Kelemen Imola (szerk.): A Csíki Székely Múzeum Évkönyve 7. (Csíkszereda, 2011)

Régészet - Tibor-Tamás Daróczi–Imola Kelemen: A bronze age bridler decoration from Mihăileni (Csíkszentmihály), Depr. of Ciuc

A BRONZE AGE BRIDLE DECORATION FROM MIHĂILENI

of these swords, and their decoration, falls into the later part of the Late Bronze Age, namely to the Moigrad and Turia horizons of the bronze depots dated into Ha A-B1.16 As a summary, it might be concluded that the best analogies for the shape are found in the Late Bronze Age Noua culture, while its individual decorative motifs are somewhat similar to the Middle Bronze Age cultures of the Carpathian Basin and Anatolia, though this decoration occurs on Late Bronze Age pommels and sword handles.

We might date the disc based on these analogies, and on the fact that it is un-encountered in the surrounding areas, to the late Middle Bronze Age or the early Late Bronze Age, culturally most likely belonging either to the Wietenberg or Noua cultures. The cultural attribution of Mycenaean seems at the present unfounded, since the only proven Mycenaean influence in bridle elements is a disc type called Kontaminations-form Vatin, from the site with the same name. It is characterised by a circular swelling around the central perforation,1 which in the case of our disc is most certainly missing. Furthermore, the style of the decoration, is characteristic for the Bronze Age of South-Eastern European bridle elements and some swords decoration. If anything, it should be referred to as Anatolian in style of decoration based on the analogy from Bogazköy (pl. 2/a); but this would also be an erroneous conclusion, since this disc comes from the Büyükkale II layer, which is dated to around 1000 BC.18

Finally, for its use and social meaning it has been suggested that specialised craftsmen created these objects.19 This may be true, given the technique required for making these objects and the lack of similar decoration on pottery or other materials, with the exception

of some swords. In producing utilitarian bone objects, metal axes were used to cut off antler tines and section the beam, but otherwise chipped stone and abrasive stones were used to manufacture them. Only some of the special decorative pieces of (mostly) antler seem to have been carved and incised using metal tools, increasing their value for the people using and observing them.20 The restrictive use of the decorative motifs, composition and rare nature of these finds surely indicates a social group with a higher status using and displaying the object. For possible functions, some ancient representations from the Mediterranean and modern ethnographic research provide useful insight.21 This object was most likely used as a decorative element on the bridle, probably in the area of the temporal lobe, below the horse’s ears, as the thin disc and lack of several holes would not allow for it to be used as bite-pieces.

It is uncertain whether this object comes from a funerary or settlement context. Nevertheless, its importance for the Bronze Age is unquestionable since it is an indicator of wide-ranging contacts and social stratification. Its publication is also welcomed since, along with another such object from the Middle Bronze Age Tilişca16 BADER 1991,143-144,147,152-153.

17 HÜTTEL 1981,64-65.

18 BOEHMER 1972, 195 no. 2019, Beilage 1.

19 CHOYKE 2009, 33.

20 CHOYKE, BARTOSIEWICZ 2009, 365

21 BÓNA 1992, fig. 36; HÜTTEL 1981, fig. 1.

Plate 3- The presumed use of the disc (drawing by Laerke Recht)

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