Women's Clothing Reconstruction

On table 71-72 is assembled the material, which includes the unique stylized attire made from silver niello. Table 71, 1 presents a woman's costume. On the head of the princess is a venets. Its form could have a different outline. In the graphic materials are known ventsy with both the rounded and pointed top above the brow (fresco on the wall of Dmitrovskogo cathedral in Vladimir with the image of righteous wives. These forms became traditional. They [referring to the metal ornaments] are laid in two rows and compose zigzag ornament. Remainders from similar ornaments on a rigid foundation were found in the Nabutovskom tomb of the former Kiev province. In the burial along the sides of the ochel'ya with the plaques were found also chains with ringlets [kolechkami], analogous to those known on ryasna of kolodochek [kolodochek, little logs] - obviously, the latter were not preserved. The venets in the table is decorated with kolti, suspended from ryasnakh of kolodochek. This scheme of fastening kolti was proposed by B.A. Rybakov. The correctness of the reconstruction of B.A. Rybakov is confirmed by findings of recent years: discovery of chains of kolodochek, from which are suspended kolty, and also three-bead temple rings. They wore them on the ring fastened to the end link. On the reconstruction are shown kolty, found in Chernigov. They are edged with hollow balls. On the blackened [niello] background of their panel are depicted griffins along the sides of vertically positioned nets. The image of nets on kolti is analogous with the ornament of the collar, found also in the Nabutrovskom tomb. The gold embroidery of the collar is augmented by the images of crosses. On the collar, as on the head-gear, were sewn gilded silver plaques of rounded and square forms (arrangement of the latter is unknown). The fastening of collar in the form of hollow gilt silver shank buttons just as the ornament in the form of net, composes a united whole with the decorations of kolti. Similar collars could be sewn to the lower clothing. The oplech'e of the dress, the belt and the hem present ornamentation of embossed plaques and embroidery. The dress is decorated with ribbons in the center similar to those found by V.V. Khvoyko in the burials of Shargoroda of the former Kiev province. They are embroidered with gold thread in the form of heart-shaped figures with krinami [fleur-de-lis like motif], their arrangement indicates the arrangement of the ribbons on the dress on a vertical line. The ornament on the depicted ribbons and kolti is close to ornament on many silver bracelet- hoops. Thus, on the bracelet from the Kiev treasure hoard of 1939 the ornament consists of two belts. In its upper part are depicted heart-shaped figures, analogous to embroidery on the kajma, while in the lower part - netting. Into the ensemble of niello silver adornments entered the signet rings [persni-pechati]. Similar ornament can be seen on the ring from the hoard of 1869.

Table 73, 1 gives the reconstruction of the ceremonial suit of princess with adornments of enamel. On the head of princess - complex head-gear, which consists of the diadem with the enamel images of the Diesis on kiottsakh [icon cases], gold hoops [skobochek] and ryasen with kolti. The head-gear presents one of the possible ritual head-dresses, whose reconstruction is based on the common occurrence of parts of head-gear in the hoards indicated and by analogy with wedding crowns and the ventsy known in the ethnography of the north of the 16-20th cent. The diadem was sewn on a rigid cap band or ochel'e. Appendages [priveski] with pearls hung on the forehead, and the arc of the ochel'ya decorated the cylinder of the headdress on its upper part. Along the sides of head-gear are suspended ryasna with the kolti, decorated with enamel. T.I. Makarov, following the data of G.F. Korzukhinoy (which noticed the presence of a dual hinge/joint in the middle of the ryasen), explained the fact that ryasna on half of their length were bent, becoming double-sided like kolty, which were hung in the place at the bend of the ryasen. Obviously, the chain, which is located on one end of ryasen, was fastened to the foundation of the headress and was fixed at the temple with the aid of the temple ring, which is located on the other end of the ryasen. It is interesting that in the peasant attire of 11-12th cent. are also found the double ribbons, as if playing the role of ryasen for suspending the rings. For selecting the material in the complex, the similarity of the decorative peculiarities of adornments was considered. Thus, head-gear could consist of a diadem, similar to that found in Kiev in 1889 and ryasen, similar to those found in 1900 in Sakhnovke. They are united not only by the proximity of the geometric ornament on the plaques of the ryasen and hanging platelets of the diadem, but also by their quatrefoil form. Into this attire could enter kolty, analogous to those found in the treasure of 1827 in Kiev. The head-gear of the princess is covered with a veil [fata]. Oplech'e, kajma and ozherl’ye are decorated with embroidery, plaques and pearls, known also in the Mikhajlovskoj hoard of 1903. In the costume is included a breast adornment [nagrudnoe ukrashenie] - barmy, found in Sakhnovke in the same hoard as the diadem B.A. Rybakov assumed that in this attire bracelets were not worn, since gold bracelets with enamel and stones were not known to us, substituted by embroidery on the opyast'yakh of the sleeves. However, besides sewn opyastiy [cuffs], could be worn gold bracelets, analogous to those found in the Ryazansk treasure hoard of 1822. From this come gold rings with garnets and pearls, composing a single whole with the bright enamel attire.

Tables 73, 2, 3 depict a costume including adornment from the stamped platelets (both smooth and with the insets) and the figured cuts in the metal. With them were decorated the ochel'ya of the head-gear, ozherel’ya and ozherelki, belt and kajma of clothing. They widely used obniz' [strings] of pearls both in embroidery and in metallic ornaments. All these adornments usually are encountered in the hoards together with enamel and niello items and they are considered additions to two stylistically unified attires. Nevertheless from this collection of ornaments can be established independent attire. Thus, in the reconstruction is depicted the female head-gear found in Novgorod. The ochel'e of the head-gear is decorated with embossed plaques and silver filigree plaques with granules. Obviously, a similar attire could be worn with ryasnami, made up of conical pendants with eight chains going out from them. Its cap/hood was decorated with filigree and granules, and on the chains were threaded hollow plaques and pendants of diamond and drop-like form at the end. Entire collection of pendant plaques, also included in the attire adornments of filigree and granules are draw together pendants with discovered ochel'em. Among the sewn-on plaques are interesting large plaques with S-shaped cuts from the Kiev treasure hoard of 1824. They are a version of the plaques on the ochel'e. The entire collection given in table 74, and also plaques from the Kiev treasure of 1824, were used for adorning the dress.

Tables 73, 3 depict the costume of boyarinas, including a diadem and ryasna in the form of ribbons with three-bead temple rings and kolti. The finds in the Chernigov burial near the altar of Boriso-Glebskoy church indicate the possible quantity of these ornaments in one outfit.

The silhouettes in Fig. 10-12 [actually 9-11] of table 75 present the complex of clothing and adornments based on materials of excavations in Suzdal (Saburova M.A. of Sedov M.T. 1984 p. 114-122). The head-gear on the woman of middle years (Fig. 12) [11] encloses the hair, in the ears - is the finger-ring-shaped ring. On the girl (Fig. 10) [9] on the loose hair - band head-gear with ryasamni of the finger-ring-shaped rings, with the three-bead rings suspended on them. On a girl (Fig. 11) [10] are braided plaits, into which were placed finger-ring-shaped rings (up to 20 pcs). On the silhouettes is represented the outer clothing with the zapakh [upper flap] on the left side, the dresses and the shirts, with ribbons and embroidered collars with the fastening on the left side. Among the ornaments it is possible to see lamellar fibuli, lamellar and beaten rings and rings with insets, bracelets and so forth. The typical foot-wear of the ancient Russian townspeople were leather shoes [tufli] with the stitching. The material of the Suzdal'skogo cemetery relates to an earlier time (11th - middle 12th cent.), than the materials of the Raykovetskogo fortress and Izyaslavl (beginning of the 13th cent.). Nevertheless in Suzdal was created the typical urban attire of the 12th cent. Obviously, here as in Kiev, Novgorod, Chernigov, Smolensk, on the base of the druzhinnoy [courtly] culture, the urban culture began to develop very early.

Table 76 presents the reconstructions of the complex of peasant clothing based on materials of the Vyatichi. Reconstruction of the head-gear of the woman of middle years is given on silhouette 1. It is restored based on materials which are stored in the Museum of the Department of Archaeology of MGU. The pattern of the preserved detail from the head-gear is given on table 77, 2. Its details, and also the shawl, sewn on figured bands, checkered [kletchatoj] cloth and adornments came from the excavations of A.V. Artsikhovskogo 1940-1946. On silhouette 2 are reproduced the adornments of a young woman. They are restored based on materials of five burials from the different kurgan groups. The head-gear with the fringe, represented on the silhouette, is known in southern Great-Russia in the 19th cent. They were worn by youths together with a complex of clothing, includes the paneva. The checkered woolen and half-woolen cloths, similar to the later "panevnym", are known using archaeological materials. The costume of young girl-bride is given on silhouette 3. Above the loose hair is worn a ribbon headdress with seven-bladed temple rings on ribbons. Clothing includes some elements of the urban costume: the silk oplech'e with embroidery and plaques, stripes of silk ribbons and plaques on the woolen band of head-gear, the glass bracelet, etc. Foot-wear - soft bashmaki. On silhouette 3, foot-wear is in the form from the kurgans near Bityakovo Domodedovo region.

Table 78 gives reconstructions of clothing and adornments based on materials of peasant burials. On silhouette 1 is represented the costume based on materials of the Vologodskikh kurgans. On silhouette 2 - costume of a betrothed girl in the polotentse of the loosely woven cloth, which they wove for weddings and deaths. The paneva is restored based on the well-preserved entire motif of woolen cloth from Bityagovo (GIM). The adornments are from the same kurgans. On silhouette 3 is a woman's costume based on materials of the Krivichi. The high head-dress, which resembles a kokoshnik with plaques, hides the hair of the woman. Along the sides of head-gear are bracelet-shaped temporal rings and romboshchitkovye [rings with diamond sections], that were fastened to the birch bark circles. On the chest are an abundance of adornments: beads of bright combinations, miniature pendants of metal [priveski], chains, little bells. The bracelets are worn over the shirt. Clothing consists of a long shirt with embroidery, made with the aid of the "branoy" [brocade] technique. On the feet - soft leather bashmaki.