„Die eine aus dem Westen, die andere aus dem Süden“. Eine kleine Studie zu Fibeln in der Vekerzug-Kultur

Abstract

This study deals with the finds of fibulae from the Hallstatt period sites of the Vekerzug culture from Eastern Hungary and Southern Slovakia. The majority of the fibulae come from graves, the rest are either stray or settlement finds. Providing a more complex overview of the fibulae was at the centre of our interest, focused mainly on a cultural and spatial analysis, their possible relation to the specific gender or age category of the burial individuals and on possible importance of the fibulae for the costumes of the Vekerzug culture. Two main origin groups of the fibulae were identified, namely the fibulae of the Hallstatt type and the fibulae of Balkan origin. The fibulae were predominantly found in the graves of adult females. Their costumes do not differ from the female costumes of the Vekerzug culture without fibulae.

This study deals with the finds of fibulae from the Hallstatt period sites of the Vekerzug culture from Eastern Hungary and Southern Slovakia. So far, 29 fibulae have been found at 18 sites. The majority of the fibulae come from graves (20 items from 16 graves), the rest are either stray (6 items) or settlement finds (2 items). Providing a more complex overview of the fibulae was at the centre of our interest, focused mainly on a cultural and spatial analysis, their possible relation to the specific gender or age category of the burial individuals and on possible importance of the fibulae for the costumes of the Vekerzug culture. The importance of the fibulae lies in the relatively reliable dating possibilities of those find complexes of the Vekerzug culture in which they occurred. Since the finds of fibulae are not numerous, their usefulness for the elaboration of the chronology and periodisation of the Vekerzug culture is quite limited. Two main origin groups of the fibulae were identified, namely the fibulae of the Hallstatt type and the fibulae of Balkan origin. Both main origin groups can be further subdivided into several subgroups. Group 1 with fibulae of the Hallstatt type includes both Eastern Alpine and Northwestern Alpine fibulae types. Eastern Alpine fibulae types are represented in the Vekerzug culture by boat, serpentine, arch, Certosa and band bow fibulae, whereas Northwestern Alpine ones are represented by bossed and crossbow fibulae with a decorated foot. Several types of arch and disc-shaped fibulae can be assigned to the group 2 with fibulae of Balkan origin. According to their main distributions, these can be further divided into several subgroups. While the fibulae of the Hallstatt type were found both in Southern Slovakia and in Eastern Hungary (there almost exclusively in the right bank of the Tisza), the fibulae of Balkan origin are known only from sites in Eastern Hungary and there almost exclusively in the left bank of the Tisza. On the basis of the fibulae, which were used from the Ha D1 stage to the Early Latène period, the chronological development of the contacts of the Vekerzug culture with neighbouring cultural regions can also be traced. Connections between the Vekerzug culture and various Hallstatt cultural groups on the one hand and Early Iron Age cultural groups in the Central and Eastern Balkans on the other hand can be shown not only by the fibulae but also by other categories of finds. In the Vekerzug culture, fibulae are equally represented in inhumation and cremation graves. In inhumation graves, they were located in the chest-shoulder area and therefore probably served to fasten garments. Most frequently, a fibula was observed in the grave, a double or even triple wearing of fibulae is an exception in the Vekerzug culture. The fibulae were predominantly found in the graves of adult females. Their costumes do not differ from the female costumes of the Vekerzug culture without fibulae.