У статті розглянуто знахідки мушель, виявлених у складі кількох дніпровських скарбів першої й
другої хронологічних груп за О. О. Щегловою, інгумації з речами кола «старожитностей антів» та на
поселенні празької культури. Низка таких прикрас
виявлена і на роменських пам’ятках. Проаналізовано шляхи появи підвісок із мушель і варіанти їх
використання у вбранні слов’ян.
The pendant from Luka-Kavetchyna, dwelling 25
(fig. 2: 1; 3) is the earliest find from the Slavs sites dating
to the second quarter — the end of the 5th century.
The adornment was made of a shell of the genus Murex
and is the «legacy» from the Cherniakhіv culture. In
the area of that culture are known the pendants made
of shells of this genus (type 2 by O. Hopkalo).
The pendants from shells appear in use of the Slavs
since the second half of the 6th century. Their varieties
were used until the first half of the 8th century, although
the assemblages and finds with them are few
(table 1; fig. 1; 14). In the Slavic assemblages the shells
of mollusks of the following species were occurred:
Cypraea moneta, C. pantherina, C. tigris, C. arabica.
The items from Murex shells are also known. The
height of Cypraea moneta is a little more than 2 cm.
Other species of shells are larger reaching the height
ca. 7—8 cm.
The assemblages of the Martinіvka circle include
Khatski (fig. 4: A) and Khittsі ones. The grave from
Mokhnach belongs to the same antiquities (fig. 2: 2;
5—7). The jewellery by Martynivka circle are dated
back to the second half of the 6th century, and the
hoards were hidden in the middle — the third quarter
of the 7th century. The Pastyrsky circle hoards include
the assemblages from Zaitsevo (fig. 4: B) and Kharіvka
(fig. 8—10). The hoards by Pastyrsky circle were hidden
in the first half of 8th century.
The appearance of the pendants from shells is related
to the general trend of the spread of Cypraea moneta
in Eastern Europe in the early Middle Ages. They are
known in the Caucasus, Crimea, the Seversky Donets
basin (fig. 11). Cypraea moneta shells were used as
pendants in necklaces as evidenced by finds from the
Luchiste burial ground from Crimea. The use of other
types of shells remains unclear. However, they were
probably parts of necklaces or amulets.