VOZDVIZHENSKY HOARD OF THE 10th CENTURY AD FROM VELIKY NOVGOROD: CIRCUMSTANCES OF THE DISCOVERY AND COMPOSITION

During archaeological works in Sophijskaya side of Veliky Novgorod in 2014, a coin and artefact hoard named Vozdvizhensky was discovered. The article presents the circumstances of its discovery, information about its composition, dating and stratigraphy. The hoard comprises approximately 1900 items weighing about 2.5 kg. These include 83 various items of jewellery and more than 1800 silver coins (whole and fragmented ones). The coin part of the assemblage contains various coins, the bulk being Kufic dirhams produced mainly at the mints of the Middle East and Central Asia. The artefact part of the hoard is represented by crystal and glass beads, a bronze gilded pendant and 72 silver jewellery items (a signet ring, a finger-ring, 16 identical spherical buttons with large eyelets). The remaining items are parts of necklaces: a Scandinavian type cross, ornamented lunulas, pendants and 40 beads of various shapes. The Vozdvizhensky hoard is preliminarily dated to the second half of the 970s.