Marisia - Maros Megyei Múzeum Évkönyve 30/1. (2010)
Articles
Two La Тёпе Bronze Discs from Tärgu Mure$, Transylvania 71 flat buttons were considered shoes accessories.8 In the grave from Cristuru Secuiesc an analogously shaped and stylistically similar button is mentioned, interpreted as a decorative linchpin from a wagon,9 or more probably harness-mount (Fig. 2). However, its dimension is different, since the head of the pin is smaller. At the beginning, the pieces from Tärgu Mure? were interpreted as harness-mounts, too. The fastening of these discs is multiple; some of these ornaments were attached with rivets,10 11 like in the case of the pieces from Tärgu Mure?. Usually these artefacts are larger, such as the one from Horovicky, Bohemia11 of 12 cm in diameter. In some cases the determination of their functionality was possible due to the special conditions of discovery, like in the case of the harnessmounts from Wintrich, Kr. Bernkastel-Wittlich, Germany.12 In the warrior grave from Ciume?ti two similarly bronze casting appliqués were found (diameter 57 mm),13 attached to the horizontal, closing iron plate of the chain mail with a central rivet (Fig. 3).14 Considering its dimensions as well as the technique, it is a proper analogy for the larger disc from Tärgu Mure?. Another such chain mail decorated with hemispherical buttons is known from Matochnika (Bulgaria).15 Along with the engraved ornaments, on the Celtic scabbards, decorative hemispherical metal plates can be observed. These embellishing elements appear usually in pairs, on the upper frontal reinforce below the mouth, as well as on the inset discs of the chape-end. These are of different dimensions; some have less than 10 mm in diameter while others are larger. The pieces from Tärgu Mure? probably were not inset discs of the chape-end, because usually these are smaller. The width of the mouths of the scabbards generally measure 45-55 mm, and the ornament from the reinforcement has similar dimensions to the smaller discs from Tärgu Mure?. Analogies for buttons on scabbards, decorated in the plastic style can be mentioned from Balassagyarmat or Szob, Hungary.16 These ornamental elements were frequently attached with rivets, reason why they easily detached, like in the case of the scabbard from 8 Megaw 2003, 231. 9 Roska 1929, 315, fig. 83; Ferencz 1997, 6, pi. 1/10. 10 Schönfelder 2002, 258, Abb. 161. 11 Filip 1976, VIII/3. 12 Schönfelder 2002. 13 Rusu 1969, 276, Abb. 5; Rusu-Bandula 1970, 7-8, pl. VIII; XIV. 14 Rustoiu 2006, 51. 15 Lazarov 2006, 171, 178, fig. 11. 16 Szabó-Petres 1992, 58, 85, 121, pl. 3, 71; Szabó 2005, 142. Fig. 2. The grave inventory from Cristuru Secuiesc, Romania (after Roska 1929). Fig. 3. Bronze disc from Ciume^ti, Romania (after Rusu 1969).
