When you dig in the old days, the finds include not only coins, but also various “accompanying items” (finds from the same period as the coins, various household and personal items) – buttons, most often, small household items and pectoral crosses. It seems that people used to love to fight, have a good time on a holiday, or simply – the rope became weak and broke. In any case, good finds in the form of rare crosses can come out, look:
Initially we see crosses with the image of the Savior in the center, these are specimens No. 1, 2, 3. The peculiarity of these crosses is that to the right of the Savior there is an image of the Virgin Mary, and to the left is John the Theologian. But even here, each cross has its own peculiarity.
The cross under No. 1 has the letters at the top: MPCXC / ΘIО, and below is the image of NIKI (Nikita Gothsky) who is holding a cross in his hand.
On the cross under No. 2 at the top there are letters – MPΘW / ICXCI, at the bottom there is an image of CTΘΛO (St. Florus).
The cross under No. 3 has the letters CXC on top; below – Nikolai Ugodnik.
The cross under No. 4 has an image of the Savior in the center, along the edges there are letters: on top – NI with a title, on the left and, respectively, on the right side – IC XC with a title, below – KA with a title. This copy has a square table of contents.
Golden Horde influence
Under No. 5 -9 we see crosses from the 14th-15th centuries, discovered on the territory of the Suzdal-Nizhny Novgorod principality. It must be said that the dawn of this region is associated with the Golden Horde. Thanks to the relationship and support of the Golden Horde state, the Suzdal-Nizhny Novgorod principality developed and flourished during the Middle Ages. Therefore, crosses 5-7 have a peculiar intricate ornament.
The cross at No. 8 has the image of the Savior in the middle, along the edges of the cross we see the letters: on top – IC, on the right and left the letters – X, on the bottom – NI / KA. The table of contents is in the form of a bead.
The pectoral cross number 9 differs from the previous one in the letters located on the right and left – N K, and below – X.
Silver cross No. 10, probably a later version has the image of the Savior Not Made by Hands framed in a circle. Below are crossed bones and letters – KA, on the right and left are letters – IC XC with titles, on top – NI.
The silver cross at No. 11 has the image of Christ up to the shoulders. The letter is X on the top, I and C on the sides, and Z on the bottom. The head is faceted with a cross-shaped ornament.
Beautiful finds, right? Do you find crosses?
We have a very useful section – Identification of finds . Its name alone says a lot!
