the Avars: An Asian horsemen on the middle Danube

From the autumn of the year 566 until the spring of 567 AD it came to the banks of the Elbe to events that influenced the course of history in central Europe to the modern period. 566 were the Avars, held by the Franks for "Huns" in the East Frankish border, then a part of Gaul, You shattered the against them extended Frankish army and struck it into the flight,., The Frankish king Sigebert and his entourage were surrounded . Sigebert I (Sigyberth), grandson of King Clovis (Chlo-dovech/Clovis), son of King Lothar's I (Clotaire) and Queen Ingunde, 561 King of the East Frankish countries (Austrasia) had become. His residence was in Metz, Reims later, both far from the site of the aforementioned events. By 562 he had been able to throw back the Avars had advanced to the Elbe, then they offered him a treaty of friendship on. Now, in the year 566, he was in her hand. The young prince of the Avars, Khagan Bayan, King of the Franks came to his surprise, again contrary to a non-aggression pact, even with the offer of a peace and friendship treaty. Sigibert accepted. The Khagan Bayan had to put clear that he was interested in a war with the Franks in any way. His goal was to find access to the Danube basin. Of the Southern Carpathians to the Sudeten Mountains formed, for riders with hard to penetrating forests, a natural obstacle. The mountain passes of Transylvania and the rest Karpatenbekken were guarded by the Gepids, the Avars were hostile towards. So penetrated the Avars, bypassing the mountain ranges and hostile tribes, now for the second time from the north of the Danube plane located to the eastern borders of the Frankish Empire ago (slika 1). Around the same time Sigebert received a desperate call for help to his sister, the Queen of Lombardy Chlodoswintha and her husband Alboin, king of the Lombards. Alboin had tried in the summer of 566, to win the coveted him of Sirmium (today Sremska Mitrovica, a town on the Sava River west of Belgrade). Sirmium was the capital of the Gepids, its military and economic center. The possession of the city seemed Alboin for the Pannonian kingdom of the Lombards crucial. His attack was initially successful, but then miscarried. Byzantium, with the Lombards were connected in a generation through a narrow military pact, unexpectedly came to the aid of the Gepids, the Lombards were defeated. Even with the Emperor Justinian I (527-565 AD) closed alliance, which guarantee the safety of the little Lombard kingdom was consolidated, become obsolete. The Byzantine Emperor Justin II (565-578 AD), nephew and successor of Justinian had apparently changed its policy and have concentrated on the ancient Byzantine-Gepid alliance. Alboin had to fear a joint attack of Byzantium and the East Germanic Gepids, this superior power would be Pannonian Langobardengebiet can not withstand. However, he estimated the risk of a higher than it actually was. . The goal of the emperor was rather to secure the northern border of the Byzantine Empire against both Lombards and against Gepids, both in his eyes equally "barbarians" Here is the city of Sirmium for him played the role of an important support point, the evacuation and overnight delivery of the former imperial city on the Sava with its major crossing of the Danube was the condition under which he had supported the Gepids against the Lombards. Cunimund, the Gepidenknig, Justin had the city and its surroundings (Srem) also assured, however, without the consent of his nephew Reptila the commander of Sirmium (as well as his general and his bishop). As a prisoner or ally Sigibert knew the strength of the army aw'arischen rider from his own experience, he wanted to try to save his sister Chlodoswintha the throne with the help of this rider army and advised his brother to take immediate negotiations with the Avars. The new Avar allies Sigibert had been withdrawn some of its limitations, but were supplied by Sigibert over the winter just starting out. Lombard Agents arrived and defeated the Avars, a military alliance against the Emperor Justin II on the common enemy. Details were negotiated with Bajan, the Khagan of the Avars, most reached for itself: food for his army, one-tenth of livestock Lombard, Lombard escorted by heavily passable roads and especially the whole, still unconquered territory of the Gepids. Of these negotiated benefits aside, the Avars, however, were also in the difficult situation of the three allies. Her former great ally, Justinian I had promised, located by the Avars in the south of the

lower Danube, take safe area and they held out this promise for years, and he helped them seven years of gold payments, you could also call toll . Conscious of its military weakness of the Emperor had repeatedly tried the barbarian peoples of the neighboring Byzantine Empire to move with gold or weapons help to keep new services being barbarians at bay. His successor, Justin II pursued this kind of stonewalling not. Although he can accompany even received as governor of Lazica (in the area of the Black Sea coast) the Khagan Bayan eight years earlier friendly and his messengers to Byzantium Emperor Justinian had to, he declined shortly after he took any thought of a Settlement of the Avars on Byzantine territory brusquely. He also denied the gold payments and established a limit on the Danube lock to make the Avars impossible to transition. Then it was the Avars did succeed for the second time to bypass the lower Danube after a bloody attempt to break through the Carpathians, but it came from other disturbing news. The Turks, which the Avars had been previously subject (see page 8), had crossed the frozen Volga in winter 566/567, so that they stood as the Khagan Bayan knew only too well, the way to open lower Danube. The Turks threatened that they would "not destroy with the sword, but appear like ants to the ground with its hooves of their horses" him and his people. Seemed for Bayan thus a matter of life and death, protected by mountains and forests, fertile to take levels in the Carpathian Basin in possession but he and his allies overestimated the danger lent considerable;. although the Turks wanted to scare her fled far to the west 'subjects' anxiety, but had no intention to actually follow. In retrospect, one can see that the events of 567 were triggered by political fallacies so well. The other events followed each other rapidly. According to the contract led the Lombard leader Avar horsemen through the Marchtor in the Carpathian Basin. From there, the Avars moved on the north bank of the Danube, until they could come from the area of the Danube Bend from the Tisza located in the territory of the Gepids (Fig. 1). The surprise attack was an overwhelming victory for the sequence; Sirmium only recently had the Avars stop: The Gepids leaders had chosen the lesser of the two evils disaster news out of the city and played into the hands of the Byzantines. In the autumn of 567 came over the Transylvanian Mountain passes and previously still stored on the Lower Danube Avars this: The Avar conquest had begun. The Lombard king Alboin was glad this easy victory of his allies not last long. With the siege of Sirmium by the Avars was abundantly clear to him that he was now in place of the Gepids had a much more dangerous and more powerful neighbors. Although there were allies, but still hung well and passing the Lombards on the behavior of Khagan Bayan. Quickly closed Alboin a new military alliance, leaving in April 568 his "Hun friends" (= Avars), the Lombards of Pannonia and then grabbed his hand with his people which is under Byzantine rule Italy (Fig. 2). Thus was at the end of the year 568 all Karpatenbekken in the hands of the Avars. Thus the history of this entire geographic area took a decisive turn. In individual areas for five or six hundred years Germanic tribes had settled and until about the year 500 AD had arisen in both the western and in the eastern half of Karpatenbek-franc stability promising Germanic state formation that are not now all of a sudden were more available. This is seen only as a result of the enterprises of Sigebert and Alboin equivalent, but not quite the historical reality, the situation was somewhat more complicated, especially as religious cults played a role. The to 566 residents, Roman Christian Longobard kings were joined by several marriages with the equally Roman Christian Merovingian dynasty. The Lombards spoke with the Old Saxon and Old Frisian related dialects. They felt no "Germanic" fellowship with the gothic speaking, baptized by arianischem rite Gepids. Gepids The ratio of the turn of the Lombards was hardly stored differently. Way they had, for example, already 550 AD tried the same thing 567 n . AD was the Lombard king Alboin succeeded - they had connected with a Turkish horsemen, the Kutrigurs against the Lombards that time did not succeed in defeating the Lombards, was neither the Lombards nor the Gepids but the fact that the eastern allies. This did not arrive in time Kutrigurs were in the rest of the year 567 nurmehr a subjugated people and little respected auxiliary of Khagan bayan. "the Turkish" solidarity existed at that time just as the Germanic. Even the members of the Frankish dynasty Merowiner felt a little connected with each other, so for example, the relationship took the Queen Chlodoswinta (the wife of the Lombard king Alboin), for the sake of their own power not

only to kindred peoples but also on their relationship no consideration. By the Avar conquest and the resulting therefrom, 250-year-long political dominance, a new economic and geographic traffic unit made out. The Avar dominion extended, with the present-day Hungary as a central part (Fig. 2), on both sides of the North-Sdlaufes the Danube, which had always been here from ancient times up until the year 568, a clear dividing line. This economic and geographical-political unit broke up with the fall of the Avar only temporarily on again. As early as the year 896 came the conquering Hungarians, the territorial Heritage of the Avar, and have it saved on both banks of the Tisza and the Danube, in geographical terms, to this day.

The origin and history of the Avars according to the written and archaeological sources
The discussions on the origin and history of the Avars have been ongoing for two hundred years, especially in regard to the mutual agreement of the written and archaeological sources. With good reason, the present research tends to the view that the Avars, as they penetrated to Europe, arose from the merger of two related groups: Intra-Asian forms the core in Chinese sources from the beginning of the 5th Century AD the people mentioned Jou-Jan or Juan-Juan, which in the middle of the 6th Century its power over the steppe areas of his previous subjects, the Turks lost. Individual groups of this steppe people fled in a westerly direction to related Heftaliten (Huns), the fifth since the Century lived and reigned in Central Asia. But in the year 557 the # Jou-Jan were overtaken by the Turks, and driven together with the Heftaliten further west, in the autumn of the same year both reached the Caucasus. About Asia Minor, they sent messengers to Byzantium, as we saw with the help of the later Emperor Justin II, the then still reigning Emperor Justinian I allied with these newly released Asians, hoping with their help in the area of the Black Sea to bring the local tribes Scharaguren, Sahiren, Utiguren and Kutrigurs to rest: the pay tribute to these peoples had too much burden on the exchequer of Byzantium. The Avars also managed to subdue them all by the year 562, the Avars arrived even as the northern bank of the lower Danube (territory of the Danube Delta). Emperor Justinian supports it and stalled in the wake then up to his death (565 AD) with gold payments. The further course of development is already known to us. The traditional in Byzantine sources, acquired by the Turks name refers to the two original peoples of the Avars out: "Uarchonitai", a composition of Uar = Awar (the disobedient to the Turks. ") And Chionita-Heftalita-Hjon (Hun). Also the results of modern archaeological research suggest two roots: one hand, the intra-Asian Funeral and mortuary offering customs and the costume and armor components influences of Chinese civilization and shamanic traditions, go to the other Central Asian weapons, costume accessories, silver and gold vessels - mostly equipment to make the Avars - the culture of Iran sptsassanidische back. They are us murals of the 6th-7th Century known from the cities that were destroyed during the Islamic conquest. Overall, remember the grave customs, dress accessories and weapons from the graves of these in Europe so suddenly arriving Avars in a surprising way to the grave finds of the Turks, from which they were driven out of their former home. This is, among other things, to explain the fact that these same Turks had indeed previously been under the rule of the Avars and related language and culture took over the old territory of the Avars. Related linguistic monuments are not delivered by the Avars, only a few titles (Khagan, Katun, Tudun, Tarkan, etc.) and some personal names (bayan, Solak, Samur, Targit, Apsik, Kok, etc.). They point to Turkish language and the Turkish conditions similar organization and culture. According to anthropological studies, the most Avars belong to the Caucasoid type of man; mongolider Merlanale the proportion is lower at the Avars as comparatively with the Huns. The Avar archaeological finds that were discovered in the first and second third of the last century,

mostly in 1813 came from the Hungarian National Museum and stored there. These are mainly large and ornate golden earrings. 1858 came the first royal grave found in Hungary (from Kungota, Cat IV, 3-6) in the National Museum. However, it was at that time not yet clear who these legacies were attributable. Discoveries in 1871 allowed for the first time a historical context: The family burial place of Szentendre and the grave of a plant Princely Family of Ozora (Cat. No. XIII, 1-5). As Totenobolus beige passed Byzantine gold coins (Cat. II, 2, V, 2) - solidi of Justinian I (527-565), Justin II (565578), Phocas (602-610) and Constantine IV (668 685) - allowed to date the Furide of Kungota, Szentendre and Ozora in the time from 565 to about 670th Characteristic of all three localities was that with the dead and their horses were buried, along with its silver-or gold-decorated bridles, stirrups were first wrought iron (eg cat V, 8) given (Fig. 3). Both in men and in women's graves were found gold earrings. The men wore on their gold-trimmed belts strikingly long swords in gold fogged vagina (eg cat IV, 1) (Fig. 4), Ozora a scimitar was found (Cat. No. XIII instead of a sword, 1). The graves of Kungota (Cat. IV, 3-6) and Ozora contained silver jugs and goblets in previously unknown forms that had probably include drinks. Time of the burials to clarify the political backgrounds were clear through them. That was already quite clear in winter 1872/73, that it is probably caused by the legacy of the Asian Avars in the findings. This finding was the basis for the cultural assignment of the very many graves, then came to light. So it was already possible in the past century, becoming the material culture of the Avars of those voraufgehender or subsequent peoples. A special feature is that the Avars buried their horses fully caparisoned (eg cat II, 3) - it happened to them so in death the same appreciation as in the lifetime (Fig. 3). We now know of several hundred such horse burials from a large number Avar cemeteries. There are like plants in which an entire stud of 80-90 horses were given their owners into the afterlife. Of course, the findings allow yourself graves as "Avar" to identify. Mentioned are the Clothing accessories and weapons Eastern coinage, the "Nomadic" belt (Fig. 5), the jewelry of their long plaited braids (eg cat I, 5), for the the appropriate tab fight sword with a long blade (eg Cat No. V, 1,. XXII, 15) (Fig. 4), and later the saber 10 (Cat. No. XXI, 1), the stiffening of the large plates, symmetric "reflex arcs" (Cat. No. XX, 10) (Fig. 6), the remains of the quiver (Cat. No., V, 7) with the large, three-bladed arrowheads (Cat. No. IX-XI, 16) (Fig. 4) which are heavier than older or more recent finds of this kind, and more. The dating of the finds was limited in more detail by the above-mentioned and other gold coins of the later Byzantine Emperor: Maurikios (582-602), Heraclius (610-641), and Constans II (641-668), and the last third of the 7th Century by their characteristic Mnznachahmungen.

The Avars and Byzantines

In the erupting in the fall of 567 armed conflicts between the Avars and Byzantines clashed not only two powers, but also the legal opinions of two fundamentally different structured societies. On one side were the still existing legal rights of the Roman Empire, on the other the new, is supportive of his feudal armed force, which was not only characteristic of the Avars in the rest. For example, Sirmium, the former imperial city of the already long-resolution Western Roman Empire, de facto, only three years has heard Ostrom (437-440). 125 years long, it was ruled first by the Huns, then by various Germanic tribes, and from the year 536 of the Gepids. Byzantium had but never gave up his rights to Sirmium, and the town, as it unexpectedly back Byzantium fell to 567, and taken for granted as most fundamental part of the empire. The Avar Khagan Bayan, however, was convinced of the view that the matter raised by Sirmium, the capital of the defeated him Gepids, and they only would be entitled to all customary laws of war to him. Finally, exhausted by the siege of the city capitulated to 582 the Avars, martial law had the upper. hand won. With the fall or Sirmium was the conquest of the Avars open the gate to the Byzantine Empire, the Save transition was in her hand. The Avar army flooded the Balkans as far as Thessalonica, to the

mouth of the Danube to the Black Sea. Although followed by other military conflicts between the Avars and Byzantines, with varying fortune, the Avars, however, remained until the year 626 is always the stronger. This is also reflected in the continuous growth of the gold tax paid by Byzantium in the short time of peace (tribute). From this tribute was 573 60,000 gold solidi from 578 to 80,000, from 584 100 000, from 604 622 to 120 000 and 200 000 gold solidi. Not included here are with the often enormous ransoms for the ransoming of Byzantine prisoners of war. This for the Avars "Golden Age" comes to archaeological findings very clearly. Before the year 626 we Sogut not know how grave a free Avars without gold jewelry, and the splendor of their princes stems from this Amount of gold here. They settled around 580 artisans and farmers in large numbers in their country, whose legacies we can find in the area of the Pannonian technically-Roman cities Sophianae (Pecs / Pecs) and Castellum (Keszthely) (Cat. No. XXII, 5 ). The last major expedition of the Avars against Byzantium, 626 undertaken with support from the Persians, but ended with an ignominious defeat - the Byzantine gold river dried up forever.

The Avars and the West

After they were penetrated twice to the same (see page 5), the Avars did not show more interest in their western neighbors for three decades. Engaged in the lucrative campaigns against Byzantium, they were careful not to open a second front. In relation to the Merovingian countries we know of hostilities at the end of the 6th Century, the Avars were drawn as allies of their Slavic neighbors in a dispute with the Franks. Behind this was Byzantium, which had understood it to mobilize the franc against the Avars and Slavs. 595 defended the Avars, the Danubian Slavs against the Bavarian Duke Tassilo I, and took him with it every desire for more Slavs campaigns. A year later, the Avars appeared in Thuringia, probably again as a helper of their Slavic allies. The King Sigibert widow, Queen Brunhilde, they could move to reverse just by paying a large sum of money. In the year 602, but the peace between the Khagan and the Merovingians was restored, the Avars were then even those who mediated in the war between the Franks and Lombards. But misleading About deliveries from Italian sources, according to which Agilulf, the king of the Lombards (594-616) repeatedly "perpetual peace" with the Avars should have closed. This is not about peace treaties after a previous war, but by the use of words of time simply by military alliances, as they are common today. both peoples, Avars and Lombards, supported each other in the wars against Byzantium, for example, by auxiliaries, by the parking of specialized craftsmen such as shipbuilders, and more. this good relationship ended only after the defeat of Khagans from Byzantium in the year 626 as compensation for the thenceforth dried up byzan-cal source of gold he fell 628 the Lombard Forum Julii (Cividale) and plundered the city., this foolish adventure took the Avars their single European allies. A little later their domination by various parties has been questioned. To the west rose the Alpine Slavs to the east, separated from the Bulgarian subjects. Become more cautious due to this experience, the Avars ending their disputes with the Lombards, the Khagan in 663 even helped their king Grimuald, put down the rebellion of the Duke of Forum Julii. So famous in the 8th Century, the kings of the Lombards, to have kept peace with the Avars, although this was less to her credit, but a consequence of the circumstances. The (peaceful) delineation of the Avars against the West influenced the subsequent history of East Central Europe. Their self-isolation blocked one of the main roads of the Roman period, the Danube Valley. During the later Western countries held over the Alpine passes, the Rhone Valley and the western Mediterranean connection, the path along the Danube ended in its upper region on the Enns River. The middle Danube valley was under the Hungarian king Stephen I (the Saint) in 1018 involved only back into the European transport network. On the basis of the resulting lines of force now but this could change anything.

Bajan
When the Avars invaded Europe, standing at the head of an autocrat, the Khagan Bayan (562-601), the name Bayan (= Turkish) means "the mighty one", "the rich". He was regarded as sovereign, as the son of heaven, whose dignity and power came from heaven, in the opinion of his subjects, he was born in heaven. His people called him "Father" (as was once known as Attila of the Huns and the East Germans) The visible signs of his dignity and power were extremely pompous, 'envoy, he received sitting on a golden throne, stretched one above the throne decorated with precious stones. canopy, stood before the throne bodyguards, wore shiny shields. receptions When he held a golden staff or a scepter in hand. His wealth was obvious - in his palace with gilded reclining chairs, lined up on his board to gold and silver vessels. During his lifetime his sons were already at the head of his armies,. Followed him in the reign of his sons, then one of his grandsons. His dynasty was probably just as long in power as the Merovingian. However, going from all contemporary sources, the Byzantine as the western, show that the absolute power only until 670 AD, was alone in the hand of Khagans and then divided into three parts. We know the names of several Avar leaders, ambassadors and generals from the time Bajans and know that although they were obedient, but also quite autonomously acting executor of his will. Bayan of organizing and leading a cavalry whose stock appreciated the Turks to about 20,000 warriors. Later, the number doubled by the rest of peoples under Turkish domination, which fled the Avar against the Turks. At the beginning the Byzantines envied the Avars to this, in comparison to their own cavalry, much better equipped and led army. The core of the Awarenheeres formed the heavy cavalry, whose iron warrior helmets and armor plates made of iron plates (eg cat II, 1, V, 9) contributed, even the horses were armored (Cat. No. V , 11). ., It was the first army of actual "knights" in Europe, the findings of graves with full or only symbolically an indicated tanks are also becoming more numerous, the heavy cavalry was equipped with full attack armament. Lances of three meters in length, spears for Breaking armor, swords, bows and arrows. heavy This was followed by a light cavalry, which led only one or two of the above types of weapons., the infantry was provided in case of war part of Slavic and Gepids allies. The seat of the Prince Khagane is suspected somewhere on the left bank of the Danube between Budapest and Baja, and in this area he was also the time of the Carolingian campaigns at the end of the 8th Century. We know that with the assistance of Byzantine and Lombard craftsmen a wooden palace and bathroom were built. If the exact location is still unknown until now, have yet present in this room Avar graves distinguished attention to the vicinity of the residence. The noblest of all previously known Awarengrber is the grave discovered in 1971 by Kunszentmikls-Kunbbony (see pp. 20 ff and cat IX-XI, Fig 7). In it was a prince with three gold studded belts, with goldbeschlagenem case (see Figure 4), with heavy tern?, Buried drinking horns and gold vessels. Although the grave was almost completely destroyed, yet nearly 3 kg of gold were recovered; originally was certainly much more available. The time position of the tomb of the buried could be in for? Costs a grandson or great-grandson of Bajan suspect, so perhaps a Khagan. The "prince" from the grave of Bcsa there was a decorated with pseudo-buckle belt (Fig. 5), similar to that of Kunbbony, characteristic of the Bajan dynasty, probably is also a member of the family were buried, but with a significantly less rich features. dismembered a Byzantine silver bowl, a silver chalice Awari exchanger and the most beautiful of us have known pseudo buckles, found together in Tpe? the, perhaps derived from the bajanischen treasure? Chamber. Kecel and Nagykrs (Cat. No. 2 VIII) in the northern part; Kungota (Cat. IV, 3-6) and Kunmadaras east of the Tisza: from the time of the autocracy of the bajanischen dynasty we know of other gold-rich burial the Danube-Tisza-of Zwischenstromlan; Klked on the right bank of the Danube. These tombs are not directly found in the area of the suspected residence indicate that some had also groups other than the closer kinship of Khagan of wealth in this era. These are probably the most known from written sources box? Men and the "tarkane" who holds the rank of

about Viceroy. They were in their own parts of the country as well as the dreaded and honored despots Khagan himself in total coverage. The military retinue of Khagans and his lieutenants was probably from the Avars make the socalled "Aule" (Aul = quarters, seat). Still are for the graves of these men making the gold-studded swords and knives (eg Fig 20-21 ) characteristic for the graves of women and other family members, the heavy gold jewelry, especially the Avar and Byzantine gold earrings (burials of Csepel, Kunpeszr, Alpr, Szentendre, Inota, Rbapordny, -Alibunr and others).

The social structure of the early Avar

The different burial types allow us to A? Insight into the society and to gain ver so? Bound life in the first hundred years of the Avar. For most of the Avar Aule are the family graves at this time? Characteristic sites with 3-30 burials. They were? Created the apparently near the winter quarters each with a cattle-breeding family or extended family (clan). The majority was wealthy, always contain? Speaking the size of livestock (mostly sheep and horses). The women got their jewelry into the grave, generally large, ornate and heavy earrings with pendants in the form of pyramids or spheres (eg, Cat III, 2, 4.5, V, 2). The men were not rare? Buried even with the two horses, though, as we now know, not all the rich families of the custom of horse burials followed. More common was the addition of Goldberg? Battered weapons or belts. Less well? Wealthy tombs classrooms with similar, but less precious offerings of silver or gilt bronze are known to us. Were imitated in silver such as the spherical earrings, but not the big Pyramidenohrgehnge; also you ter set only arrows and quiver on the coffin instead of heavy?. So there is not only in material but also in the type of inventory differences between rich? Ren and poorer graves. An important role in the society frhawarischen apparently played the blacksmith and goldsmith. They were fully armed buried, with her horse, and especially with their work (in "Beyond") tools required. Were the most important device Press Model (eg cat XVII, 1, 2, 4, 5) made of bronze. The best known examples come from Kunszent-Marton (Cat. No. XVII, 2, 4, 5), Fnlak, and Adony Gter. Almost all meet in forms and motifs the handed down to us from the early Avar GorCentral and Pferdegeschirrbestzen. The ornaments, For example, lotus rosettes (Cat. No. XVII, 11) are mostly oriental in origin, but also some Byzantine motifs were acquired: the "Toothed" animal style Germanic origin learned by Avar goldsmiths after their Taste a conversion to Avar Variant of the so-called Tier II Stiles (eg cat VIII, 1). In addition to the classrooms we are already on the beginning of the 7 Century villages also survived. its inhabitants were probably poorer free and unfree servants. Many settlements are continuously occupied, regardless of whether they only 8-10 or 100 homes passed. In its vicinity are burial grounds, between 30 and several hundred burials may include, and reflect the size, the Prosperity and permanent settlement of the respective Place against. The now exposed to half the earth sunken house plans include constructions with their post on the Early Medieval Eurasian house types. Inside, with respect to the input is the set of blocks or in the Soil deepened stove, hob and heating the same time, with an average of 8 m2 floor area, very small houses. Bread oven are outside the houses created / A social differentiation, as it appears from the grave goods in the burials signs, is in size and shape differences no equivalent of the house construction. It is therefore suggest that where men with her horse, silver-studded belts and weapons, women with silver or gold ear-rings were buried, not only the previously known hovels may have been present but that the Dwellings of the richer population may be the admired by the Byzantines Avar tents (Yurts) or houses were built of wood. There were also villages that existed only a short time. Other places have been closed down several times and re-populated, as can be concluded from the respective cemeteries. During the 7th Century Avar still a low internal migration can be found, this comes as the findings show, in 8 Century to an almost complete halt. on the anfangliche migration could be due, that in the district of a larger site

today often 4-6, sometimes even 10-12 or smaller created larger cemeteries and abandoned have been. In the 6th and 7 Century originated in Pannonia permanently inhabited, strikingly large villages, which may be almost called after Avar conditions as cities. Starting at the end of the 6th Century can be seen in Transdanubia, such as in Krnye, see villages with several hundred inhabitants. Such settlements, with at least 50 houses and several hundred burials extensive cemeteries are in the 7th Century frequently (eg Vrpalota, Cskbereny, Rcalms, Szekszard and Mezfalva). In recent years, it even came to the burial ground of a real city, a "horde". The far uncovered 500 burials of the 7th century when Zamrdi (Cat. No. VII) south of Lake Balaton (Balaton) represent more than one tenth of the expected inventory dar. Judging by the graves, lived in a very affluent group of people with elevated social rank this Ordu, who unfortunately could even not be localized from burials of poor people or servants been missing almost every track;. oddly enough, also of children's graves. the unusually large burial ground has already been plundered and ravaged around the year 700 AD, only the most recent graves, apparently from the last years of the settlement, were unaffected. Among them fall on some rather poor graves. The few findings and especially the remnants of items that, despite the relentless grave robberies still came to light, indicate that the deceased were very rich and had the same legal status as the residents of Aule. In the heyday of Ordu the external image of its population is likely to have been rather mixed. Although undoubtedly prevailed Avar elements, but the findings represent the material culture of half of Europe and the Middle East. There were bronze vessels from the Byzantine Empire, silbertauschierte iron folding chairs Italo-Lombard origin, glass jars, Ostrom and Italy and even sptsassanidisches harness from Iran. In addition, show the magnificent Grtelbestze, rings and bracelets the already mentioned variant of Avar formed in the countries of the Merovingian II animal style. On one hand, evidence Ride Around horses and burials Avar Avar-pagan symbol property the world of thought, on the other hand, numerous crosses made of silver sheet and decorated with crosses objects (eg cat III, 9) evidence of the influence of Christianity.

The change to 670

Only due to the meager written sources, it is unclear on what grounds can the noticeable changes in the Avar in the years lead back to 670 in detail. The image of "archaeological culture" is changing, that new burial customs, new Trachteigentmlichkeiten, armament pattern and style elements are spreading in from the Carpathian Basin, a self as independent and characteristic culture as the "Avar wave" a century ago, or about how the archaeological legacy of conquering Hungarians two centuries later. The change is accompanied by the expansion of the Avar settlement area, especially in the north and west. The "reiternomadische" culture penetrates into the river valleys of the Carpathians and in today's southwestern and southern Slovakia, in Lower Austria to the Alps (Fig. 2), and in the area around the Vienna Woods and Thaya. The Southwest is up to the area of Zagreb settled, everything landscapes that were never occupied by the early Avars In these areas the late Awarentum then has played a significant role.. The difficulty for historical research is that neither the Byzantines nor the neighbors and contemporaries have noticed something in the west bordering countries of the changes or taken any notice of them, they found themselves in the economic and political crises. Thus, in the absence of written sources close indirect evidence have special value. In Avar, has taken the power of half a century, a Byzantine friendly minded leadership after an interruption; transmitted as 678 Avar envoy of Khagans Congratulations to Konstantin TV, on the occasion of his victory over the Arabs.. Ausdem west but we do not actually know of the anticipated hostilities. The new Avar rulers attacked by 680 Lauriacum (Lorch) on the Enns River. The fortified, populated since ancient city was destroyed, pushed the limits of the Avar political and military to back Enns. 692 met an Avar embassy in Pippin the Middle one in Metz - probably those peace treaty was concluded on this

occasion, the recognized Enns as the limit of the Avar. In any case it is certain that at the same time with this great Changes in the land by the Bulgarians took place in their present home (Fig. 1). After a Byzantine legend, in the land of the Avars and Bulgars have settled simultaneously. Some speech and written documents also allow the presumption that, under these "layer covering" the Avar peoples were also the Onogur-Bulgarians, called by their western neighbors Wangaren. According to archaeological sources, there are signs that under the Avar in the entrained eastern comers the Bulgarian element was poorly represented. The actual military force were those medium-and intra-Asian groups "Turkish" character, which had just before scattered the Bulgarian tribes of the area of the northern Black Sea shore and the one branch was apparently reached its paths and detours into the Avar (Fig. 1). This "Turkish" groups may have been closely allied with the Avars. Handicraft products of both, such as the bone carvings (Cat. No. XIX), point to very significant resemblances. Such a statement would be this possible that these Turkish groups with the former Avars were held together by their neighbors for a unified nation. The sequence of the fusion process between the old and new elements of the population can not be traced in detail. But it seems that the implementation and redesign of the population structure is not running anywhere peacefully. The assignment of the cemeteries stops. Many of the frhawaribetween villages are destroyed and most often used the immigrants, although the old settlement sites on, but put on new burial grounds. The period of unrest and upheaval, of about 670/680 bis 710/720, which is archaeologically difficult to interpret, but appears complete after about two generations. The short period is, for lack of a better term, called "mittelawarische time." But not only the material culture has changed, but also the political structure of the empire. Instead of the despotic khaganischen enters a shared power. Besides the Khagan now rule the "Jugurrus" (yugrus) and the "Tudun" All three have dominion over certain parts of the country and people,. them it is under the leadership of the privileged tarkane. This division of power was regionally dissected but not very well organized and recorded, a defect which was found to be favorable circumstance for the Franks, as they end of the 8th Century the Great against the Avars survived the reign of Charles. Clothing accessories and art objects that arise under the influence of Newcomers "Turkish" population, similar to those of the earlier Avars over which the Onogur-Bulgarians., The belt for example differ not only in their structure from those of the early Avars, but also in the motives of the pressed from gold, silver or bronze ornaments. Importantly especially the square and the flechtbandartige band composition, whose traces can be traced to the areas north of the Great Wall of China and to Korea. Typical are still there, the (Chinese) dragon motif and the ancient steppe motives. griffins (eg cat XVIII, 6) and birds of prey in compressed or engraved design, some with blue or yellow glass archaeological deposits is significant that even in folk art, such B. bone carving that comes Bandornamentik. The leader of rank, the "princes" (grave finds of Ozora-Totpuszta, Igar) are on their Takht rather Bulgarian descent (originally from Central Asia saber once excluded) This Bulgarians, in contrast to the Avars, allies of the Byzantine Empire.; so come again in the tombs of their leaders Byzantine jewelery ago For this jewelry include the Byzantine style made in gold or silver chest crosses (eg cat XXIII, 2) evidence of, whatsoever, influence of the Byzantine church, possibly even targeted for missionary activity. For the nomadic empires had always been characteristic of religious tolerance. Make crosses as grave goods of women's graves suggests that the Christian Awarinnen could carry the symbol of their religion visible and open. Based on these findings and findings, however, is difficult to explain how largely had been in the pagan environment of the Avar Christianisierungsgrad.

The 8th century

Since sptawarische settlements are not enough awareness, the focus of archaeological research increasingly depends on the grave finds. We know so far of nearly 1,000 burials of the middle and late Awrenzeit, however, are only a few fully excavated. The different number of graves that goes 300-1300 leaves, very close to settlements of different sizes. Suppose, with an average life expectancy of 30 years, that the cemeteries were occupied about four to five generations, it is clear that ever lived simultaneously in the respective associated settlements about 50 to 300 people. According to the grave finds life in the villages of the Avar core areas was rather peaceful. Agriculture and animal husbandry (sheep partially, mainly cattle) had them contemporary meaning, horse breeding has played a major role especially in this low levels. Judging by the food offerings in the graves, also pigs and poultry were kept. Among the common grave goods including pots as containers for liquid food. Approximately 10% of the graves are relatively better equipped, usually is male graves, decorated with belts as costume component. There are obviously upper class representatives in the village. The majority of the deceased was, however, judging by the offerings, rather poor. According to the arrangement of the graves within each burial association can but suspect that the two groups but in some - kinship? Have been standing relationship, were united in Great family groups. Male burials with weapons offerings can be found at this time only on the periphery and strategically important locations in the interior of the empire; probably is buried in order to more professional warriors, border guards or the like. From the 8th Century are known only to a few richly equipped burial. Most are riders graves with strikingly rich inventory of weapons and horse trappings. The buried here should have formed the wake of the military rulers sptawarischen; tombs of the ruling class or individual personalities are excellent prince has not yet been found. Throughout its history, the company has developed an Avar inner contradictions, which was particularly evident in the late Awrenzeit. The well-known from the sources leadership and the associated organization had its origin in the life of the steppe nomads. In the 8th However, we see ourselves in relation to a century feudal upper class, about that of the Merovingians of the 6th and 7 Century on the upper Danube is comparable. During the Merovingian kingdom, the feudal order had organically developed from the beginnings, a growing alienation between the real people and the upper class was at the Avars. It is therefore no coincidence that these little well-established organization within the kingdom coming toward external difficulties they could not withstand.

The art of the era sptawarischen

One of the results of the nations mixture described above was the emergence of the so-called "grasping tendrils style" at the beginning of the 8th century. It is found mainly in decorative fittings made of bronze, which are molded so that they act worked as broken. Their stylistic uniqueness is . highly pronounced Above all, however, due to their high technical quality, they have been widely recognized and acknowledged only by the research of this century as Avar product;. they were considered older, mainly because of the Hellenistic origin of the ornamental motifs they were attributed to the Iranian Sarmatians. or brought by their animal and plant motifs in conjunction with the Huns. But even as the dating of decorative hardware in the sptawarenzeitliche 8 Century was secured their independence from the above analysis artistic styles of the late 7th was Century, even in the more recent research, over-emphasized. In fact, all the essential elements of costume and equipment that are at the beginning of the 8th Century were made in bronze, already demonstrated in the middle Awrenzeit, including the main gripping and climbing vines (eg cat XVI, 4, XVIII, 1-5). However, they were not cast in the intermediate period, but pressed. Grasping, dragon and Eberfiguren in beaded frames, actually typical of the sptsassanidische ornamentation, appear in late Awrenzeit painted on pottery Central Asian form. The Bronzegutechnik mainly applied in the late period led to a wide variation of forms of jewelry and ornaments. It could be molded ornaments

that are otherwise in wood and bone carvings, embroidery and application Verbrmungs use found and were executed with difficulty in pressing technique. The bronze, since the Bronze Age and smacks it was a really simple technique. The carved in wood samples were pressed into soft clay, the clay then fired. Thus, a two-piece or Gumodel formed. Although they were not suitable for the production of larger series, but that was not necessary, because the ornament belt of persons, families, and clan rank symbolized and therefore always had to be made individually. Why were among the thousands of us Come on belt fittings not have two completely identical trim combinations. Among the cast in bronze designs some are common. For example, animal combat scenes (eg cat XVIII, 7) - usually grab two identical or different mythical creatures a hoofed animal or, more rarely, a people - then numerous variants of the griffin, alone or in series, dragon-like animals with spiral body, eagle (Cat. No. XVIII, 8) and forming fish eagle, eagle, boar and horse heads and vertebrae of horses or gripping heads. Ornament carriers are large belt tongues, Grtelzierrat, buckles, harness and trim washers. The sacred and mythical motifs that animal style can be derived exclusively from the Art of steppe peoples with their very long history of development. The plant ornamentation, consisting of vines (eg cat XVIII, 1), braided tendrils, palmettes and half-palmettes are also ancient motifs related to the steppe and the decorative arts of Asia. Parallels are found in PersieiL. India and China. Persianinfluenced pronounced Sassani-disch are the Pfauendrachc (eg jus-Sen Murv), which also occurs as a field mark (Kunhegyes-Ban halma), lion heads (Cat. No. XXI "and figures, and the figure a hunter is depicted with a bow on a runaway path (Fig. 75). Mythical ideas of the peoples of the steppes occur whether enigmatic representations contrary: At predators horse people, human figures with flights figures, reminiscent of the crouching Buddha, with uplifted arms and stacked heads, one on a gripping horseback winged hero, winged or wearing a long braid forms (Cat. No. XX, 6), the animals trample, people with bull heads that belong to the area of a shell-humanistic worldview (eg Alsct). On a salt container made of horn bull fighting horses with masks are shown under a tree of life. This art is widely used, we find the kind of representations as carvings and wood again. These is a very nice piece, a carved bone scepter terminating in a dragon head. Some of the motifs are in use since late Hellenistic period and occur both in the field of Byzantine art, as well as in the early and late art of Volga-Caucasus region. It is impossible to tell in detail, exactly which areas of the Avar artists have brought their respective suggestions or she learned. Actually Byzantine elements, grape vines and grapes, Akanthusblt-ter Fllhornmotive, schnbelnde pigeons (Cat. No. VIII, 2) and lattice pattern (Cat. No. XXIII, 7) take the Avar an artistic creation only a small space. Even rarer are e.g. Dolphins (Cat. No. VII, 8), Nereids riding on dolphins or scenes from the arena, such as wrestling with lion people. Of the powerful, directly adjacent Byzantine culture would have expected a stronger influence. The resumption of old themes in new technology is towards the end of the Awrenzeit more frequently, such as connect silver and gold-inlaid phalerae and stapes (eg cat XXV, 13, XVIII, 14), further palmettes and half palmettes with stippled background, may be transferred from textiles to metal ornaments. There is therefore no reason before, make the claim - how to do sometimes - the Avars would not have been able to develop its own art or to bring into being independent works. Finally they were indeed also been able to form the heart of Europe on its own a kingdom, and to keep it for a long time regardless. Outside their area of settlement or its narrower sphere of influence are in the 8th Century, for example, the characteristic, to prove to Avar costume indicative belt with the typical ornament or Awari-cal harness. Both were so surely developed and manufactured in the country of the Avars. The motives of the famous hoard of Nagyszentmikls (Cat. No. XXVIII-XXIX) are clearly in the group of sptawarischen art, apart from the later Byzantine emblems once inserted. Also, there is evidence of a sptawarische own writing. 1983, a typical Avar needle container was recovered from bone notch with 58 characters in a grave of the cemetery sptawarischen of Szarvas. Letters of the

same font can be found on objects of the treasure of Nagyszentmikls, this discovery sheds new light on the sptawarische culture.

The sinking of the Avar

The Avars have the last third of the 7th Century made use of to the extent to consolidate their power over the conquered territories, a further extension but apparently not sought. Also for foreign policy in the 8th Century, apart from an unsuccessful campaign Alps 740, most peaceful inaction characteristic. In the last third of the 8th Century they came but actually rather unwittingly found itself in conflict with the powerful Frankish Empire of Charlemagne. In the year 774 Charlemagne had become king of the Lombards, his kingdom thus limited in northeastern Italy right on to the Avar. The leader of a Lombard revolt against Charles, 776 in Friuli, fled to their friends, the Avars - which led inevitably to tensions between Franks and Avars. 778, at the beginning of the Saxon wars of Charlemagne, came some allied with the Avars, Slavs tribes in danger. 782 were able to settle the problems once diplomatic negotiations. The Bavarian Duke Tassilo III., Whose wife was a daughter of the last Liutberga, sold by Charles Lombard king Desiderius, tried to counter the claims of the Frankish king. He made preparations for a Bavarian-Avar alliance. This alliance was probably never closed, but already the intention of offering the ecclesiastical and secular ideology of the Carolingian potischen an excellent pretext against the pagan Avars in a "holy war" to take the field. With the first attack, he personally led, Charles the Great, 791 could reach up to the mouth of the Raab. But that, in the vicinity of the Vienna Woods, beaten Avar army dodged another meeting; undertaken in the late fall campaign came as ineffective. Although legendary chronicles and biographies combine the demise of the Avar with this campaign of Charlemagne, but actually took place in the following four years, no new Frankish attack against the Avars. Charles himself has never set foot on Avar territory. -The army moved until the end of the Carolingian 795 back against the Avars, in which - for unknown reasons - inner turmoil of war had broken out. The Khagan and the Jugurrus who fought each other, both were killed. Then, probably because of the chaotic conditions in their own country, went to the Tudun, the prince of the western Avars, Charlemagne in Aachen and offered his voluntary submission to. This was connected with the adoption of Christianity, Charlemagne himself was the godfather of Avar Tudun. The Duke of Friuli, Erik, had assessed the situation correctly and had occurred with his cavalry into the Avar. He managed to rob one of the princely Ordus. This tour followed the campaign of Charles' son Pepin, king of Italy. He arrived in the summer of 796 in the khaganische residence on the east bank of the Danube, and the new Khagan and his wife, the Katun, worshiped him. It probably had the appearance as if the Avars of Carolingian power voluntarily throws, but still contributed 802 the Avars the Carolingian army successfully resistance. The second and final time collapse Avar power started with the beginning of the year 803 Krum, the Bulgarian Khan, the Avars fell with all its force in the back, the Tudun now faced two fronts against. He chose the lesser evil in his view, and submitted to the autumn 803 in Regensburg in the name of human-Pannonian Avars Emperor Charles. 804 also fled the Khagan and his entourage to the west. This ruling has 796 ruler was, as its name "Theo-dorus" indicating East Roman Christian and found it easier asylum among the Franks. When he died shortly after, chose the Avar nobles (optimates) to their customs a new Khagan, the was baptized for tactical reasons. Charlemagne did this khagan Abraham reinstated in his rights, ie the transfer him dominion over all the Avars lived in the Carolingian Empire, the Tudun included. vassal principality of the Khagan and the Tudun played in the following decades, the Frankish court still does matter. After 829 the Avar territory had shrunk to the northeastern part of Pannonia, part of the country east of the Raab and the Balaton. The further course of action is not clear, we only know that even 870 taxable Avars in Pannonia lived. The Bulgarian Khan but did not include the eastern Avar on to his land, and Slavic tribes, East

Abodrites and Timocanen, took the southern half of the Great Hungarian Plain in possession; sometimes these were nominally under Bulgarian power, but wanted to be absolutely well rid of it. During the reign of Khan Omourtag (827-832), the Bulgarians annexed the southeastern third of the former Avar temporarily to their country, and indeed Srem, the Mrostal and the middle and lower Theis area. With all these confused and troubled relationships of an independent political unit of the Avars was deprived of his livelihood.

Avars and the Europe

The resulting under the influence of Chinese and Persian civilizations people of the Avars brought a pronounced degree cultural elements Inner and Central Asia to Europe. If they did not wear the fairytale splendor of the Orient in our part of the world, yet some of its color. Although geared to fight, sought the early Avars, and especially their leaders, are culturally appropriate for surrounding nations. So it was with the neighboring kingdoms to the south and west not only armed conflicts, but also peaceful relations. The influence of the early Avars in turn insisted on their surroundings mainly on the effect of their unusual, strange and surprising art of war. The Byzantines tried to imitate them in detail, such as in the bewimpelten spears, the stirrups, the breastplates of the horses or in the clothing of the Avar warrior with the typical belt (Fig. 5). But the tactics of their cavalry, the split battle, the training of the reserve, the excellent exploration work and practical details of how the second were riding horses became a model. About this influence, however, we have only written evidence, it has not been archaeologically detectable. Impact on the material culture are sure to put more pronounced in the western neighbors. Mention may be made, among other things, the harness, especially the new type of bridle, the stirrup, the Stangengebi and the high pommel. With the spread of these innovations may have played a certain role with horses of merchantability. Also the products Avar forge found recognition, with the Ose forged in one piece stirrup for example, was adopted in the West after a long time later, the slatted armor and armor-piercing spear. In the early medieval European garb came by Avar influence on the side straps and hangers provided with much pomp-piece belt, the woman made jewelry earrings with large pendants fashion. Oriental fabrics probably influenced the clothing. After consolidating their power, the Avars attempted to align their cultural level in all areas of the neighboring peoples, they differed in this respect in that time not much of the Bavarians or the Italian Lombards. This evolution ceased at the end of the 7th However century, the Avar off completely encapsulated and lived almost like an island. As an example, came to flower the "grasping and Vine civilization," the relevant art and costume was at the neighbors far more common. These late products Avar handicrafts reached in individual cases in far-away places, so to Albania, Central Italy , Bohemia, and Poland to Finland, to the east and to the other side of the Volga, but there were apparently only single common objects, which took no effect on the particular fashion or art. During this time of seclusion but is hardly outside influence more in Awar effective. Some feats Avar craft not took over the neighboring nations, however strangely, such as the stiffened plates with leg reflex arc and the excellent, Central Asian traditions preserving ceramics, the gray and later the yellow pots. Other craft quirks, such as the bone carving, have had no effect on the wider environment. And the spread of Christianity had to stop at the border Avar, the Avars took the 8th Century, the religious life of their time little or no content. The activities of Christian missionaries, mostly Byzantine origin, could only have individual successes. This, also, there was the linguistic isolation from the neighboring peoples. And the cohesion with allies was just loose, probably due to the peculiar internal organization of the Avar. The actual stopping in the ratios of the 7th Century in a world of 8 Century, continually developed, made from the kingdom of the Avars a living anachronism that had no place in the events of the early Middle Ages in Europe and was no longer significant.