Abstract

The problem of the so-called “pseudo-buckles” has since long been debated in Hungarian and Russian archaeological scholarship. Although several papers have already been devoted to this topic, it seems instructive to take a fresh look from the perspective of the archaeology of the Avar period. This study offers a new typochronology and analysis of the “pseudo-buckles” with a focus on the earlier, less profusely ornamented types. Examples from both the Carpathian Basin and Eastern Europe are reviewed to illustrate the cultural connections between these two regions. Highlighted here are the formal connections between the different types, alongside a model of the transformation process of these objects. Besides the formal analysis, the technological aspects of these objects are also considered when possible. The formal and chronological analysis is followed by a discussion of the possible social and historical relevance of the pseudo-buckles.