Pages: 285-300

The article is dedicated to the finding of a medieval hoard, discovered not far from the round fortification of Alchedar (Republic of Moldova). The hoard contained silver adornments decorated by granulation (earrings of “Wolyn type”, buttons, beads), found together with a cast silver gold-plated pendant of “Gnezdovo” type, decorated by zoomorphic ornament, and with several Byzantine and eastern coins. At present, several manufacturing centers are known in Eastern Europe, with workshops that produced, among other things, similar dесоrations with granulation. Fortifications of Alchedar and Echimauti in the Dniester-Prut region, Chervone on southern Boug River and Iscorosteni on the right bank of the Dnieper River could be among such centers. Finding a zoomorphic pendant in the Alchedar hoard demonstrates possible contacts of this region with the Upper Dnieper region, with the Gnezdovo settlement.

Keywords: fortification of Alchedar, hoard, earrings of “Wolyn type”, buttons, beads, pendant of “Gnezdovo” type, Dniester-Prut Region, fortifications Echimauti, Chervone, Iskorosteni, handicraft centers

Information about authors:

Svetlana Ryabtseva (St.-Petersburg, Russia — Kishinev, Moldova). Doctor of history. Cultural Heritage Institute, Moldova Academy of Sciences.
E-mail: [email protected]
Nikolai Telnov (Kishinev, Moldova). Doctor of history. Cultural Heritage Institute, Moldova Academy of Sciences.
E-mail: [email protected]