István Fodor
Hungarians of this last century have been trying to answer the question of where and how did the uniquely colorful and elegant style of decorative metalwork of the Hungarians come from, which have been dug up in large number from the early 9-th century graves. They show a very similar and quite unique style, unlike the style of our new or even our previous neighbors.
The previous opinion of the origin of these pieces was represented by Nandor Fetich that most of these were from our previous settlements in the area called then Levedia and also near Kiev, Ukraine. However in recent years an opposite view has gained ground based on new research and information. The new research has shown that only the oldest of these pieces were made in the east and most were made in the newly resettled Hungary. That the final forms of these developed in Eastern Europe.
These results however do not cancel the relevance of studying the ultimately eastern origins of these art forms, even though the Hungarian form took on a unique new derivation from them. By studying these roots one gains new insight into many important questions. There is no doubt that first of all we must study the neighboring nation's art forms, before their western resettlement, such as the Byzantine, Iranians, Khazars, and Norsemans art and naturally the history of the art of the steppes.
Many others have also pointed out that prior to the resettlement period the strongest influence on Hungarian art forms were the late forms of the Sassanid Iranian, named after the 7th century Iranian dynasty. These art forms did not disappear afterwards but survived mainly in the peripheral areas of Iran. [Some of these Sassanian forms were also common with the earlier Scythian Parthian. Hungarian clothes culture also resembled closely the eastern Pathian and Persian clothes as well as the Turks and Huns.]
It can be assumed that in the eastern Hungarian settlement areas they might have copied these Iranian and Sogdian metalworker's cups and dishes. With the disappearance of further contacts with these contacts in their new homeland, new forms were created that were not for cups or dishes but decorated weapons as well as saber paunches or drinking horns. The famous Chernigov drinking horn and the Kiev sword and others were all decorated by Hungarian craftsmen according to their own unique palmette style. Few similar styles from the area have been found. Those few that have surfaced may simply be from gifts or from war booty. Recently one metal saber pouch was found in an Alan grave in Martan-Chu, Caucaus Mtns which is nearly identical to one from Karos, Hungary, found by Lászlo Révész.
The evolution of this unique style can be followed in the east from mainly Sogdian master craftsmen. These were made for new masters with different tastes. At the beginning they were predominantly cups and dishes. Later however they were modified to the tastes of the Hungarian clothes decorations and were found on saber pouches, swords, horse equipment, hair decorations and clothes decorations. The original style had also been greatly modified: in accordance to the tastes and beliefs of Hungarian society of the time. While one can notice signs of the older art style its overall facade had changed from them and became uniquely different. The fact that the art style was so similar throughout the Hungarian territory may be explainable by the fact that most of these workshops were probably located close to the ruler's court. While the origins of this unique art style is from several eastern sources they became developed predominantly in Eastern Europe by the Hungarian masters before they settled in Hungary. Their subject matter was strongly influenced by early Hungarian legends and myths.
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