Zalai Múzeum 14. Müller Róbert 60 éves (Zalaegerszeg, 2005)

Horváth László: Grave of a Celtic warrior from Magyarszerdahely (Zala county)

62 Horváth László the band are folded. Both ends of the shield boss were attached to the shield by three bolts. The remains of two bolts were also found in the grave. The shield was most probably made of wood because inside the frame remains of wood could be observed. The drawing shows the lay out of the band. Length: 47,7 cm, width: 5-6 cm. 5. Scissors (Fig. 4, 3): Made of iron and heavily corroded. One point is missing. Length: 27,6 cm. 6. Razor (Fig. 4, 4; Fig. 6, 2): Made of iron with a wide blade. It has a short handle which ends in a small spherical knob. One side of the razor has textile remains on it. Length: 13,4 cm, width: 4,8 cm. 7. Sharpening stone (Fig. 5, 1): Made from sand stone and rectangular in section. Length: 9,5 cm, width: 3cm. 8. Spear head (Fig. 4, 5): Made of iron in the shape of a willow leaf. Along the middle a sharp edge runs towards its socket. In the socket there are two holes. The end of the spear is folded. Reconstructed length: 23 cm, width: 3,3 cm. 9. Stamp-decorated vessel (Figures 5, 2a-b; Fig. 7). Dark grey wheeled pottery. Its opening was damaged during sand exploitation. A cordon on the shoulder is stamped symmetrically with crescent-shaped and angled dotted lines. The two types of decorations alternate each other forming 3-3 clusters. Below this there is a horizontal line of dotted circle decoration which does not form a continous line around the circumference of the vessel but is symmetrically arranged in three groups. Height: 38,4 cm, orifice diameter: 14 cm, base diameter: 14,5 cm. 10. Bowl (Fig. 5, 3). Dark grey omphalic bowl with burnished surface. Height: 10 cm, orifice diameter: 24,4 cm, base diameter: 10,1 cm. 11. Mug (Fig. 5, 4). Dark grey mug made from well levigated clay. Its profile exhibits sudden changes in curvature. Height: 11,5 cm, orifice diameter: 16,4 cm, base diameter: 7,6 cm. Discussion Assessment of the Celtic burials within the cemetery revealed that they were situated in four clearly distinguishable groups. The above discussed burial (grave 63) belongs to the first group. The characteristics of this group are that ceramic vessels were placed in the graves and the cremated bones were carefully placed in the graves in small piles, possibly wrapped in a small piece of textile.

2 This group of graves contained the richest finds of the cemetery and may have occupied the central part of the cemetery. Grave 30 and an earlier found grave, that was taken to the Hungarian National Museum, were both graves of warriors. These two graves also belong to this group. It is considered that the four groups of burials may represent burial grounds of small families (HORVÁTH 1979, 48, 52, Pic. 15). Many examples indicate the existence of grave groups from cemeteries of similar period. The graves are often found in clusters forming rows or groups. This patterning may be explained by kinship or social status of the dead.

3 From the Celtic cemetery of Magyarszerdahely only two warrior graves (30 and 63) were excavated by an expert. Scattered finds of a sword and spear heads found within the territory of the cemetery suggest that there may have been more warrior burials in the cemetery than could be revealed by archaeologists.

4 If one takes the stray finds into consideration, that may have belonged to warriors, the proportion of warriors still remains relatively low in the cemetery, comprising 8%. In grave 63 all the equipment that he used in life was placed in the grave. The finds include a sword, spear, shield and beauty equipment such as scissors, razor and sharpening stone. The fibulae were probably part of clothing. Even though vessels were also placed in the grave they did not contain animal bones. It may be assumed that only liquid was provided for the dead for the afterlife. Regarding the combination of grave goods, many well known analogies can be listed. Similar combinations of grave goods can be found within all the eastern Celtic territory from the second half of LT-B, although such combinations became more characteristic during LT-C (LORENZ 1978, 234; GUSTIN 1984, 316, Abb. 4, 5).

5 Jozef Bujna assessed the sociography of available Celtic cemeteries in the Carpathian Basin until 1980. He distinguished five groups according to region and the richness of burials. Had he known the cemetery of Magyarszerdahely he would have placed this cemetery to region "H" (North of former Yugoslavia, southern Transdanubia). Bujna assessed the material culture of 910 burials, considering their geographical position and the number and type of grave goods. Furthermore, in his categorization he also considered possible differences between LT-B1 and LT-C lb. Although his data was not complete his views are still valid in many respects. Grave 63 in Magyarszerdahely belongs to the first groups of burials within this cemetery, characterised mainly by grave goods of weapons and pottery. According to Bujna the number of graves with weapons within region "H" reaches its peak (40%) during LTCla and LT-C lb.

6 This period of Celtic history is characterised mainly by expansion and, at a certain level, by settlement and consolidation (BUJNA 1982, 411). According to the available literature, the material objects of grave 63 can be well dated. The decoration on the sheath is a good example of "Hungarian sword