Museum complex

Liubech Treasure

XII – first half of the XIII century
Gold, silver, crystal, glass; casting, forging, embroidery, soldering, embossing, engraving, niello, scan’ (filigree), gilding, cloisonné
Bracelet diameter: black 5,7–6.5 cm; weight: 30 to 55 g. Diameter of temple ring: 4 cm; weight: 7,5 g Diameter of ring: 1,9 cm; weight: 13.05 g. Plaque diameter: 1,1 to 2,1 cm Weight of golden beads: 8,25 g
Receipt: from the Institute of Archaeology in 1968. (collection from excavations under the supervision of academician B.A.Rybakov in hillfort of Liubech in 1960)
Showcase 13

The Treasure was discovered in 1960 at hillfort of Lyubech in Chernigov Region during excavations under the supervision of B.A.Rybakov. It was hidden in a niche in the wall of a house that had been opened during the excavation. Items were apparently wrapped in a cloth. Unfortunately, only traces of threads and a large number of small pearls of that cloth were preserved, the fabric presumably was richly embroidered.
Treasure consisted of 25 golden and silver women's jewelry items.

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Composition of the Treasure:
Twisted silver bracelet with soldered almond-shaped tips (XII century).
Hinged, two-tier, openwork silver wrist-bracelet (second half of the XII – first quarter of the XIII century). Broken at two spots.
Two folding, single-tiered silver wristbands (the end of the XII – first quarter of the XIII Centuries).
Three-bead silver temple ring (a head jewel for women).
Three twisted silver rings with overlapping ends.
16 silver stripe plaques of various shapes. Some with gilding.
An oval golden bead.

Liubech was first mentioned in the Chronicle of 882, when Prince Oleg (Grand Prince of Kiev since 882) captured it, heading from Novgorod to Kiev, although this is not clearly confirmed by archaeological material.
The archaeological complex of Liubech includes: Detinets (the inner fortress (citadel) of the city), which, according to academician B.A.Rybakov, was built at the end of the XI Century under Vladimir Monomakh (Grand Prince of Kiev 1113–1125); fortified central part; an unfortified suburb - Podol and two burial mounds.
Liubech citadel was the main residence of Princes of Chernigov; it was surrounded by strong ramparts and additional fortifications. Around the perimeter were located tall towers. The citadel was surrounded on three sides by a wide dry moat. A drawbridge across that ditch led to the gates and the Posad (or Podol – the territory outside of Detinets). In the center of Detinets stood Vezha-donjon (tower), as well as the Prince's Palace.
In 1147, the Liubech Detinets was burned by the Smolensk Prince Rostislav Mstislavich (1127–1167).

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