The Red Kaganate

Last Page Update: September 20, 2005 Contact Copyright Information Main Page Structure of the Red Kaganate Gatherings, Events, . . . Historic Steppes Tribes Culture and Folklore Flags and other Identifiers Clothing and Apearance Food and the Home Games and Military Arts Public Forum Resource Links Email: kaganate@yahoo.com Editor: Norman J. Finkelshteyn Make Financial Contribution or Donate Stuff and Time

Hand Washing Set 7th century, Byzantine-Bulgar-Turkic. Gilded silver. From "The Pereschepin Horde" - Poltava, Ukraine. Pitcher: Height - 28 cm.; Diameter of base - 9.6 cm. Bowl: Height - 7.25 cm.; Diameter - 25.2 cm.; Length with handle - 38.5 cm. Both items have silver quality stamps with the monogram of Byzantine Emperor Mauritius Tiberius (582-602). The set is believed to have been part of the gifts given in 619 by the Emperor Heraclitus to Prince Organa, uncle of Khan Kubrat. The bowl was decorated by hammering from inside with finishing details engraved on outside. The handle indicates in Greek "This washing set has 8 littres, 1 ounce, and 20 grams." This indicated weight, corresponding to 2634 grams of silver, is virtualy identical to the modern. Pitcher handle is separately cast in two parts and welded to pitcher. It is decorated with an ancient mask, dolphins, a panther, and floral motifs. Generaly, the decorations of both items are of "pleasant, life affirming motiffs" common in the classical Roman period. Such hand washing sets were used both for material purposes and "cultic purposes" - traditions harking back to ancient Greek ritual. Currently at the State Hermitage Museum in Leningrad/St. Petersburg. Details from the Russian version of the Hermitage page.