Among the treasure are several "seven ray rings" that are thought to represent the rays of sun. (Image credit: Maxim Pankin, Institute of Archaeology, RAS
Posted on 09/09/2021 9:53:31 PM PDT by SunkenCiv
Archaeologists in southwest Russia have unearthed a trove of medieval silver at a site where treasure was often hidden from an invading Mongol army in the 13th century — but oddly it seems to have been buried there at least 100 years before the Mongols swept through.
The trove of silver pendants, bracelets, rings, and ingots was found during excavations earlier this year near the site of Old Ryazan, the fortified capital of a Rus principate that was besieged and sacked by Mongols in 1237.
The Mongol attack was particularly bloodthirsty; historical accounts report that the invaders left no one alive in Old Ryazan and archaeologists have discovered nearly 100 severed heads and several mass graves there from the time.
The hidden treasure was found in the forested bank of a ravine several hundred yards away from two small medieval settlements that had existed there; archaeologists also found remains of a cylindrical container probably made from birch bark that had once held the trove, according to a translated statement from the Russian Academy of Sciences.
The treasure includes 14 ornate bracelets, seven rings and eight "neck hryvnias" — a type of pendant worn around the neck that gave its name to the modern Ukrainian currency — and weighs 4.6 pounds (2.1 kilograms).
The jewelry is finely made, and archaeologists think its mixed composition shows it was a trove of accumulated wealth rather than a set of jewelry for a particular costume.
(Excerpt) Read more at livescience.com ...
Among the treasure are several "seven ray rings" that are thought to represent the rays of sun. (Image credit: Maxim Pankin, Institute of Archaeology, RAS
They were obviously hiding it from other Russians. No Russian trusts other Russians.
I seem to remember the Rus were a number of competing principalities based on cities that frequently waged war on each other.
As I remember some of the Rus princes withheld aid so the Mongols would destroy their rivals. In then end they were all destroyed
I see depressing similarities to political life in the US currently.
The IRS?
also very cool!! Thanks SunkenCiv!
Interesting. If this were a History series, they were hiding the treasure from aliens.
Todd Rundgren and Utopia - “Seven Rays”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mf4H0PdcbYw
Beware roving bands of pre-mongols.
Is it even possible? Yes, it is.
Heh... if only these medieval folks had had dashboard cameras...
My pleasure.
LOL
What about Scythians? Or Huns? Or Magyars? Or Pechenegs?
Turks? What about Turks?
lol — anything’s possible.
Good photo.
Biden and Pelosi? They are pretty old right?
“As I remember some of the Rus princes withheld aid so the Mongols would destroy their rivals. In then end they were all destroyed”
Kind of like conservatives preventing RINOs from winning November elections, so that the Democrats would destroy the RINOs. In the end, we got One Party Rule - but not our party.
Ah...the First Forest Bank of Ryazan....Birch bark safety deposit containers for your valuables.
Vikings. Popular history with a western civilization slant emphasizes their raids on the British Isles but they routinely raided East as well.
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