Эллинистические железные кирасы из Южного Приуралья
Hellenistic Iron Cuirasses from the South Ural Region

Summary/Abstract: A Hellenistic iron muscle cuirass was unearthed in 1995 during archaeological excavations of a Sarmatian warrior grave at Berdyanka V tumuli necropolis. Already in ancient times, the breastplate of the cuirass fell apart into small pieces. Its complete restoration was carried out in 2016—2017. For the first time, the article presents the restored breastplate and discusses Hellenistic iron cuirasses from nomadic tumuli of the South Ural region. The Berdyanka warrior grave is synchronous with the chieftain’s tomb from the Prokhorovka tumuli necropolis, eponymous for the Early Sarmatian culture. According to the archive photos, the cuirass from Prokhorovka was fully identical to the cuirass from Berdyanka. Their shape features indicate that they are equestrian armor. The authors review the problems of the Early Sarmatian culture chronology, the historical context of the graves with the cuirasses, and possible routes for import of armor by the nomads of the South Ural region. Both cuirasses were made in the second half of the 3rd — the first quarter of the 2nd centuries BC. in arms workshops of the Seleucid Empire or of the Greco-Bactrian Kingdom. The resemblance of the reviewed cuirasses with the similar body armor from Epirus and the Eastern Mediterranean shows continuance of the traditions among arms workshops of the Metropolis and the East Hellenistic states. The results of the metallographic study are presented in the Appendix. It has been established that the production of both cuirasses used sufficiently pure medium-carbon steel without quenching and cementation.

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