[Ondrej Borsky]

Hello!
I would like to offer you bronze cast fittings for an Avar Belt. All the pieces can be seen in the first picture, and the set contains:
1x buckle
1x buckle plate
1x the "propeler" fitting (for a lack of a better term )
1x front piece of the strap end
1x back piece of the strap end
3x hole fittings/protectors
4x small strap ends for side straps
8x "laurel" fitting
8x little hanger to the laurel fitting
17x little belt fitting



The completed belt is shown in the following pictures. Now, I was thinking what is the best way to do this, and I came up with three options:
1. cast fittings, for a DIY project - means you will get the fittings just as they are, and you need to drill the holes, fit it together
and put it on the belt. PRICE: 188E/224USD + shipping
2. finished fittings - I drill the holes, fit the pieces together, and take care of the surface finish, you need to put it on the belt
PRICE: 264E/315USD
3. finished, completed belt, you just unpack it and wear it PRICE: 340E/407USD

[Jon Makar]

Thanks for posting, and beautiful work! I think the price is reasonable for the quality one would receive (they look like great quality castings)! Now, I don't know much about Avar history. What time period would such a belt be from?

[Mark Moore]

Yes, excellent work! Now here's MY question: What's the propeller 'spinny-thing' used for? I'm sure it had a practical purpose, besides making a dummy like me ask. .....McM

[Ondrej Borsky]

Hello gentlemen! Thank you both!
Avars were a nomadic culture, that had quite an impact on the geopolitical situation in Europe in 6th to ca 9th century

Mark - well, there are several theories (which is basically a fancy way of saying that nobody knows). The archeologist for whom was the belt originaly made believed that it is a sort of a more advanced hanger for things - you put a leather strap around it, and the sides of the propeler keep the strap from sliding or falling, so it could have been used for hanging a coinpurse, knife sheath etc...