Pages: 231-244

The subject of this paper is the attribution of the Old Russian female lead seals with the name of Maria. The new discovery of Princess Maria’s seal (Type 116) in the stratigraphically closed context of the last quarter of the 11th century redefines previous attribution of the type, and forces to identify the owner of the seal as Grand Duchess of Kiev of 1078—1093 — the second wife of Vsevolod Yaroslavich. The emergence of the “archontissa” Maria nun’s seal (Type 23) is caused by Vsevolod Yaroslavich widow’s vows to the St. Andrew monastery (1093—1111). Seals of this type can no longer be attributed to the mother of Vladimir Monomach, named “Anastasia” in Synodikon of the Vydubychi Monastery.
Changes in chronological column of the Old Russian seals also allow to distinguish early types of Vladimir Monomach’s seals with Old Russian invocative inscriptions of the final period of his reign in Chernigov (1088—1094) (Types 97 and 98).

Keywords: Old Rus’, lead seal, Princess Maria, Vsevolod Yaroslavich, Vladimir Monomach.

Information about author:

Natalia Khamaiko (Kiev, Ukraine). Institute of Archaeology of National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine 1; Museum of History of the Desiatynna Church. Geroev Stalingrada Ave., 12, Kiev, 04210, Ukraine; 2 Volodymyrska St., 6, Kiev, 01001, Ukraine
E-mail: [email protected]