The article is devoted to the consideration of the symbolism and sacred content of a special kind of coin-shaped pendants, which are made of non-ferrous metals, decorated with twelve convex dots around the perimeter, and in the center have a hemispherical projection or hexagonal figure. Collection of such pendants is small and consists of single finds, mostly found in barrows and settlements of Early Middle Ages. For the first time, issue of interpretation of coin-shaped pendants was raised more than twenty years ago, after which the number of materials increased substantially due to the finds not only from the lands of Belarus but also from adjacent countries.
Territory of their distribution includes southern and central Belarus and northwestern regions of Ukraine. Separate finds have also been made in Polish Podlasze, Eastern Lithuania and Southern Latvia. This area does not coincide with the lands of any particular union of East Slavic tribes, but pendants of this type are often found on sites, materials of which include characteristic temporal jewelry of Dregovichi type, decorated with granulation. Based on nature of associated finds, pendants of this type were in use in XII –first half of XIII century. Therefore, they appeared probably in XI century.
Little number of pendants mentioned above for a relatively large area may indicate that these products were aimed for a quantitatively small population. These pendants occurred both in relatively rich burials and in feudal estates, which confirms the high status of their owners. Chronology of pendants is coincides with bi-religion period, and there is no clear evidence of Christian affiliation of persons buried with them.
Sites on which pendants were found are examined, if it is possible, ethno-deterministic decorations found there are also emphasized, and the area of distribution of the pendants of mentioned type is outlined at the publication. Find of such pendant in one of the burials in Lithuania, along with coin of the late XIV century is essential for determining of the chronology of the use of these products. The analogies among finds of pre-Christian era are indicated, that witnesses thee origins of mentioned symbolism among the pagan antiquities. Semantics of both number “12” and the hexagon in the center of the pendant are analyzed, and on this basis conclusion is made about astronomical-calendar symbolism of the identified objects.
Sites on which pendants were found are examined, if it is possible, ethno-deterministic decorations found there are also emphasized, and the area of distribution of the pendants of mentioned type is outlined at the publication. Find of such pendant in one of the burials in Lithuania, along with coin of the late XIV century is essential for determining of the chronology of the use of these products. The analogies among finds of pre-Christian era are indicated, that witnesses thee origins of mentioned symbolism among the pagan antiquities. Semantics of both number “12” and the hexagon in the center of the pendant are analyzed, and on this basis conclusion is made about astronomical-calendar symbolism of the identified objects.
Key words: coin-shaped pendants, Dregovichi type granulated beads, sacral number 12, hexagon symbols.
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