THE BARROW OF TAHANCZA (TAHANCHA) Summary The following is a monograph of an early mediaeval barrow discovered in 1894 at Tahancza (former province of Kiev) in the Ukraine, unprofessionally excavated by a farmer. The objects dug out from the grave were purchased by a collector, J. Choynowski, catalogued, and next brought from Kiev to Warsaw and offered to the Society for the Encouragement of the Fine Arts. In the end, after many years, they found their way to the State Archaeological Museum, recognized as zero class relics in Polish archaeological collections (cat. PMA V/1404). A skeleton of a horse and an "enormous wooden chest" have been found in the barrow under an earth embankment. The relics discovered in the chest, preservation condition varying, make up an exceptional set of objects that had been laid into the grave of an eminent Polovets warrior. They have been discribed in the catalogue (J. Choynowski 1896); these are a helmet, mail, fragment of a mail coif, silver plates, arrow-head, quiver metal ornaments, stirrups, bit, buckle, two neckrings, buttons, gold plates, medallion, viper-medallion, sceptre, war-weight, sickle, bronze kettle. Illustrations included herein specify the applied raw materials, as well as the place samples were taken for analyses carried out by the Central Laboratory of the Department of Applied Sciences of the Institute of Archaeology and Ethnology of the Polish Academy of Sciences (further on referred to as CL) and the Museum Research and Documentation Laboratory to the State Archaeological Museum (further on referred to as PS). The figures also comprise the following symbols which stand for the kind of the raw material used to produce the objects in question or the parts thereof: b — bronze, bz — gilded bronze, c — tin, dr - umber, m — copper, ms — glass-mass, o — lead, s — silver, sk — leather, sz — gilded silver! tk — textiles, wl — fibre, z — gold, ze — iron, zes — silvered iron, zo — (trace) gold plating. The barrow of Taharicza has been of remarkable interest to many authors. It has been attributed both to the Slavs and nomads. It has been dated to the 10th 13th centuries. It was also the subject of W. Sarnowska's doctoral thesis published in 1949. Despite the great number of studies and mentions in literature, the Taharicza complex has been known almost exclusively from photographs. At present, owing to the painstaking pictorial documentation. New conservation methods, microscope tests and analyses which revealed the so far unknown technological details throwing a new light on the essence of the issue, it is possible to present a complete study of that conspicuous complex. Bearing in mind the function the objects would perform, they have been appropriately groupped. The direct equipment comprises: protective armament, attacking armament, horseman's outfit, clothes and ornaments; while the indirect equipment includes: goblet and medallion, viper-medallion, sceptre and kettle. The protective armament comprises: helmet, mail coif, mail and shield. Helmet — made of ornamented iron (Fig. 1.2). Its bell consists of two soldered and hammered plates. The ornament in the form of engraved vertical lines and a groove divides it into four parts. In the lower section there is an ornament of palmette and flagellum motifs, engraved against a dotted background. The nasal together with the forehead plate are fastened to the bell with rivets. The spike with an ornamented mounting has been rivetted to the bell. The outer and inner surfaces of the latter are copperized. The whole is silvered, the spike, vertical groove, ornament belt on the bell and the nasal having been gilded. The helmet of Tahancza is quite an elaborate type of shishaks; it is characterized by noble proportions and gradated colours. Mail coif— iron, traces of copperization (Fig. 3). Only fragments have been preserved: made from two kinds of flat, ornamented rings. The helmet and the coif have been classified as type II B according to A.N. Kirpicnikov's typology, dated to the 12th-13th centuries. Mail — (Fig. 4a-d) — preserved as a whole. It has the form of a doublet with short sleeves widening under the armpits and a stand-up collar. It has been made from two kinds of iron rings — stamped and rivetted. Traces of copperization. The surface of the mail is covered with cloth, at the bottom of it there are remnants of timber (chest) and a bow, impression of the string, relics of the leather quiver, silver plates adorning its surface and fragment of a belt. The mail may be referred to the beginning of the 13 th century. Shield — silver heart-shaped plate is the remnant of it (Fig. 5). It had rolled up edges and was fastened to the base with 52 rivets. It might have been the central ornament of the shield. The attacking weapons include: a sabre, bow. quiver, arrow-head and war-weight. Sabre — made of iron, silver sheath (Fig. 6). It was quite long and slightly curved. Upon the faces there are remnants of wooden splinters of the sheath. The guard is simple, cross-shaped. The arbor with a slight hollow, remnants of wooden cladding and two rivets. The sheath consisted of two wooden splinters, covered with silver plate hammered to it with silver nails. It has been lost. The sabre is dated to the 12th—13th centuries. Bow — the preserved fragments are: plates of the bowcase and quiver alongside parts of the arm, neck and string impressed in the solidified mail (Fig. 4al, a3). It was an oriental bow, the handle consisted of a few elements. Plates of the bowcase and quiver — have been divided into three coming from the former (Fig. 7) and three — from the latter one (Fig. 8). The preserved remnants of leather bear distinct traces of stamping. Ornamentation consists of cut out copper plates, surrounded by silver gilded foil, fastened with one another by a large number of rivets. Inside there arc copper rivet washers and fragments of thin clothing (lining). Arrow-head — forged, iron head has a flat, rhomboidal leaf-shaped point and rounded downward narrowing tang with distinct traces of wood (Fig. 9a), War-weight — cast copper, spherical in shape, suspension loop — traces of wear-out caused by chain to be seen on it (Fig. 9b). The following make up the horseman's equipment: saddle, bit and sickle. Saddle — four sickle-shaped silver plates testify there was one. Folded in pairs they provide the image of the front and rear pommels. The plates bear no traces (holes or rivets) of having been fastened to the base (Fig. 10a, a1, b, b1). Bit — made of forged iron, consists of flat rings and two-element mouthpiece. Upon the rings there is a zigzag dotted ornament, just fragments of it having been preserved (Fig. l1a. a1). Stirrups (one has been lost) — made of forged iron, broad arch-shaped feet and arms of the hoop — their section being oval. In the upper, hammered part of the hoop there is a hole to thread the stirrup-leather (Fig. 11c). Sickle (lost) — what it looked like is known just from a sketch (Fig. lib). The objects connected with the attire are: buckle, two buttons, necklaces, gold plates. Buckle — made of ornamented repoussed silver plate, gilded. Its body is in the shape of a flat, rectangular box filled with wood and felted fibre. Along either shorter side, on its axis, there are three movable buttons. The longer curved sides are nailed to timber inside the buckle. Both sides have been ornamented with a vegetal motif: leaves and flowers against dotted background (Fig. 12). Buttons — silver, consisting of two elements made of thin plate and horizontally linked with each other. The eyes have been soldered up (Fig. 13b. c). Neckring — a single fragment. Made from an iron rod, its section being quadrilateral, with narrowing rounded ends, surrounded by silver gilded plate. The whole has been twisted along its longitudinal axis (Fig. 13a). Neckring — two fragments of it have been preserved. It consists of an iron rod covered by sodium glass and wrapped up in golden tape (Fig. 13d). Gold plates — five fragments have been preserved. Upon the surface there are groove joints; holes along the edges. Trace of a cloth to be seen in corrosive tarnish on one of the plates (Fig. 13 The indirect furnishings of the grave consist of: a goblet, medallion — Christ on it, viper-medallion, sceptre, bronze kettle. G o b I e t—a stemmed one (Fig. 14), made of silver, ornamented by a plaited belt under the mouth and on the foot. Inside the bowl, on its bottom, there are: a deliberate trace of roughness, a stain, tin and a mark of a pair of compasses having been used. The stem, finished with a semi-cylinder, has been soldered to the bowl. The soldering place has been covered with a ring. Inside the stem there is a trace of a pair of compasses and the letter "B". The ornamenting belt and the ring are gilded. Upon the basis of 'Tchaikovsky's treasure" the goblet has been dated to the first half of the 12 th century. Christ medallion — circular, made of gilded silver plate, half-figure of Christ shown frontwards, his right hand raised in a blessing gesture, left one holding the hem of his gown and a book. Cross halo, its brim adorned with pearls. Letters "A" and "Q" on either side of his head. Upon the reverse side there are traces of a dark substance, chemical analyses having proved the presence of tin. There are no remnants of a suspension loop. Roughness on the bottom of the goblet, corresponding to the dimensions of the medallion, occurrence of tin on both the objects might suggest that they used to be a whole (Fig. 15a). Viper-medallion — made of bronze plate surrounded by gilded silver foil, has been damaged and deformed. On the reverse side there is a dark substance. Chemical analyses disproved the possibility that it used to be linked with the medallion (Fig. 15b). Sceptre — broken, two fragments have been preserved, made of silver plate and wood. The wooden handle has been wrapped up in plate that has been nailed to it. At the end, in two places probably, there were gilded silver ferrulas (one has been lost). The sceptre is crowned with an orb placed in an ornamented gilded casing. The ball has been filled with repousse tar. The presumable length of the sceptre amounted to 150 cm (Fig. 16). Copper kettle — form of a big saucepan, two handles, quite worn-out. Side walls fastened by means of the roll-up technique. The bottom and walls linked by means of another roll-up technique, making up a seal of a crenel motif. Traces of hammering and makeshift repairs to be seen on the surface (Fig. 17). The occurrence of numerous fragments of pottery have been mentioned in the description of the harrow, Besides, nine big nails (hooks) have been mentioned as well, the chest having been joined with them. Choynowski also mentions a strap buckle. The barrow of Tahancza — as a find from unprofessionally digging — does not specify the arrangement of relics within the chest. Their present condition makes it merely possible to take it for granted that the dead has not been burried with the mail on. It lay on die bottom of the chest, covering in part the bow and the bottom of the quiver. The bow was drawn. The mail wrapped up the string and this is how it hardened. The barrow of Tahancza does not have many analogies. The "Chingul Barrow" is closest to it. In either case very rich outfit of the dead warriors dressed only in gowns is to be dealt with. Mails, helmets and sabres were laid in the chest, just like bows and ornamented quivers. Cloth covered the upper part of the mail, its remnants in the form of red threads are to be seen upon the quiver and bowcase. The helmet was not linked with the mail coif. Goldsmith's products included in the grave furnishings arc of the top quality, they prove the highest level of art and craftsmanship. They are plain to see in the workmanship of the goblet, Christ medallion, buckle and helmet. There might be merely some objections as to the use of nails instead of solder in case of the sceptre, buckle and sabre sheath. Apart from functional objects, there are also some whose workmanship points out their ceremonial character. These are the quiver and the sceptre. The new elements that were discovered while drawing documentation were: ornament on the mounting of the helmet in the lower part of its bell, on the rings of the bit and those of the mail coif. The shape of the mail has been determined alongside reconstruction of the way it was made. Attempts have been made to reconstruct the bowcase and the quiver, as well as the front and rear pommels of the saddle. THE DATING OF THE BARROW. WHO WAS BURRIED IN IT? Southern Russian lands together with Porosie — interesting to us due to the location of the barrow — in the 12th—13th centuries time and again were invaded by the Moguls. As early as in the 1220s Chernikhov was looted. The silver goblet found in the land of the Golden Horde came from Batiy invasion on that duchy. In 1240 Kiev yields to the Tartars' pressure to be almost completely looted. As Piano Carpini recorded (Pope's envoy to the Mogul Khan, who passed through Kiev in 1246), it was just a ruin of a once flourishing city. The Mogul invasion in the 1240s put to a stop the quick development of southern Russian lands and largely depopulated them. Mogul invasions on those lands continued repeatedly in the 13 th century. In the middle of the 13th century a vast state formation came into being, established by the Tartars. This is the Golden Horde, also known as Great or Kipchatska. Its widest development came about in the first half of the 14th century. The Golden Horde included also southern Russian lands (Kievan Rus and Chernikhov). A few nomadic tribes lived over those lands, in already mentioned Porosie in particular, in the 11th - 13th centuries: Pechengas, Torkas, Berendeys and a number of smaller ones. Some of them were associated with the Black Headgear League. The nomads of particular groups were organized in military squads whose object was to fight the Polovets people attacking Russian southern lands from the cast. On the Russian frontiers there also lived the Slavs. They were concentrated in castle-towns. The objects from the Tahancza barrow should be re-considered in respect of their use in the funeral rite and material culture: did they belong to the Slavs or the nomads? 1. Human burials time and again being accompanied by a horse — as a whole, or its parts only (head, legs) — is a characteristic trait of Porosie burial grounds. In Rus horses accompany human graves only in the 10th century. 2. Helmets ("shishaks") are known from the area of entire Rus. Over the area in question helmets were often included in nomadic graves. A special type of helmet — helmet with a mask-was even invented. 3. The mail was in common use over entire Rus and Veliki Novgorod as far as its eastern frontier. However, in Porosie it would make up an important element of warriors' protective armament, which is testified by the fact that from among 32 complete mails from Rus as many as 30 have been found in Porosie. 4. The sabre is a characteristic weapon of the nomads. In Rus squad-members would use swords, sabres are found over Russian areas only where they bordered upon the terrains inhabited by nomads (Kievan. Chemikhov and Volhyinian Duchies). 5. The composite reflexive bow is the elementary weapon of members of nomadic squads However, it is known over entire Rus (Veliki Novgorod). 6. The rhomboidal arrow-head is a type of a remarkably broadened point, its tang to be stuck into the shaft. In the literature of the subject such arrows are referred to as nomadic. 7. Shields were used by Slavonic warriors and Moguls (Golden Horde). Nomadic shields were generally round. 8. Round stirrups, their feet widening lenswise, are an eastern type. 9. Sceptres occur in Russian art and ornamentation. They also occur at western rulers and Moguls (Golden Horde). 10. Neckrings (grivnas) which could sometimes be used as monetary units — are known from numerous hoards and graves from Rus — they occur in Porosie. 11. Bronze vessels and kettles are characteristic of the material culture of the nomads. They did not use pottery. The few crocks that occur in certain graves of the Black Headgears are typically Slavonic. Thus all the objects from the Tahancza barrow have their equivalents to the material culture of the Mogul nomads. Those are only the silver goblet and the Christ medallion that should be treated in a different way. The goblet from the so called Tchaikovsky's hoard (Kiev) is the closest analogy to the Tahancza one. The silver and gilded vessels from the Chingul barrow may be also analogous. Goblets and silver vessels are known to the nomads, especially those from the area of the Golden Horde, when they are usually trophies from numerous plundering raids. Detachments of Mogul nomads were not alien to southern Russian lands, including Porosie. Thus the goblet of Tahancza might be regarded as a trophy of a Mogul invasion on Kiev. 'Tchaikovsky's hoard" hidden in the first half of the 12th century would supposedly mark out that city as the limit of the first Mogul raids. The other objects that might be also regarded as a trophy is the Christ medallion. It is gilded, therefore it might have been a valuable one. The foregoing numerous analogies point out that the individual buried in the Tahancza barrow cannot have been a Slav. It might have been a khan or a prominent warrior of the Polovets people, or a member of a Golden Horde unit which penetrated as far as Kiev and southern Russian lands. The man might have perished in a military raid, and was buried in Porosie at Tahancza. Bearing in mind the Chingul barrow, as well as the analogies discussed in particular chapters, we are rather bound to say that lite individual laid in the Tahancza barrow was a Polovets buried towards the end of the first half of the 13th century. Against the background of mounted graves of Porosie, his burial distinguishes itself with extremely rich furnishings. Presenting the splendid material from Tahancza we hope it will evoke researchers' interest and will be a noteworthy analogy. The question of detailed dating and ethnical status remain to a certain extent open. Thus we may hope that further investigations by Ukrainian archaeologists will provide more accurate data.