New Findings ofPectoral Crosses on the Territory of Historical Alania (II)
Authors:   Institute of Oriental Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Chkhaidze Viktor 
Published: January 2024

Introduction. One of the material evidences of the Christianization of the territory of historical Alania (the east of the Krasnodar Territory – the northern regions of Chechnya) in the period from the 10th to the beginning of the 13th centuries is the data of staurography: the finds of crosses-encolpia, pectoral crosses, crosses-quadrifolia. The study of this category of finds allows us to consider the features and chronology of the process of Christianization of the population of the largest state in the North Caucasus in the Middle Ages, to study more closely the historical and social portrait of ordinary members of the Christian community of Alania and its elite. Methods. As a result of the messianic activity of Byzantium, which led to the baptism of the Alans at the beginning of the 10th century, as well as the establishment of the Alan Diocese (914), objects of small Christian plastics – crosses of provincial Byzantine as well as ancient Russian origin – are becoming widespread on the territory of Alania. And already with the spread of Christianity in the local Alan environment there are imitative and imitation types of crosses that are not found outside the North Caucasus. To date, more than 125 different crosses are known on the territory of Alania. Analysis. To this case, we can add the finds of five more interesting specimens found in recent years in the eastern regions of the Krasnodar Krai, the south of the Stavropol Krai, the Republic of Karachay-Cherkessia. The first quadrifolia cross (fig. 1, 1) is a reverse leaf with the image of an unknown Holy Warrior (St. George?), dating from the second half of the 11th – 12th centuries. Such quadrifolia crosses (including two direct analogies) are known on the territory of Alania, originally imported from the urban craft centers of the Asia Minor provinces of Byzantium or Western Georgia, or could be made according to imported prototypes by local (or visiting) craftsmen. The four following crosses indicate the links between Alania and Ancient Russia. Two crosses (fig. 1, 2–3) – with three-part endings and a rhombic middle cross, one cross has traces of manufacturing defects – the right blade is not completely cast. These crosses were brought from the territory of the Old Russian state, where they are quite widespread and date back to the 11th – 12th century abroad. They are found on the territory of Latvia, Bulgaria and Romania, where they were also imported. The fourth cross (fig. 1, 4) is equi-pointed with rectangular branches. Similar crosses are known in the territory of Ancient Russia, from where they also came to the North Caucasus, where imitative crosses were made. They date from the end of the 11th – beginning of the 12th centuries. The fifth cross (fig. 1, 5) – with a square central part. Such crosses are widely found in many regions of Kievan Rus, but in the territory of the North Caucasus they were imported. Results. The considered finds of crosses complement the body of small Christian plastic products of the 11th – 13th centuries of ancient Russian origin, represented on the territory of Alania by crosses-encolpions, cast icons and coils. The presented finds of crosses not only add to the evidence of Christianization of Alania in the 11th – 12th centuries, but also indicate close trade, religious and ethno-cultural contacts of the population of the North Caucasus with the Asia Minor provinces of Byzantium, Georgia and Ancient Russia.