark on culture. 134