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Leaf-like harness decorations

Unknown900 - 1000 CE

National Museum of the History of Ukraine

National Museum of the History of Ukraine
Kyiv, Ukraine

These plates are leaf-shaped relief harness decorations. Entire surface on the front side is occupied by a stylized image of a lily-like flower bordered by shoots. There is gilding in the recesses of the ornament. Pins are for fastening on the back.
They originated from the burial of a warrior with a horse, which was found by excavation workers in 1900. Among the numerous grave goods were a sword, an axe, silver plates of different sizes from harness, copper tambourines, glass checkers, dice, a dagger with a bone handle, Arab dirhams and iron stirrups. The floral ornament on the plates echoes the decoration of the sword hilt found in the same burial and has direct analogies in Hungarian antiquities.
Such finds may testify either to the participation of the buried soldier in campaigns on the territory tangential to the Hungarian ones, or to the connections of the Kyiv princely court with the Hungarian royal court.

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  • Title: Leaf-like harness decorations
  • Creator: Unknown
  • Date Created: 900 - 1000 CE
  • Location Created: Unknown
  • Physical Dimensions: l 56, w 70 mm
  • Type: Armour
  • Rights: National Museum of the History of Ukraine
  • Medium: Silver, casting, engraving, gilding
  • Place found: Kyiv, Ukraine
  • Period: Middle Ages
  • Culture: Rus
National Museum of the History of Ukraine

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