Archaeologists told about the discovery of a rare silver jewelry in the Kama region
Russian archaeologists have discovered a silver plate from the XI–XII centuries depicting two humanoid figures during excavations of the medieval burial ground Anyushkar on the banks of the Kama River in the Perm Region. This was reported on June 9 in Arkeonews magazine.
The plate's dimensions are small — about 30 mm high and 27-30 mm wide, but its iconography has no direct analogues in the region. Two figures in wide V-neck robes are engraved on the front side. The heads of both characters are disproportionately large and almond-shaped. There are traces of a preliminary sketch under the finished engraving — the artist marked the drawing in advance before applying it.
Chemical analysis revealed traces of gold on the surface of the plate: apparently, the jewelry was originally partially gilded. There are traces of fastening on the reverse side — the artifact was probably sewn to clothing or skin.
"It's not just a silver jewelry. It could be worn during life, change its meaning after the death of the owner and become part of a ritual space where the image, material and memory had a special meaning," the authors of the publication note.
The plate was found near one of the disturbed burials. The researchers admit that at some point the object changed its function: from a personal decoration, it could turn into a ritual object sewn onto a funeral veil. The hole in the upper part allowed both to hang it and to sew it on.
The authors of the study are careful in interpreting the image: two characters can symbolize kinship, ritual participants, ancestors, or perform a protective function. There is no single explanation yet.
On June 8, Popular Science magazine reported the discovery of a burial site with decapitated skeletons in Slovakia. According to the publication, the remains of at least 78 people were found in the grave, 77 of whom were missing skulls. The scientists also pointed to the skilful separation of the skulls. According to the researchers, this indicates a previously unknown ritual.
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