The Pin From the Sofiivska Borshchahivka

Abstract

The excavations headed by O. P. Motsa of the settlement on the bank of the river Nyvka in Sofiivska Borshchahivka in the western suburb of Kiev provided the representative collection, containing a number of items, quite rare, and even unique in the South Rus lands. One of them is the bronze pin with a total length of about 10 cm casted in two-sided form with a top in the form of duck. The researchers consider the pins, as a part of the costume, attributed to the Baltic and Finnish-Ugric population, which surrounded the North Rus lands and partially was a part of the Old Rus state. Initially, through contacts with the latter, these items got to Novgorod and other destinations (in Chersonese, for example, according to experts, such things serve as an indicator of ties with suppliers of northern fur). The pin from the Sofiyivska Borshchahivka settlement obviously represents a further development of the shape of these decorations: in its upper part above three petals with inserted rings there is a three-dimensional figure of a duck with its head pointing back. Analysis of literature allows trace the usage of a small group of similar ear-picks and pins with figures of a rooster, a dog etc. — species that have long been valued by various ethnic groups. The decoration from Sofiyivska Borshchahivka reflects the level of development of medieval metal-plastics, shows the cultural ties (especially along with other items presented on the site which tend to the specified region), acts as an indicator of both the high well-being of the population of medieval settlement structures and not yet exhausted information opportunities of the latter.