- Gepidic period, Gepids, Gepids, Avars, Early Medieval in Carpathian Basin, Early Medieval Europe (Archaeology), Early Medieval History, and 18 moreEarly Medieval Archaeology, Early Byzantine Archaeology, Migration Period Archaeology, History of Archaeology, Ancient Weapons and Warfare, Great Migration period, Social Identity, Gepid, Migration Studies, Archaeological Method & Theory, Late Antique Archaeology, Late Roman and early Byzantine fortifications, Byzantine, Funeral Rites, early middle Age, Migratons Period, Late Antiquity, and Barbaricumedit
Between the Sarmatians and the Gepids. The problems of identifying Hun/Nomadic relics through the example of partial horse burials The case of the partial horse burials is another excellent illustration of the fact that in the fifth... more
Between the Sarmatians and the Gepids. The problems of identifying Hun/Nomadic relics through the example of partial horse burials
The case of the partial horse burials is another excellent illustration of the fact that in the fifth century the Hun Empire's leading stratum was probably made up of very different nomadic communities. This may have been a general nomadic custom spreading across the steppe with the arrival of the Huns, which was not standardised and thus did not develop into a uniform practice in the former Hun Empire. This process may also be partly similar to that of the formation of the representation of the warrior elite, where the first initial steps were also taken by the elite of the empire. At the same time, however, the nomadic "entity" is certainly capable of being detected, as far as we know at present. The use of ritual is not an expression of ethnic identity, but rather of cultural identity. Their low number may be partly related to the short presence of the centre of the Hun Empire in the Carpathian Basin (or close to it). At the same time, it is important to stress that the material of the period does not include a large number of graves with elite representation.
The case of the partial horse burials is another excellent illustration of the fact that in the fifth century the Hun Empire's leading stratum was probably made up of very different nomadic communities. This may have been a general nomadic custom spreading across the steppe with the arrival of the Huns, which was not standardised and thus did not develop into a uniform practice in the former Hun Empire. This process may also be partly similar to that of the formation of the representation of the warrior elite, where the first initial steps were also taken by the elite of the empire. At the same time, however, the nomadic "entity" is certainly capable of being detected, as far as we know at present. The use of ritual is not an expression of ethnic identity, but rather of cultural identity. Their low number may be partly related to the short presence of the centre of the Hun Empire in the Carpathian Basin (or close to it). At the same time, it is important to stress that the material of the period does not include a large number of graves with elite representation.
Research Interests: Early Medieval Archaeology, Huns, Archaeology Of The Migration Period And The Early Middle Ages, Migration Period Archaeology, Early Medieval Transylvania, and 4 moreEarly Medieval Period, The World of the Huns: Studies in Their History and Culture, Nomadic/Indigenous People, and Archaeology: Roman Imperial Period (Barbaricum) Migration Period.
"From nothing I created a new, different world". Gyula László, the archaeological researcher of the society of the Migration Period. This paper presents Gyula László's research and concepts of social archaeology of the Migration Period,... more
"From nothing I created a new, different world". Gyula László, the archaeological researcher of the society of the Migration Period.
This paper presents Gyula László's research and concepts of social archaeology of the Migration Period, drawing attention to the new trends and theorys that have emerged in archaeological literature since then.
This paper presents Gyula László's research and concepts of social archaeology of the Migration Period, drawing attention to the new trends and theorys that have emerged in archaeological literature since then.
Research Interests:
Huns, Avars, and conquering Hungarians were migration-period nomadic tribal confederations thatarrived in three successive waves in the Carpathian Basin between the 5th and 9th centuries. Basedon the historical data, each of these groups... more
Huns, Avars, and conquering Hungarians were migration-period nomadic tribal confederations thatarrived in three successive waves in the Carpathian Basin between the 5th and 9th centuries. Basedon the historical data, each of these groups are thought to have arrived from Asia, although their exact origin and relation to other ancient and modern populations have been debated. Recently,hundreds of ancient genomes were analyzed from Central Asia, Mongolia, and China, from whichwe aimed to identify putative source populations for the above-mentioned groups. In this study,we have sequenced 9 Hun, 143 Avar, and 113 Hungarian conquest period samples and identifiedthree core populations, representing immigrants from each period with no recent European ancestry.Our results reveal that this ‘‘immigrant core’’ of both Huns and Avars likely originated in present dayMongolia, and their origin can be traced back to Xiongnus (Asian Huns), as suggested by severalhistorians. On the other hand, the ‘‘immigrant core’’ of the conquering Hungarians derived from anearlier admixture of Mansis, early Sarmatians, and descendants of late Xiongnus. We have alsoshown that a common ‘‘proto-Ugric’’ gene pool appeared in the Bronze Age from the admixtureof Mezhovskaya and Nganasan people, supporting genetic and linguistic data. In addition, we de-tected shared Hun-related ancestry in numerous Avar and Hungarian conquest period genetic out-liers, indicating a genetic link between these successive nomadic groups. Aside from the immigrantcore groups, we identified that the majority of the individuals from each period were local residentsharboring ‘‘native European’’ ancestry.
Research Interests:
According to the written historical sources, the Gepids were a Germanic tribe that settled in the Carpathian Basin during the Migration Period. They were allies of the Huns, and an independent Gepid Kingdom arose after the collapse of the... more
According to the written historical sources, the Gepids were a Germanic tribe that settled in the Carpathian Basin during the Migration Period. They were allies of the Huns, and an independent Gepid Kingdom arose after the collapse of the Hun Empire. In this period, the Carpathian Basin was characterized by so-called row-grave cemeteries. Due to the scarcity of historical and archaeological data, we have a poor knowledge of the origin and composition of these barbarian populations, and this is still a subject of debate. To better understand the genetic legacy of migration period societies, we obtained 46 full mitogenome sequences from three Gepid cemeteries located in Transylvania, Romania. The studied samples represent the Classical Gepidic period and illustrate the genetic make-up of this group from the late 5th and early 6th centuries AD, which is characterized by cultural markers associated with the Gepid culture in Transylvania. The genetic structure of the Gepid people is expl...
Research Interests:
The archaeological concepts on the location of the Gepids in the 4th–5th centuries AD greatly influenced the ethnic interpretation of the hoards of Șimleu Silvaniei / Szilágysomlyó. Earlier research, after the works of István Bóna, placed... more
The archaeological concepts on the location of the Gepids in the 4th–5th centuries AD greatly influenced the ethnic interpretation of the hoards of Șimleu Silvaniei / Szilágysomlyó. Earlier research, after the works of István Bóna, placed the territory of the Gepids in the Upper Tisza Region in this period, including the northwestern part of present-day Romania due to the ethnic interpretation of the hoards. A highly diverse culture flourished in the Upper Tisza region in the 4th–5th centuries (Sarmatian, Przseworks, Chernyahov and Hun-period cultures), thus, the separation of particular ethnic groups is impossible, even relying on the most recent methodologies. By taking a closer look at the earlier preconceptions about the territories of various ethnic groups, the connection of the famous Szilágysomlyó hoards to the Gepids also seems to be questionable so far. Based on the value and quality of the objects (insignia), it is impossible, that such an aspiring aristocratic group as the Gepids could own them. This may be reinforced also by the fact that the Gepids did not operate along the borders of the Roman Empire before the Hun period.
Research Interests: Late Antique and Byzantine Studies, Late Antique Archaeology, Early Medieval Archaeology, Early Medieval History, Late Antiquity, and 8 moreArchaeology of Germanic tribes (Roman period), Great Migration period, Hoards, Völkerwanderungszeit, Huns, Gepids, Avars, Archaeology Of The Migration Period And The Early Middle Ages, and The World of the Huns: Studies in Their History and Culture
Shield bosses and their development in the Carpathian Basin of the 5th century (Abstract) This study presents the 5th century shield bosses types known from the material of burials in the Carpathian Basin and their development. A wide... more
Shield bosses and their development in the Carpathian Basin of the 5th century
(Abstract)
This study presents the 5th century shield bosses types known from the material of burials in the Carpathian Basin and their development. A wide range of objects spread throughout the area during the late Roman Imperial and the early migration periods (Type of Dobrodzień/Zieling T Varianten, Csongrad/Zieling L, Misery/Zieling H1, Vermand, Horgos/Libenau; Kiszombor). It is typical that the graves in which shields were placed are known mainly from the eastern part of the Carpathian Basin (we do not know any such burials from Transdanubia). Among the conical shield bosses, specimens ending in a spike also appear during the middle third of the 5th century, evoking earlier forms (ancient Germanic traditions). Unfortunately, previous research has often classified certain types into one type based only on similar characteristics (form of the cone). In the present writing, in order to avoid this, I tried to separate the pieces previously classificed only for the Horgos/Libenau type. In the case of the latest pieces (second half and end of the 5th century), the spike should be hammered (Grave Kiszombor-B 308). In the latest pieces, which appear in the earliest graves of the row-grave cemeteries, the spike was hammered. At the end of the 5th century, pieces of Merovingian culture known in the west appear, which spread very rapidly in the area and in the local material of row-grave cemeteries.
(Abstract)
This study presents the 5th century shield bosses types known from the material of burials in the Carpathian Basin and their development. A wide range of objects spread throughout the area during the late Roman Imperial and the early migration periods (Type of Dobrodzień/Zieling T Varianten, Csongrad/Zieling L, Misery/Zieling H1, Vermand, Horgos/Libenau; Kiszombor). It is typical that the graves in which shields were placed are known mainly from the eastern part of the Carpathian Basin (we do not know any such burials from Transdanubia). Among the conical shield bosses, specimens ending in a spike also appear during the middle third of the 5th century, evoking earlier forms (ancient Germanic traditions). Unfortunately, previous research has often classified certain types into one type based only on similar characteristics (form of the cone). In the present writing, in order to avoid this, I tried to separate the pieces previously classificed only for the Horgos/Libenau type. In the case of the latest pieces (second half and end of the 5th century), the spike should be hammered (Grave Kiszombor-B 308). In the latest pieces, which appear in the earliest graves of the row-grave cemeteries, the spike was hammered. At the end of the 5th century, pieces of Merovingian culture known in the west appear, which spread very rapidly in the area and in the local material of row-grave cemeteries.
Research Interests: Late Antique Archaeology, Early Medieval Archaeology, Great Migration period, Barbarian Invasions, Medieval Weapons and Equipment, and 5 moreArchaeology Of The Migration Period And The Early Middle Ages, Barbarians and Romans in Late Antiquity and Early Middle Ages, Early Medieval Weapons and Warfare, The World of the Huns: Studies in Their History and Culture, and Late Roman Archaeology, Great Migration Period
Research Interests:
Research Interests: Late Antique and Byzantine Studies, Late Antique Archaeology, Late Antiquity, Merovingian period, Archaeology of the Avars, and 7 moreGreat Migration period, Medieval Weapons and Equipment, Ancient Weapons and Warfare, Gepids, Avars, Archaeology Of The Migration Period And The Early Middle Ages, Early Medieval Weapons and Warfare, and Migration Period Archaeology
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
The present research has focused on the comparative history of the Gepidic Kingdom in the Carpathian Basin from the early migration period till the disintegration of its political structures. The Gepids, who spoke an Eastern-Germanic... more
The present research has focused on the comparative history of the Gepidic Kingdom in the Carpathian Basin from the early migration period till the disintegration of its political structures. The Gepids, who spoke an Eastern-Germanic language, ruled the eastern part of the Carpathian Basin between the Hunnic and Avaric periods. Moreover, they controlled such formerly great cities as the imperial capital, Sirmium. The research into the German ethnicities in the early medieval Carpathian Basin relied on the simultaneous examination of written sources and archaeological findings. Hence, this predominantly interdisciplinary approach enabled to transfer the thus far hypothetical elements of each discipline as paradigms into related co-disciplines. Although some scholars (Herwig Wolfram, Walter Pohl) had already identified the problematic inherent in this phenomenon, as expressed in the terminus technicus (“gemischte Argumentation”; mixed argumentation) of German works, the “mixed argumentation” often appears in other international studies as well. Therefore, during my work I endeavoured to avoid creating further preconceptions and to examine the results of the two disciplines separately. Moreover, I analysed only those results comparatively which were gained in due accordance with the proper methods of particular disciplines in order to avoid the contradictions between the argumentations of various fields.
Research Interests: Early Middle Ages (History), Merovingian period, Archaeology of the Avars, Langobards, Late Antiquity and Byzantium (History and Art), and 7 moreVölkerwanderungszeit, Huns, Gepids, Avars, Archaeology Of The Migration Period And The Early Middle Ages, The Great Migration, Barbarians and Romans in Late Antiquity and Early Middle Ages, and Late roman and early byzantine warfare
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Kiss Attila: A gót „földmérők”eredete és tettei, avagy a meg nem vett város megvédése. Megjegyzések Jordanes Geticájának új kiadásáról. Aetas 2009/1, 192–202./The origin and deeds of the Gothic „land surveyors”, or defending the uncaptured town. Comments on the new translation of Jordanes’ Getica.more