A Móra Ferenc Múzeum Évkönyve 2014., Új folyam 1. (Szeged, 2014)
RÉGÉSZET - Szalontai Csaba - Benedek András - Károly László: A Kiskundorozsma Kettőshatár úti II. avar temető 434. sírja
Csaba Szalontai - András Benedek - László Károly Grave Nr. 434 of the Avar Cemetery II in Kiskundorozsma Grave Nr. 434 of the Avar Cemetery II in Kiskundorozsma, Kettőshatár Street Csaba Szalontai - András Benedek - László Károly Present study discusses one particular grave out of the 43 found in the cemetery. Grave Nr. 434 was chosen as a subject of thorough research due to the finds excavated in it, including a gilded cast silver belt fitting with a Caesar- portrait, part of a similar belt fitting and two scored bow bones. Similarly to the other graves of the cemetery, grave Nr. 434 was rifled, from the same trench as its neighbouring grave Nr. 435 was. The trench was originally used as a trial trench, showing the conscious intention of the riflers. The Cemetery Nr. II at Kettőshatár Street is different from the neighbouring Cemetery Nr. I, at the same time differing also from the common features of Late Avar Age cemeteries. 1. Cemeteries Nr. I and II are separated by a 50 m wide area with no graves and by the ditch of Cemetery I. 2. The graves are of East-West direction, and based on their size the graves are considered to be among the largest Avar graves in the Carpathian Basin. 3. The whole cemetery has been rifled. 4. Drawing on taxonomical results, the number of individuals with mongoloid features excavated here is the highest among the Avar cemeteries found in the territory of the Carpathian Basin. 5. Drawing on the type of golden objects, horse bones and arms found in the graves after the rifles, as well as on the suggested burial customs, it must have been a cemetery of a small wealthy community. The cemetery and the grave are dated to the last third of the 8th century. The belt fitting depicting a Caesar-portrait found in the grave is a unique object, not only in the context of the art of the Avar community of the Carpathian-Basin, but also in European early Middle-Age art. Although the depiction of the fitting has some European parallels from this period, the quality of these are far worse than this one found in Dororzsma. The fitting shows Byzantine and Avar influences in its iconography, technology and form. Side-view depictions and Caesar-portraits rather rare in Avar art undoubtedly date back to Late-Antique imperial iconography. Based on both formal and typological aspects, it is defined as a characteristic Late Avar object. Moreover, the applied decoration techniques (gilding, strings of pearls, point-line ornamentation, punching) also refer to Late Avar art. The Caesar-portrait of the fitting traces back to the lauraton depiction type typical of Late Antiquity. A characteristic feature of similar items from the Avar Period in the Carpathian Basin is that they are constructed of similar elements, marking a kind of uniformity. One of their common characteristic traits is the classic Late Antique style hair-dressing, or clothing clasped with Caesar-fibulas. Numerous similarities may be detected also with the depictions of the Treasure of Nagyszentmiklós (shaping of the eyes, the hair, the ears or the nose: jug Nr. 2 and 7). Another frequently used ornamental motif of the Late Avar Period is palmette, which also has Byzantine archetypes; however, the motif is widely used in steppe arts as well. 25 European comparisons of the Caesarean motif have been found. These also depict the Caesar with his face turning to the right, with ribbons or diadem of pearls on his head, and with a gathered cloak clasped with a disk fibula over his upper body, often holding an object in the hand. The most proper comparison of the fitting found in Dorozsma is a small gilded silver box 206
