Pages: 217-232 | DOI: https://doi.org/10.55086/sp256217232
Previous hypotheses regarding the presence and circulation of Volga-Bulgarian coinage from the 10th century within East Slavic territories were often met with skepticism. However, over the past twenty-five years, research has identified at least forty dated hoards and sites containing such coinage exclusively within the south-eastern region of the Slavic world, specifically in areas associated with the Late Romny culture (10th century) and the Severian-Vyatichi pre-state formation (complex chiefdom, mid to late 10th century). Many of these findings are introduced to the academic community for the first time in this article. The distribution of Volga-Bulgarian coins, including imitations, is concentrated in two main groups — each encompassing up to fifteen sites — located in the middle Oka region (west of Ryazan) and the Kursk-Rylsk Seim area, separated by a gap along the upper Oka. Additionally, three more hoards have been found in the upper reaches of the Seversky Donets and Don rivers, and four further sites are noted in the middle Desna and upper Sozh regions. Within most southern group hoards, Volga-Bulgarian coins and their imitations are discovered alongside Samanid dirhams, all cut to fit the local monetary-weight system. In contrast, such combinations in the northern (Middle Oka) group display a more confined geographic and chronological occurrence, limited to two hoards dating from the mid-10th century. Evidence from early-period hoards (before the 940s) in the south suggests that Bulgarian coins initially penetrated these territories via routes through the upper Don and northern Seim towards the eastern Desna basin; the northern assemblages are likely connected with the destruction of sites belonging to the Oka-Don variant of the „Eastern Route” at the end of the 910s. The data obtained make it possible to refine the directions and mechanisms of interaction among regional monetary systems in the 10th century.
Keywords: Volga Bulgaria, the Severians, the Vyatichi, the Radimichi, coinage, named dirhams, imitations, influence, “protectorate”
Information about authors:
Sergey Goglov (Kovrov, Russian Federation). “Proton” LLC. Cosmonauts St., 7a-2, Kovrov, 601900, Vladimir Ob., Russian Federation
E-mail: [email protected]
Evgenii Shinakov (Bryansk, Russian Federation). Doctor of Historical Sciences. Bryansk State University named after Academician I. G. Petrovski. Bezhitskaya St., 14, Bryansk, 241036, Russian Federation
E-mail: [email protected]
ORCID: 0000-0002-7151-9948
Arthur Chubur (Bryansk, Russian Federation). Candidate of Historical Sciences. “Bryansk Archaeology Service” Ltd. Duki 4-33, Bryansk, 241001, Russian Federation
E-mail: [email protected]
ORCID: 0000-0003-1182-5860