“Armour fragment” from the Szentes-Lapistó early Avar period burial – Data for saddle types of the Early Avar Age Transtisza region

In the 6th–7th century, elites of Eastern Europe and the Carpathian Basin used similar objects to represent their power – mainly the swords with P-shaped suspension loops and horse harnesses. Of the latter, this paper concerns saddles, to the pommel of which a rectangular piece of chainmail was installed, often further ornamented with bronze and silver fittings. The artefact from Szentes-Lapistó, originally described by Dezső Csallány as a “neck-covering net” can be identified as one of these ornaments.