#1
Sewn-on Appliqué, Scabbard sheath
#5
#7
#8
The sewn-on bird-shaped appliqué is decorated with a floral ornament. It also has two teardrop-shaped pendants attached to the jewelry body.
The appliqué was found by chance near the Volzhsky village in 1991 by local residents, and the Astrakhan Museum Reserve acquired it to enrich its collection. The adornment item was created around the 9th-10th centuries AD. To emboss the badge with the pattern, an ancient craftsman hammered a special tool (an embossing die). The eyes designed to sew the appliqué to the fabric and to attach the pendants are soldered.
Most researchers of nomadic antiquities believe that such ‘bird’ badges indicate OghUz burials. The Oghuz is a confederation of Turkic-speaking nomadic tribes from the Central and Middle Asia from the middle of the 1st to the beginning of the 2nd millennia.
The researchers also noticed that such bird-shaped badges are most often found in the women’s burials, and less often in the children’s burials. Such appliqués are divided into two types: with birds of prey and waterfowl (ducks or geese). The Turkic peoples especially revered waterfowl images: they personified the unity between the earth, water and sky. The predator images symbolized the upper world. The ancient people believed in the symbol of the world tree that divided the world into three parts: the upper (divine), middle (earthly) and lower (underground) ones.
Such bird images were popular in the religion and folklore of all ethnic groups of Eurasia. The Siberian peoples crafted bird-shaped ongons. The ongons are ritual objects that, according to a legend, are occupied with the spirits of ancestors and family deities. Shamans used high poles to install the figures of flying birds on near their dwellings.
It was also believed that birds served as intermediaries between people and the sky. Various peoples celebrate the arrival of birds in spring. Many images of birds were found among the Finno-Ugric peoples. Also, birds are quite often characters of myths and epic poems. For example, the AltAi mythology has a good deity UltEn who appears to people as a duck or a light goose. A plot about the bird-demiurge (creator) is popular in the KhakAss folklore and among other Siberian peoples.
The appliqué was found by chance near the Volzhsky village in 1991 by local residents, and the Astrakhan Museum Reserve acquired it to enrich its collection. The adornment item was created around the 9th-10th centuries AD. To emboss the badge with the pattern, an ancient craftsman hammered a special tool (an embossing die). The eyes designed to sew the appliqué to the fabric and to attach the pendants are soldered.
Most researchers of nomadic antiquities believe that such ‘bird’ badges indicate OghUz burials. The Oghuz is a confederation of Turkic-speaking nomadic tribes from the Central and Middle Asia from the middle of the 1st to the beginning of the 2nd millennia.
The researchers also noticed that such bird-shaped badges are most often found in the women’s burials, and less often in the children’s burials. Such appliqués are divided into two types: with birds of prey and waterfowl (ducks or geese). The Turkic peoples especially revered waterfowl images: they personified the unity between the earth, water and sky. The predator images symbolized the upper world. The ancient people believed in the symbol of the world tree that divided the world into three parts: the upper (divine), middle (earthly) and lower (underground) ones.
Such bird images were popular in the religion and folklore of all ethnic groups of Eurasia. The Siberian peoples crafted bird-shaped ongons. The ongons are ritual objects that, according to a legend, are occupied with the spirits of ancestors and family deities. Shamans used high poles to install the figures of flying birds on near their dwellings.
It was also believed that birds served as intermediaries between people and the sky. Various peoples celebrate the arrival of birds in spring. Many images of birds were found among the Finno-Ugric peoples. Also, birds are quite often characters of myths and epic poems. For example, the AltAi mythology has a good deity UltEn who appears to people as a duck or a light goose. A plot about the bird-demiurge (creator) is popular in the KhakAss folklore and among other Siberian peoples.
#9
Date: IX–X centuries AD
Technique: embossing, repoussé work
Dimensions: 0,2×2,8×8,5 cm
Collection: State budgetary institution of culture of the Astrakhan region ‘Astrakhan Museum-Reserve’
Copyright: State budgetary institution of culture of the Astrakhan region ‘Astrakhan Museum-Reserve’
Goskatalog Number: 17112937
Technique: embossing, repoussé work
Dimensions: 0,2×2,8×8,5 cm
Collection: State budgetary institution of culture of the Astrakhan region ‘Astrakhan Museum-Reserve’
Copyright: State budgetary institution of culture of the Astrakhan region ‘Astrakhan Museum-Reserve’
Goskatalog Number: 17112937
#6
Scabbard sheath
#10
#11
The scabbard sheath was found in 1994 in the PrivOlzhsky District of the Astrakhan Region. Archaeologists discovered there a burial destroyed by time and by treasure hunters who tried to ransack the grave. The burial contained the skeleton of a teenage boy.
A lot of items were found with the buried boy. It was a short sword 33 cm long. Its scabbard was decorated with a gold foil sheath covered with a geometric ornament in the form of scales. Researchers believe that the scabbard sheath was crafted around the 5th–10th centuries AD. The ornament is a result of repoussé work. To this end, an ancient craftsman used an embossing die. The tool was positioned upright and hammered to leave traces on the metal. The scaly pattern on our exhibit is formed by rows of semicircular arches.
A similar style of ornamentation is well known among the nomadic people Huns who broke into the Eastern Europe in the 4th century AD from Asia. This invasion had historical consequences for Europe and marked the beginning of the Great Migration. Like any other nomadic army the Huns were replenished with conquered peoples during their campaigns, including the Sarmatians who inhabited the steppe of Eurasia at that time. However, the Huns practically did not leave any traces of their stay in the Astrakhan region, even though, apparently, it was the region where their army crossed the Volga River.
The Huns adorned saddles and scabbards with scaly decorated gold foils. A similar pattern spread widely across Europe, the Caucasus and other regions. Some researchers believed that the ornament beloved by the Huns could have oriental roots and probably imitate bird feathers. However, there is also an opinion that the ancient craftsmen tried to depict the skin of a snake in a similar way.
Another popular decors among the Huns are plaques depicting male faces to decorate horse harnesses. Such faces are rather Mongoloid, although sometimes they have a rather thick beard that is unusual for Mongoloid men.
A lot of items were found with the buried boy. It was a short sword 33 cm long. Its scabbard was decorated with a gold foil sheath covered with a geometric ornament in the form of scales. Researchers believe that the scabbard sheath was crafted around the 5th–10th centuries AD. The ornament is a result of repoussé work. To this end, an ancient craftsman used an embossing die. The tool was positioned upright and hammered to leave traces on the metal. The scaly pattern on our exhibit is formed by rows of semicircular arches.
A similar style of ornamentation is well known among the nomadic people Huns who broke into the Eastern Europe in the 4th century AD from Asia. This invasion had historical consequences for Europe and marked the beginning of the Great Migration. Like any other nomadic army the Huns were replenished with conquered peoples during their campaigns, including the Sarmatians who inhabited the steppe of Eurasia at that time. However, the Huns practically did not leave any traces of their stay in the Astrakhan region, even though, apparently, it was the region where their army crossed the Volga River.
The Huns adorned saddles and scabbards with scaly decorated gold foils. A similar pattern spread widely across Europe, the Caucasus and other regions. Some researchers believed that the ornament beloved by the Huns could have oriental roots and probably imitate bird feathers. However, there is also an opinion that the ancient craftsmen tried to depict the skin of a snake in a similar way.
Another popular decors among the Huns are plaques depicting male faces to decorate horse harnesses. Such faces are rather Mongoloid, although sometimes they have a rather thick beard that is unusual for Mongoloid men.
#12
Date: V–X centuries AD
Technique: embossing, repoussé work
Dimensions: 2,7×9,4 cm
Collection: State budgetary institution of culture of the Astrakhan region ‘Astrakhan Museum-Reserve’
Copyright: State budgetary institution of culture of the Astrakhan region ‘Astrakhan Museum-Reserve’
Goskatalog Number: 17112922
Technique: embossing, repoussé work
Dimensions: 2,7×9,4 cm
Collection: State budgetary institution of culture of the Astrakhan region ‘Astrakhan Museum-Reserve’
Copyright: State budgetary institution of culture of the Astrakhan region ‘Astrakhan Museum-Reserve’
Goskatalog Number: 17112922
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Sewn-on Appliqué and scabbard sheath
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