Perémi Ágota (szerk.): Hadak útján. Népvándorlás Kor Fiatal Kutatóinak XXIII. konferenciakötete (Veszprém, 2016)

Csiky Gergely–Hárshegyi Piroska: Kereskedelem vagy ajándék? Amforák az avar kori Kárpát-medencében

Gergely Csiky - Piroska Hárshegyi TRADE OR GIFT?

Amphorae from Avar Period burials in the Carpathian Basin

The Carpathian Basin despite its landlocked geographical position had strong cultural connections to the Black Sea and Eastern Mediterranean beginning from the Late Iron Age. The Avar Period of the Danubian Lands (second half of the 6th - first half of the 9th century A. D.) was completely unknown field for amphora studies.

The main focus of our paper is to present the amphora findings from Avar Period elite burial contexts dated to 7th and 8th (?) centuries. Amphorae are special and rare findings known in very limited number (9 examples) compared to the cca. 60.000 excavated burials of the period. The vessels from Csákberény-Orondpuszta (grave Nr. 333.), Dány, Gátér (grave Nr. 193), KiskőrösPohibuj-Mackó (grave Nr. 56c and 59), Kunbábony, Becej-ulica Pionirska), Tiszavasvári (grave Nr. 8) are previously studied only in the context of the Avar Period pottery and Avaro-Byzantine contacts in general. Two of the enlisted pieces (Csákberény and Kiskőrös gr. Nr. 59) are not considered as amphorae according to our studies. Due to a fortunate excavation a new amphora came to light at Székesfehérvár, which is the first example from the former province of Pannónia.

Re-examination of these artefacts is crucial in the light of the latest amphora and petrographic studies. These new data can shed light to their place of origin and the nature of socio-political connections between the Avars and Byzantine Empire.

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