New finds from Rutevac and deliberation on purpose, origin place of production and ethnic attribution of Mramorac type belts

Abstract

A pair of nearly identical silver artefacts was found in Rutevac by Aleksinac, known as Mramorac type belts, which used to be found exclusively in Pomoravlje and within the Big Confluence zone. Twenty four such artefacts were published; of which 20 are of silver plate, two of gilt silver plate and two of gold plate. The very fact that they are void of any fastening devices at the corresponding ends for buckling up purposes or pinning up to a surface (cloth or leather), excludes their purpose as belts to be used around people's waist; it could, however, be assumed that they served as a part of equipment of secular and religious leaders - as a kind of decorative ribbon - broad bands with ample symbols, worn over the shoulder and breast - at the same time cult object and a sign of dignity of the person wearing it. The fact that all the artefacts were found within one and the same territory and that they were reconstructed due to frequent wear suggest the production and maintenance in one or more local workshops in Pomoravlje. Artefacts belonged to the Triballi, the only ancient Balkan peoples who were confirmed, both archaeologically and on the basis of historical sources, in Pomoravlje, in the Triballian valley, living at the end of the 6th and in the 5th centuries BC, the period to which these luxurious artefacts were dated to.

Keywords

• Mramorac type belts
• ribbons
• silver
• Pomoravlje
• Autariati
• Triballi