History of Study of Women's Metal Attire from the “Antiquities of the Antae” Circle Cover Image

История изучения женского металлического убора круга «древностей антов»
History of Study of Women's Metal Attire from the “Antiquities of the Antae” Circle

Author(s): Vlasta E. Rodinkova
Subject(s): History, Archaeology, Cultural history, Customs / Folklore, Middle Ages, 6th to 12th Centuries
Published by: Издательский дом Stratum, Университет «Высшая антропологическая школа»
Keywords: Eastern Europe; Middle Dnieper region; Dnieper Left Bank region; Early Middle Ages; women's costume; adornments; items of attire; “antiquities of the Antae”;historiography;
Summary/Abstract: The paper identifies four stages of study of the women’s set of adornments and attire items existed in the Middle Dnieper and the Dnieper Left Bank region at the beginning of the Early Middle Ages. This set was reflected in hoards of the so-called antiquities of the Antae. At the first stage (end of the 19th century — 1920s), the accumulation and initial interpretation of the material took place. At the second stage (1930—1950s), “antiquities of the Antae” were considered mainly in the context of global ethnic and cultural and historical reconstructions. At the third stage (1960—1980s), Early Slavic sites were discovered in the Dnieper region. Women’s adornments and costume accessories were attracted to characterize the material culture of the early Slavic population. The modern fourth stage began in 1990s. Its distinctive feature is the formation of the concept on women's attire as an original historical source. Analysis of this source allows us to take a fresh look at some key points in the history of the Dnieper region at the end of the Migration Period.