###

# {1-780.} The Huns. The Kingdom of the Gepids

I was the first to compile a list of pre-Hun, early Gepid finds in the Felső-Tisza - Szamos region and the Érmellék. For this record, which includes the grave, furnished with weapons, at Szilágysomlyó, see István BÓNA, 'Az újhartyáni germán lovassír' (Arch. Ért. 88: 1961). The one grave with weapons among the rich Gepid burials of the Hun era in the Érmellék was reported by Márton ROSKA, 'Az érmihályfalvi germán sír' (Arch. Ért. 44: 193O, AISC 1: 1931). Important traces of Transylvania's early Gepid culture were discovered in another part of the locality: Ernő ANDRÁSSY, 'Népvándorláskori temető Érmihályfalván' (Közl. ENM 4: 1944). On the rich graves at Érdengeleg and Gencs, see I. NÉMETI, 'Descoperiri funerare din sec. V e.n. lîngă Carei' (AMN 4: 1967) and the same author's report in Satu Mare 1: 1969.

In 'Der östliche Reichengräberkreis in Siebenbürgen' (Dacia 21: 1977), K. HOREDT tried to establish a horizontal chronological division of the 'Transylvanian' Gepid archeological culture. In contrast, I [I. BÓNA] have attempted to demonstrate the unity of 6th-century Gepid culture, in 'Gepidák a Tiszavidéken - gepidák Erdélyben" (MTAFT, 1978) and its German version, 'Gepiden an der Theiss - Gepiden in Siebenbürgen' (Acta Arch. Hung. 31: 1979). I provide positive evidence that the pieces of cheap jewellery which were taken out of context by Horedt to prove the presence of the Romans among the Transylvanian Gepids were commonly found among Gepids in the Hungarian Plain. Moreover, I demonstrate that, contrary to the opinion of Nándor Fettich - which also became that of Horedt - 90 percent of Transylvanian Gepid cemeteries had fallen into disuse by the early Avar Period, long before the end of the 7th century; no more than four or five of these cemeteries remained in use in the early Avar period, i.e. in the 6th-7th centuries.

In distinguishing the horizons of Malomfalva/Moreşti and Bánd (Groups III and IV), K. HOREDT seldom strays beyond plausible alternatives (Dacia 21:1977). In contrast, M. COMŞA fails to give adequate justification for doubling the number of 7th century, 'Bánd type' sites in 'Quelques données relatives à la chronologie at à l'appartenance ethnique des nécropoles de type Moreşti et Band', Actes du VIIIe Congrès International ... Beograd, 1971 (Belgrade, 1973), pp. 309-18.