Marisia - Maros Megyei Múzeum Évkönyve 33/4. (2013)
Articles
20 D. ToPAL shape of pommel and hafting plate allowed even the author of first publication of this find to compare it with swords from Kelermes and Melgunov.122 In addition, the attention could be drawn to such details as ornamentation of the pommel with horizontal lines123 (e.g. as on akinakai from Tugolukovo, Nikolskoe and Ploie§ti) and the median rib - features which are characteristic for Kelermes type. Images of animals, e. g. sitting goats (the closest analogy is the ornamented hafting plate of Melgunov sword) and the decoration of the hilt with a bird of prey probably indicate a creative rethinking of the Western Asiatic traditions as it is shown on prestige ceremonial swords of Kelermes type. Most likely it indicates a later time of manufacturing of emblem from Medgidia (compared with Melgunov sword). So, probably the time of producing of this emblem coincides with the appearance of Kelermes type akinakai across the Prut to the West and the Scythian statues across the Danube in the South at the turn of 7th-6th c. BC. Generally, there are three main approaches to the typology of Scythian edged weapon: typology based on a combination of the shape of pommel and hafting plate; studying functional features based on design of blade; working with the ‘cultural types’.124 An interesting attempt of determination of the cultural types on Scythian swords and daggers was made by Andrey Alekseev (1991). Being one of participants of the archaeological seminar lead by Leo Klejn in Leningrad State University, A. Alekseev tried to illustrate some theses of L. Klejn on the material of Scythian akinakai. His main thesis was the idea of the connection between cultural context and typological features, therefore the main determined problem is searching for the groups of artifacts recognized by members of cultural society,125 and the searching for these groups is impossible without researching the context.126 A. Alekseev builds the evolutionary series in accordance with his own theory of consecutive destroying of the phallic symbolism in design of akinakai127 from the ‘primordial’ kidney-shaped (reniform) 122 Berciu 1958, 105. 123 It is need to mention that the pommels of Melgunov and Kelermes swords are also ornamented horizontally: the floral ornament in case of Melgunov, and oblique hatching in case of Kelermes pommel (fig. 3/7a, 9a; 7/4,6; 8/4). 124 Denisov 2010a, 270. 125 Alekseev 1991,272. 126 Klejn 1979, 69. 127 A detailed critical analysis of this conception was recently presented by Alexander Shelekhan (See: Shelekhan 2013a). to the ‘abstract’ narrow butterfly-shaped hafting plate.128 However, it seems that ‘cultural types’ of Scythian akinakai could be determined by other complimentary indicators. One of them is the presence of prestige (ceremonial) items inside a type (or group), i.e. decorated with precious metals. Another important indicator is tbe reflection in art (e.g. monumental sculpture, toreutics etc.). Therefore, due to the fact of wide spread of Kelermes type akinakai in burial complexes, presence of prestige forms and representations (as Medgidia model apparently associated as a decoration of statue) we could refer to significant involvement of Kelermes type in Scythian cultural context. Moreover, the presence of the image, in which an ancient artist sought to emphasize the most important features, makes possible to judge about hierarchy of typological characters.129 This fact brings Kelermes type beyond abstract archaeological paradigm (i.e. it is possible to determine its special status of ‘cultural type’) and allows us to see this type in the reflection of the cultural context in all its diversity. References Agulnikov et al. 2013 S. M. Agulnikov - S. S. Popovici - S. V. Terna - D. A. Topal, Skifskij kurgan No7 u s. Purcari na Nizhnem Dnestre, Stratum 3, 2013, 257-284. Alekseev 1991 A. Ju. Alekseev, Etjud ob akinakah, in: L. S. Klejn, Arheologicheskaja tipologija (Leningrad 1991) 271-280. Alekseev 1992 A. Ju. Alekseev, Skifskaja hronika (Skify v VIIIV w. do n. e. Istoriko-arheologicheskij ocherk) (Saint Petersburg 1992) Alekseev 2003 A. Ju. Alekseev, Hronografija Evropejskoj Skifii VII-IV vekov do n.e. (Saint Petersburg 2003) Alexandrescu 1958 A. Alexandrescu, Douä statui traco-scitice din Dobrogea, SCIV 9, 1958, 291-302. Apalkov 1992 A. N. Apalkov, О nahodkah ranneskifskih akinakov na territorii Kurskoj oblasti, Arheologichnij zbirnik Poltavs’kogo kraeznavchogo muzeju 1, 1992,69-71. Apalkov 1995 A. N. Apalkov, Nahodki predmetov vooruzhenija skifskogo vremeni v mezhdureche Sejma i Sosny, RossArh 2, 1995, 149-152. 128 Alekseev 1991,276-279. 129 Alekseev 1991,275.
