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.
