The largest medieval treasure with silver items from the 10th to 14th centuries was discovered in the Leningrad region

During archaeological work at the Tiversky town monument, a treasure of medieval silver jewelry was discovered, according to preliminary estimates of experts, the richest treasure of this period found in North-West Russia. The treasure contains, in particular, several round medallions decorated with grain and filigree, a large ornamented hryvnia, coin pendants, a Karelian-type head decoration and silver chains made of thin silver wire, a ring and a horseshoe-shaped fibula, as well as a leather necklace. The treasure weighs more than two kilograms.

“Three coins were also found. The oldest of them is an Arab dirham. Numismatists determined it from a photograph, and therefore, so far it is purely preliminary, it dates back to 907-912,” said the head of the expedition, senior researcher at the archeology department of the Museum of Anthropology and Ethnography of the Russian Academy of Sciences (Kunstkamera) Stanislav Belsky, whose words are quoted in the message.

The researcher added that the other two coins - large bracteates of the Uppsala type, that is, coins with one-sided minting, were produced in Sweden at the end of the 11th - the first half of the 12th century.

“These bracteates are completely unique, because, as it turns out, there are now four of them in the world: two in Uppsala, Sweden, and two in our Tiver treasure,” Belsky emphasized.

He noted that an unusual medallion with birds was also found in the treasure.

“It remains to be assumed, at least for now, that here we are talking about the image of the ravens of the god Odin - Hugin and Munin - and his spear, Gungnir, between them. But this is immediately puzzling, because this is a purely pagan motif of the image of the Scandinavian myth, which is among other objects bearing absolutely Christian symbolism, and this is still a big mystery,” Belsky explained.

According to him, all items are of extremely high quality. Most of them were made outside the region of discovery - in Ancient Rus' or Scandinavia.

It is clarified that in addition to the Kunstkamera, a partner archaeological organization - the St. Petersburg Research Center "Actual Archeology" - took part in the excavations. The center's experts have developed a section on ensuring the safety of the Tiversk town.