Rich graves of three elite warriors found in Hungary
The richly furnished graves of three elite cavalry warriors from the Hungarian Conquest period have been discovered in Akaszt, southern Hungary. The graves date to 920-930 A.D. and contain an exceptional wealth of goods, including gilded silver belt and horse harness fittings, a sabre, bows, arrows and silver coins from Northern Italy.The first grave contained the remains of a high-ranking warrior who was just 17 or 18 when he died. It was not looted or disturbed, and its furnishings make it one of the richest burials ever found in the region. He was buried wearing a gold ring with a blue glass stone, two gold hoops in his hair and decorated silver arm and leg rings.He was also wearing an extraordinary belt. The silver gilt fittings on the belt are complete and in excellent condition. The area around the deceaseds waist was removed in a soil block, recovering all of the belt fittings, plus silk fibers, textile remains and leather fragments. Such an intricate belt structure surviving intact with significant remains of its organic elements is unprecedented on the archaeological records not just of Hungary, but of Central and Eastern Europe. His rank is marked by the presence of a silver sabretache plate, the riveted ornament on the front of the leather pouch warriors carried that held their fire-making tools. The plates were bronze, silver or gold; the more precious the metal, the higher the status of the warrior and/or the princely family he served. Only about 30 of these plates are known. What makes this one even more exceptional is that the leather pouch has survived, complete with studs.As was typical of the warrior elite from the Conquest period, he was buried with head, legs and skin of his horse. His horses harness is richly ornamented with gilded silver fittings.The second grave contained an even younger warrior, just 15 or 16 when he died. His grave contained a quiver with seven arrows and a bow decorated with antler plates. The third warrior was an adult of 30-35 years. He was buried wearing a silver bracelet and was accompanied by a long sabre, a bow and arrows, and a horse harness decorated with gold coins.It total, 81 Italian silver coins, three bows, 30 iron arrowheads and approximately 400 other coins were recovered from the three graves. The number of Italian coins is particularly significant, as they are such a large group they double the number of such coins known from the Carpathian basin. They date to the reign of Berengar I (888-924 A.D.), great-grandson of Charlemagne and ruler of parts of Northern Italy. Warriors from the kingdom of Hungary were hired as mercenaries to fight in the many Italian wars during this period. Its possible these warriors fought in Italy and were paid in silver coins.Researchers have not yet been able to determined the causes of death, but initial genetic analysis indicates there was a familial relationship between the men. The third warrior was likely the father or older brother of the second, and all three were related through their paternal lines. The grouping of the burials and quality and quantity of the grave goods point to the boy and man having been in the bodyguard or entourage of the first warrior.The team also looked at the ratios of isotopes, or elements with varying numbers of neutrons in their nuclei, in the warriors remains. This analysis showed that the three warriors had diets rich in animal protein.From the archaeological finds, it can be stated that an elite warrior group, presumably members of a military leadership, were buried here, the archaeologists wrote. Research is underway to learn more about the warriors identities.
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