A new interpretation of the inscriptions on the handles of signature knives found on the shores of Sims Bay

Abstract

The article reports on a new interpretation of the inscriptions on two personalized knives found on the coast of Sims Bay in the Laptev Sea. This interpretation differs from the readings published previously by paleographers and source-study experts due to the fact that it has been possible to devise correct transcription of these inscrip-tions with the aid of the method of non-contact 3D modeling of epigraphic records developed by the RSSDA Laboratory and used in the Code of Russian Inscriptions (CIR). The reading of the inscriptions on the signature knives proposed by the authors of this paper has enabled establishing their ownership to Gurii (baptismal name) — Akakii (prayer? name) Ivanov son of Karzyaev’s, likely the head of the commercial and industrial expedition of the 1620s. The site of the polar mariners of the 17th century in Sims Bay is located 70 km west of the island of Thad-deus Severny, where in 1940 members of the hydrographic detachment of the East Taimyr hydrographic expedi-tion found similar articles, including 8 other knives. Unfortunately, these knives have only partially preserved han-dles, and most of them turned out to be represented only by the blades. Inscriptions made in the Slavic ligature could be found only on two knives from a hut in Sims Bay. According to the official version, both sites belong to the members of the Russian trade and industrial expedition of the 17th century. The rich composition of the collec-tion of archaeological artifacts assembled at the locations of these two sites makes this monument unique for the Russian culture of the 17th century.