BEADS FROM THE OSTRIV BURIAL GROUND (ACCORDING TO MATERIALS EXCAVATED IN 2017—2020)

Abstract

The presence of elements of the necklace sets among the grave goods is one of the characteristic features of the Ostriv burial ground. They were found in 21 graves from 83 excavated in the period of 2017—2020. In 19 cases they were part of the neck ornament. The necklace was an attribute of women’s costume in 17 burials, which is slightly less than half of the total number of women’s burials. This indicates both social differentiation within the group and differences in costume composition. Mainly the necklace was found among the grave goods of girls and young women. In two cases one shell of Cypraea moneta was found in men’s burials indicating their use as buttons or talismans. In total, 546 elements of the necklace set were found in the burials. Most of the finds (51 %) represented by glass products, slightly less (45 %) by shells (Cypraea moneta is absolutely dominated), 3.8 % is non-ferrous metal products, one detected bead (0.2 %) is made of faience. The uneven distribution of elements in the necklace from one item to almost hundred is recorded. The number of beads of a certain type in the set could be large, even absolute, while others consisted of more different elements but could be inferior to the first one by total number of copies in the set. Significant predominance of beads with metal foil, blue ribbed and Cypraea moneta shells. These varieties together make up 69 % of all identified elements of the necklace set and were the most popular and available for necklace formation among these people. The marginality of other elements should indicate their secondary nature and addition to the main set if possible. However, in our opinion, in this case the situation is diametrically opposed. The most common types of elements — with metal foil and Cypraea moneta — have been obtained by the population in mass and added to existing vague sets or formed new ones.