A jeweler's die featuring a saint from the excavations in Staraya Ryazan

This paper reports on a new find of a jewelry die discovered during excavations of Staraya Ryazan. In contrast to most similar items uncovered earlier, this die features an image of a semi-figure of a saint. This find comes from a spot in the Severny hillfort rich with artifacts and constructions associated with jewelry production. It is a rare evidence of the fact that clients of the Staraya Ryazan jewelers included not only representatives of the princely family and boyardom but also clergymen (clerical hierarchy, representatives of large monasteries). Iconography and stylistics of the image demonstrate the use of Byzantine samples.