Браслети з зооморфними закінченнями (за матеріалами розкопок могильника Острів 2017—2020 рр.)

Abstract

Стаття присвячена браслетам зі зооморфними закінченнями, виявленим на західнобалтському некрополі Острів у 2017—2020 рр. Розглядаються типи прикрас, стиль, історія досліджень.

The bracelets with zoomorphic terminals are analyzed in the paper. They were found in the West Baltic Ostriv burial ground in 2017—2020. The work shows types of jewelry, their style, and history of research. The assemblage of 15 samples has dissimilar configuration. Furthermore, 10 of them were found in female burials, 2 — male burials, 1 — archaeological level and 2 are accidental finds. These bracelets have arcuate shape, terminals with stylized reptile heads. Their surface is decorated with a geometric ornament that emphasizes the overall zoomorphic motif and mimics the reptile in motion. According to L. Vaitkunskene’s typology, the collection of Baltic zoomorphic bracelets from the Ostriv burial ground can have four types. Because of this features, such as overall tendency developing shapes of products, specifics of application of geometric ornament (advantage of combination of lines and circles on the surface of bracelets from Curonian area; dominance of geometric figures in ornamentation of Daugava Livonians, Selonians and Latgalians), and their chronology, the collection of Baltic zoomorphic bracelets from the Ostriv burial ground are similar to the West Baltic tribe of Curonians, the antiquities of the end of X — first half of XI century. The author assumes that some of bracelets from the Ostriv burial ground were made directly in Porossya. He examined the samples of ones in full detail and found out that different pieces of bracelets have similar features. Foremost, they are the design of the stylized eyes of animal-headed terminals and the similarity of geometric plots, which, in general, do not have a bright variety and could be made by a certain master. Summing up, further systematic research of burial ground Ostriv and the open-air settlement in the tract of Stari Sukholisy allows to growth available sources. It will promote a deeper understanding of various facets of the material culture of the Baltic immigrant community.