Pages: 225-232

One of the interesting details characteristic of the male multi-ethnic squad culture of the 10th century are cone-.shaped silver tops of headdresses. There are four specimens found in the monuments of the North European, Hungarian, ancient Russian cultural circle. All of them come from the rich male graves of the X century, where they are combined with weapons (swords, sabers, spears, axes, scramasaxes) and horse and rider equipment. They probably decorated the soft men’s helmets or round hats with a pointed top.
As the closest analogy, we can give the silver cone-shaped top of headdress from the 14th century rich female burial of the Belorechensky kurgans in the Caucasus region. It should be noted, that the pointed helmet headdresses were represented in this region in the male and female costume and at an earlier time, in the 14th century they are typical for women’s clothing and are accompanied, in some cases, by metal caps. Thus, in the period when men’s fashion in the Caucasus region is reoriented to a new oriental influence — orbelge hats, skullcaps, the form of a helmet-like headgear is preserved in a women’s suit, but the specific addition is a crescent at its top, as if emphasizing that this woman dress.

Keywords: Scandinavia, Old Rus, Caucasus, 10th—14th centuries, cone-shaped silver tops, male multi-ethnic military culture, helmet, hat, female burials

Information about author:

Svetlana Ryabtseva. Doctor of History.