Ранневизантийские элементы престижного конского снаряжения с декором в стилн ерегородчатой инкрустации в постгуннское время (Восточная Европа, Подунавье и евразийские степи)

International audienceThe elements of prestigious horse harness of the Early Byzantine origin, decorated withcloisonné inlay style, have long been identified among the steppe nomads of the Post-Hunnic Period (theso-called Shipovo horizon from the second third of the fifth to the second third of the sixth centuries), aswell as among the sedentary barbarians in Eastern and Central Europe. These finds include disc-shapedbadges or plaques or appliques, rectangular belt-ends, and horse bits with zoomorphic images. Nowit is difficult to infer specific mechanisms for the distribution of prestigious Early Byzantine artefactsin the Barbaricum in the Post-Hunnic Period. It looks like that apart from the usual military trophiesthese items could have been included in diplomatic gifts. Written sources testify to specific cases ofdonation of horse accessories (saddles) to barbarian leaders. Along with weapons, these artefacts couldalso be obtained as a result of a symbolic investment of the Empire’s allies on behalf of the emperor.The hypothesis of making the artefacts in the cloisonné inlay style directly in the Barbaricum seemsless probable, though the presence there of craftsmen including those who knew the technique ofthe Constantinople jewellery “school” is quite possible. However, it should be remembered that thetechnique of sawing and processing precious stones was particularly complex and was owned by a verylimited number of craftsmen. Therefore, the overwhelming majority of barbarian jewellery pieces fromthe Hunnic and Post-Hunnic Periods used the secondary-used stones, in contrast to the case of the findsin steppe, like those from Morskoi Chulek, Bylym-Kudinetovo, Ialpug, or Altynkazgan. Rather, thelatter were made in the Mediterranean workshops