1 November 2012
Rare archeological finds unearthed near Mogilev
MOGILEV, 1 November (BelTA) – A rare burial place dating back to the period of early Christianization of Belarus was unearthed near Mogilev, BelTA learnt from Doctor of History Igor Marzalyuk, the head of the department of archeology and special history disciplines at the Kuleshov State University of Mogilev. During the excavation of the burial mound near Mogilev, archaeologists discovered a rich woman’s burial dating back to the 10th-11th centuries. Among the finds are a silver ring, Byzantine beads made of blue glass, cross-shaped pendent, remnants of leather cloak and others. This is the grave of a female representative of the noble family of the Krivichi tribe. No such graves with so many artifacts have been ever found near Mogilev, according to the head of excavations Igor Marzalyuk. The area, where the woman was buried, was previously burned and powdered with sand and surrounded by small boulders. “In the cultural-historical sense these finds are priceless. They can indicate the moment of transformation of paganism. They tell us how our ancestors lived, what they believed, what they did and how they died. Moreover, thanks to these findings, we can accurately determine the boundaries of the settlement of the Krivichi on the territory of Mogilev Oblast, which in the Middle Ages was also home to the Drigovichi and Radimichi tribes,” Igor Marzalyuk said. According to him, so far only one burial mound was examined near Mogilev. In the spring and summer next year, the excavations in this area will continue, and there is hope there more archeological finds will be discovered.БЕЛТА