DARURI „AVARE” PENTRU ŞEFI MILITARI SLAVI DIN TRANSILVANIA
„AVAR” GIFTS FOR SLAV MILITARY CHIEFS FROM TRANSYLVANIA

Summary/Abstract: Two barrow incineration cemeteries that belonged to Slavic communities that had arrived from the eastern part of Europe have been discovered on the territory of Transylvania, in Someșeni (Cluj County), and in North-West Romania, in Nușfalău (Sălaj County). Inside some of these barrow archaeologists have discovered a series of silver and bronze artifacts that are typically Avar. The items consist of belt sets, such as silver belt ends with a pressed motif, belt ends, bronze pendants and belts appliques, cast and decorated with zoomorphic and floral motifs. All these items can be included among the artifacts used by the upper class/ elites of Avar society. The artifacts from the barrow incineration graves were gifts from the Avar leaders to the leaders of the Slavs from the communities in Nușfalău and Someșeni. Through these gifts the Avar leaders wished to maintained good relations with their neighbors from North-West Transylvania (Someșeni) and North-West Romania (Nușfalău). The geographic location of the two necropolises, on two of the important routes that connected the Transylvanian Plateau and the Pannonian Puszta, can be connected to the fact that the Avar leaders wished to control the access from Transylvania westwards through the mediation of local potentates, in this case the Slavic leaders. One cannot exclude the possibility that the Avar Khagans have “officially colonized” these Slavs in order to exert an efficient control over certain territories farther from their central area of domination. The fact is not isolated. Inside the Avar Khaganate one knows of cases when the Khagans controlled certain areas through the mediation of individuals who were not of Avar origin.

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