DOI issue:
Artykuły/Articles
DOI article:Sidarovich, Vital: New Find of Gold Roman Coin-Pendants in the South-West of Belarus
DOI Page / Citation link:https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.57341#0189
NEW FIND OF GOLD ROMAN COIN-PENDANTS...
The suspension loops for all the pendants were executed by means of the same
technique - from a double fluted plate riveted to the coins’ edge. According to
the typology proposed by A. Bursche,11 the suspension loops from the Bronnaja
Hara belong to the first type of group III (variety b) -“plain loop with double fluting,
without decoration either on the loop itself or at the base”. The variety of straight,
double fluted loops is one the most usual for pendants made from gold coins.12
The middle “rib” on the pendant bushes is wider than the lateral ones. This variety
of loop is seldom encountered on pendants from gold coins in various areas of
Barbaricum.13 Similar loops are found also on multiplet, for example on a binio
of Constantine II from Trzebicko (Poland, Lower Silesian Voivodeship).14
In all six known pendants from the Bronnaja Hara assembalge, the suspension
loop is attached above the representation of the emperor’s head (on the obverse),
with a small deviation on only two specimens - the solidus of Constans from Antioch
and the solidus of Constantins II from Constantinople (Pl. 1, Figs. 4 and 5).
According to the chronology presented by K. Myzgin, the solidi of
the Constantinian dynasty reached the territory of East Barbaricum during the sixth
stage of the Roman imperial gold coin distribution in this part of the barbarian
world.15 The date of entry of the coins from the assemblage found near Bronnaja
Hara should be limited, in my opinion, to the middle of the 4th century. It is also
quite possible that the transfer of all these coins from Romans to Barbarians occurred
simultaneously. This is suggested by the very narrow chronological interval of
the solidi - years 335-347. Although large numbers of gold coin-pendants in one
hoard have been noted repeatedly, usually these coins had a very widely extended
chronology. For instance, the assemblage from Thüngersheim (north-western
Barbaricum) included pendants made from coins with a widely dispersed chronology-
from Antoninus Pius to Valerian II.16
According to K. Myzgin, the incoming solidi of the time were donativa given
for service to the Roman Empire.17 It is noteworthy, without rejecting this view, that
the presence of seven such pendants at once, likely belonging to one person, makes
one to hesitate about the exclusively donative nature of these items. The cumulative
origin of the assemblage, understood as the acquisition of the pendants by their last
owner from various sources, is also unlikely as all loops are made along the same
11 BURSCHE 1998: 131-132.
12 Ibidem'. 151.
13 See, for example ibidem: 152, note 145.
14 BURSCHE 2000: Pl. I, c.
15 MYZGIN 2017.
16 BURSCHE 1998: 83-84.
17 MYZGIN 2017: 38.
187
The suspension loops for all the pendants were executed by means of the same
technique - from a double fluted plate riveted to the coins’ edge. According to
the typology proposed by A. Bursche,11 the suspension loops from the Bronnaja
Hara belong to the first type of group III (variety b) -“plain loop with double fluting,
without decoration either on the loop itself or at the base”. The variety of straight,
double fluted loops is one the most usual for pendants made from gold coins.12
The middle “rib” on the pendant bushes is wider than the lateral ones. This variety
of loop is seldom encountered on pendants from gold coins in various areas of
Barbaricum.13 Similar loops are found also on multiplet, for example on a binio
of Constantine II from Trzebicko (Poland, Lower Silesian Voivodeship).14
In all six known pendants from the Bronnaja Hara assembalge, the suspension
loop is attached above the representation of the emperor’s head (on the obverse),
with a small deviation on only two specimens - the solidus of Constans from Antioch
and the solidus of Constantins II from Constantinople (Pl. 1, Figs. 4 and 5).
According to the chronology presented by K. Myzgin, the solidi of
the Constantinian dynasty reached the territory of East Barbaricum during the sixth
stage of the Roman imperial gold coin distribution in this part of the barbarian
world.15 The date of entry of the coins from the assemblage found near Bronnaja
Hara should be limited, in my opinion, to the middle of the 4th century. It is also
quite possible that the transfer of all these coins from Romans to Barbarians occurred
simultaneously. This is suggested by the very narrow chronological interval of
the solidi - years 335-347. Although large numbers of gold coin-pendants in one
hoard have been noted repeatedly, usually these coins had a very widely extended
chronology. For instance, the assemblage from Thüngersheim (north-western
Barbaricum) included pendants made from coins with a widely dispersed chronology-
from Antoninus Pius to Valerian II.16
According to K. Myzgin, the incoming solidi of the time were donativa given
for service to the Roman Empire.17 It is noteworthy, without rejecting this view, that
the presence of seven such pendants at once, likely belonging to one person, makes
one to hesitate about the exclusively donative nature of these items. The cumulative
origin of the assemblage, understood as the acquisition of the pendants by their last
owner from various sources, is also unlikely as all loops are made along the same
11 BURSCHE 1998: 131-132.
12 Ibidem'. 151.
13 See, for example ibidem: 152, note 145.
14 BURSCHE 2000: Pl. I, c.
15 MYZGIN 2017.
16 BURSCHE 1998: 83-84.
17 MYZGIN 2017: 38.
187