Silver coins and jewelry indicate trade relations between Kievan Rus and Byzantium, Scandinavia and the East.
During the archaeological excavations in Veliky Novgorod, which were carried out in July – September 2024, a very valuable treasure containing about 1,800 silver coins and more than 80 jewels was found. The Russian Institute of Archeology reported this on Monday, September 30.
The find weighs about 3 kg and has been called the Vozdvizhensky treasure after the name of the street and excavation site where it was discovered. This is a real treasure from the times of Kievan Rus, when Novgorod was an important commercial and cultural center.
Surprisingly, among the coins there are Sassanian drachma, Byzantine miliarisia and Kufic dirhams, indicating the extensive international contacts of Novgorod at that time. Most of the coins belong to the Samanid dynasty, which ruled Central Asia.
The search also included silver jewelry, including unique lunars, pendants, Scandinavian-style crosses, necklaces and buttons with clusters. Some objects show a close connection with Scandinavia, indicating contact between Viking and East Slavic culture. One of the most important finds is a large silver cross, which belonged to early Christian artifacts and belonged to the elite of the time.
Interestingly, many of the coins and jewelry show wear, indicating long-term use by their owners. This may indicate that the wealth consists of family “wealth” accumulated over several generations. Coins from Eastern, Byzantium and Western Europe indicate that Novgorod was a major trading center linking Kievan Rus with the wider world.
It was previously reported that during the excavations of the Yesilova Göyük mound in Izmir, Turkish archaeologists discovered a stone eyeliner with an age of 8.2 thousand years.
Source: korrespondent
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