Симферопольский клад - страница 6

В. А. Мальм

Золотые бусы в увеличенном виде

Details of golden beads

Золотые динары индийских султанов

Golden dinars of Indian sultans

The custom to hide valuables - various decorations, coins, vessels of precious metals and other objects, is rooted in the hoary past and was widespread. These treasures were concealed underground, in walls, stoves, etc. Before hiding their riches the owners placed them in clay or metal vessels, wrapped them in fabrics or birch bark. Most often such treasures are found during earth-moving and construction work, or archeological excavations.

The contents of treasures are of much interest for the study of the economic and cultural ties of peoples, the development of handicrafts, art, etc. They are kept and studied at museums in our country.

Numerous treasures found on the territory of the USSR and belonging to various periods in the history of society, starting with the epoch of the bronze, are kept at the Order of Lenin State History Museum. Some of these treasures are on display in the museum's halls.

Most of the treasures of Eastern Europe date to the period of the establishment of states (9th-10th centuries) and to the period of feudal division (11th-13th centuries). Owners of the property feared to lose their wealth during raids by nomads (Pechenegs, Polovtsi, Tatar-Mongols) who pillaged Russian lands, or uprisings of townspeople and peasants against feudal lords, and also during wars among feudal princes. That is the reason why most of the treasures were hidden in those epochs.

In 1967 the museum's archeological department was enriched by an interesting treasure that was discovered near Simferopol. The treasure consisted of various gold and silver decorations with inserts of gems and pearls, gold coins and pendants of gold disks imitating coins, silver paitsa and vessels, cornelian beads and many other objects. There were 328 items in the treasure, the silver and gold weighing 2 kilogrammes 584 grammes.

Gold dinars of Indian sultans in the treasure minted in Delhi in the first half of the 14th century and a dinar minted in 1298-1299, gold pendants of coin-shaped disks imitating North African coins of the early 14th century and jewellery dating to the second half of the 14th century and early 15th century give reason to suppose that this rich treasure was concealed not earlier than the beginning of the 15th century.