Szabó Miklós, Petres F. Éva: Decorated weapons on the La Tene Iron Age in the Carpathian Basin. (Inventaria Praehistorica Hungariae 5; Budapest, 1992)
III. THE HUNGARIAN SWORD STYLE - The classification of the material
has two concentric circles encompassing the exact conterpiece of the Waldalgesheim motif adorning the suspension-loop of the Cernonsur-Coole scabbard: the pattern was in all probability executed with matrix. Above and underneath these medallions are triskeles enriched by spiral, whilst the remains of a triskeles can be seen to the right, under the ornament set within the concentric circles. 277 Fig. 27 Month ellet (Saône-et-Loire), incised ornament inside the reverse of an iron scabbard (after a drawing by Bulard; see also Bonn amour-Bulard [1976J figs. 2-3) It follows from the above that in the Middle Danube region the discussed sword scabbards can be linked to the workshops active at the very close of the Early La Tène period (LT B2). Obviously, this by no means implies that these scabbards were the products of a single swordsmith centre: the links between the designs can also be interpreted as being indirect, 278 but the emphasis is on the fact that as a whole their manufacture belong to the sphere of eastern Celtic art. There are no reliable clues for locating possible workshops, and any evaluation of the relevant sites in this context carries obvious dangers. It has already been mentioned that the concentration of finds to the north of Lake Balaton is highly conspicuous (Liter, Rezi-Rezicser, Halimba, Jutas), but it must also borne in mind that the finds from this area can be assigned to several stylistic groups. 279 The finds from the eastern bank of the Danube-bend include types which indicate both direct and indirect links with the material from the Balaton region. 280 The master who can be credited with ingeniously blending the Sword Style and zoomorphic ornaments on the Cernon-sur-Coole scabbard appears to have been active in the transitional period between the Early and Middle La Tène. His obvious creative talent and exceptional artistic ability was matched also by his high standard of technical perfection. At the same time, the Drfia sword would suggest that his achievement was not entirely unique; this statement will no doubt be modified by a more detailed study of the links between these two masterpieces. The "Halimba master" pursued a similar path, but he was less imaginative, having more in common with the engraver of the Lovasberény scabbard. The artistic feats of the "pioneers" undoubtedly set the pattern for the opening phase of a Middle La Tène period, as shown by numerous imitations and routine repetitions. A good example of the latter is the sword scabbard from Montbellet (Saône-etLoire) whose reverse on the inner side bears a rather schematically executed and probably unfinished diagonal ornament (Fig. 27) that echoes the former pattern: the triangular spaces outlined by the tendrils are filled with hatching. This engraved design has been classified with convincing arguments as a document of the Hungarian Sword Style. 281 A scabbard from Iz"kovce/Iskelva (Cat.no. 91; PL 91) which came to light from a La Tène C burial (grave 7) is covered with a composition of triangular hatched leaves combined with a tendril pattern which can be seen as a rather clumsy imitation. The leaf motif suggest connections with an Iáa/Leányvár scabbard (Cat.no. 89; PL 89) whose upper part is adorned with an intricate tendril network. Unfortunately
