LEAD SEALS OF THE 11th – 13th CENTURIES WITH IMAGES OF THE SAINTS (FROM THE COLLECTION OF THE POLOTSK NATIONAL HISTORICAL AND CULTURAL MUSEUM-RESERVE)

Abstract

The article is devoted to the lead seals of the 11th–13th centuries from the funds of the National Polotsk Historical and Cultural Museum-Reserve. Fourteen seals with images of saints were considered. Some of the artifacts were found in the historical districts of Polotsk (Zapolotsky Posad (4), Upper and Lower Castles (1 each), some are random finds. The location of the other four seals is unknown. The size and weight of seals with images of saints correspond to seals with other images.

Distribution of Polotsk seals with images of saints according to the classification of S.V. Beletsky revealed the presence of a new category «saint – a point in a circle». This gives grounds for expanding the classification and does not exclude the discovery of new classes and categories when processing collections from other cities of Belarus.