Marisia - Maros Megyei Múzeum Évkönyve 33/4. (2013)
Articles
14 D. ToPAL Cernenko proposed this term (Kelermes type) for the description of massive ‘butterfly-like’ hilts and suggested as a model the sword from Kelermes burial (Kuban region).9 Later, M. Pirtskhalava attributed to ‘so called Kelermes type’ a group of akinakai from Tlia necropolis, Georgia.10 Now the fact that Kelermes type is a historiographical phenomenon could be affirmed and it is used widely like the other types of Scythian akinakai, for example - Marychevka type,11 Chertomlyk type12 and Solokha type.13 To the present, we can count about 30 akinakai with the bight on handle and 10 of them come from a well-defined archaeological context and therefore have a precise chronological position due to connection with archaeological context (PL 2). Besides these, one could include into this group about 20 other finds which display very close technological and design features, such as shape of triform handle, massive ‘butterfly-shaped’ hilt (rarely ‘heart’- and ‘kidney’-shaped), and the blade with two almost parallel edges and median rib, could be added to this group. Modern archaeology evaluates the problem of stray finds differently, sometimes stray finds have not been regarded as useful in any interpretation. Nevertheless, careful use of data based on stray finds may give some positive results.14 So, the transformation of finds without any context into the archaeological record is an important scientific problem. In our case, the information about spreading to the West of the Dniester river of Kelermes type akinakai was essentially supplemented by a group of stray finds. An iron sword relatively well preserved was found in the forest near Vatici village (Republic of Moldova, Orhei district). Besides that, another similar akinakes came also from Orhei district - near Susleni village. Even though, akinakes from Vatici was published in a special paper in Russian,15 I consider it is necessary to include the description of this item here. Tire total length of this akinakes was about 49 cm (the preserved length is 47,5 cm). Tire cross section of the blade is rhombic, the edges are parallel having a median rib about 20 cnr. The blade’s length probably was about 39 cm, the width varies from 4 cm (near the hafting 9 Cernenko 1980, 11. 10 Pirtskhalava 1995, 56. 11 Ismagilov 1981,126; Vasiliev2001,35; Ismagil - Sungatov 2004, 127; Denisov 2010, 227. 12 Grakov 1947,104; Guljaev 2009, 147. 13 Agulnikov et al. 2013, 274; Topal 2014. 14 Juodagalvis 2002; Johanson 2006. 15 Topal - Brujako 2012, 134-135, fig. 1/2. plate) to 3,5 (in the middle). The hilt is triform, consisting from three shafts, and the central one is rhombic, the length from the pommel to the hafting plate is 8,5 cm, the width is 3 cm, the thickness is 1 cm. The dimensions of butterflylike hafting plate are 7x4,8 cm, the dimensions of massive pommel are 5,5x2 cm. Under the pommel an iron bight was attached with outside diameter about 1 cm. Another original akinakes was found not far from the Susleni village (Republic of Moldova, Orhei district) (Pi. 1/2; 4/11). This item is already the fourth akinakes reported from the Orhei district: the other three have been found in Vatici (see above), Lukasevka16 (now Luca§euca) and Butuceni fortified settlement.17 Despite the presence of the bight on the handle, this exemplar differs genuinely from akinakes from Vatici. For example, it’s pommel is more elongated, it’s handle is not triform, but has only two massive shafts on the edges. The form of hafting plate is heartlike, so the edges of plate are more rounded and facing down. The preservation of this exemplar is excellent (what is typical for the majority of Early Scythian akinakai), the total length is 51 cm. The cross section of the blade is also rhomboid, the edges are parallel and the blade has also the median rib which occupies about two thirds of the length (25 cm). The length of the blade is 38 cm, the width varies from 3,7 to 3,8 cm. The hilt’s length is 8 cm (from the pommel to the hafting plate), the width is 2,7 cm, the thickness of shafts is about 1 cm. The dimensions of hafting plate are 6,5x3,9 cm and the pommel is 7x1,5 cm (thickness is 1,2 cm). Under the pommel an iron girdle with the bight is attached (diameter is 0,8 cm, the thickness is 0,5 cm). The form of hafting plate, the design of pommel are not so typical for Kelermes type, as for some bimetallic exemplars, for example, from Stepnoj,18 grave 85 from Tlia 16 Sergeev 1961, fig. 3. It is advisable to note that the article by G. Sergeev provided a historiographical error. So, in this publication were mixed up the descriptions of figures of stray find from Lukasevka and grave from Suruceni. Nevertheless, it was included in Errata on the last page of issue, this mistake continues to be repeated (see: Lapushnjan 1979, fig. 42; Meljukova 1979, fig. 33/5; Stepi 1989, fig. 27/33; Brujako 2005, fig. 37/11; 43/1) 17 Nikulitse 1977, fig. VIII/4. There is a reasonably doubt in this topographical attribution, because this akinakes is publicated in monography of Lapushnjan as ‘a stray find from Trebujeni’ (Lapushnjan 1979, 115, fig. 43), so the connection of this item with Getian fortified settlement of 4rd—3th c. BC is not so unobvious. Besides, due to archaic design of this akinakes and the general absence of Scythian swords and daggers on Getian settlements, this location looks too unconvincing. 18 Vinogradov 1974, 259.
