VETTERSFELDE HOARD: DECONSTRUCTION OF THE ENSEMBLE

Abstract

SummaryAmong all the hoards containing ceremonial akinakai, (swords and daggers of Iranian origin), the assemblage of items discovered in 1882 near the village of Vettersfelde (Poland) is the most internally coherent. Judging by the motifs present on the golden objects richly decorated in the animal style – a fish‐shaped plaque, a clover‐shaped phalera and a sheath ornament of a sword – they make up a unified ensemble, most likely the result of one ritual event. The source of the items from Vettersfelde is usually associated with the Milesian colonies of the Pontic region, in which a certain artistic bilingualism is documented, with both Greek and ‘barbarian’ influences to be seen. Most likely, the choice of visual metaphors in the narrative was not accidental but something recognized both by the creator and the recipient. If the provenance for its manufacture is extended beyond the northern or western coast of the Black Sea, then the Milesian colonies of Eastern Greece could also claim that role. In particular, for a number of reasons, Cyzicus is a suitable candidate.‘It's still magic even if you know how it's done.’Terry Pratchett, A Hat Full of Sky