Jewellery Focuses of Kyiv Dytynets

Abstract

Dytynets of ancient Kyiv is an inner fortified part within the “city of Volodymyr”, with a total area of 10—12 hectares. At different times, its territory has been explored by many archaeologists. During the period from 1907 to 2013, 22 archaeological objects were discovered and researched on the territory of the Kyiv Dytynets, as well as separate buildings, furnaces and various finds from ancient Rus’ cultural strata related to jewellery. All of them were located within the “city of Volodymyr” and were recorded at the sites of 10 excavations, namely: five objects were located at the address — Volodymyrska st., 2 (territory of the National Museum of History of Ukraine); two — on Volodymyrska st., 7—9; one — on Desiatynna st., 2; eight — on Velyka Zhytomyrska st., 2; four — on Volodymyrska st., 8; two — on Desiatynna st., 3—A—B, 5—D. According to their chronology, these objects are dated by the XI — first half of the XIII c. After analyzing the location of jewellery workshops, there can be identified at least two large focuses — the quarters of jewellers, where the masters lived and worked. The first (largest) was located along the even side of modern Volodymyrska st. and stretched from the northern slope of Starokyivska Mountain to Volodymyrska st., 8. From the west it was limited to Goncharnyi ravine, and from the east — the carriageway of Volodymyrska st. There were 11 jewellery production facilities on its territory. The total area of this quarter was about 3.5 hectares. This centre at different times could serve the Grand Ducal court with its palace complexes, work for the needs of the boyar nobility and clergy. The second was located between the streets: Volodymyrska (from the west) and Desiatynna (from the east). In the south, it was limited by the carriageway of Velyka Zhytomyrska st. There were 10 jewellery production facilities on its territory. The total area of this quarter was about 1.2 hectares. Most likely, this centre belonged to a greater extent to the estate of the Fedoriv monastery of the XII c. and served the princely court of Mstyslav Volodymyrovych, who built the monastery. Thus, since the XI c. on the territory of Kyiv Dytynets the jewellery manufacturing had been developing rapidly. Production workshops spread over an area of almost 5 hectares and existed until Kyiv devastation in 1240.