Brass bridle sets of the late sarmatian period from the North Pontic region

The paper explores a unique fact of using a rare alloy, i.e. brass, to make horse trappings details in the Late Sarmatian period. The comprehensive analysis of the archaeological material included a study of the artifact morphology and variability of the chemical composition of the metal the artifacts were made from. The data obtained were compared with the data on the analyzed alloys used to make Bosporan coins at the end of the 2nd century. This comparison suggested three possible variants explaining how the barbarians living in the North Pontic region got hold of the bridle sets made from rare material, i.e. brass, produced in other lands: 1) the sets were produced in the local barbarian environment by craftsmen-casters with the use of remelted Bosporan coins; 2) the horse trappings were produced in Bosporan workshops to be given to barbarian elite as gifts; 3) ammunition with brass items was given to barbarian horse riders who served to the Bosporan kings.