Temple ring

A temple ring is an ornament that hangs from a headdress or in braids of hair in the front area at the side of the head – i.e. near a person's anatomical temple. Temple rings were part of Slavic, Scandinavian and others' medieval women's dress. Most were made of base metals such as copper alloys or iron, though silver and even gold were occasionally used. These were known as temple rings because they were worn on the head, near the temples of a woman or a girl.

Reconstruction of Severian headdress with temple rings
This article is about the item of headwear. For rings used in Germanic pagan religious practice, see Rings in Germanic cultures.
Woman in medieval Viking dress using a drop spindle and wearing multiple temple rings

Slavic temple rings
Flag of Rybolovsk in Ramensky District

Temple rings were characteristic decorations of Slavic women. Different tribes had their own designs and they were made out of various metals. The rings were attached to a string that became part of a headdress or they were woven directly into braids of hair. The earliest archeological evidence of temple rings was found in the Catacomb culture, Unetice culture and Karasuk culture. Later they were also found in the Chernoles culture. Temple rings were most popular between the 8th and 12th centuries, possibly influenced by the Arab and Byzantine cultures.

In later fashion styles, a temple ring was replaced by the kolt hanging from a ryasna.

Types of Slavic temple rings

Type Ethnic origin Description Region Time period
Seven rays Ramensk, Radimichs, Severians[1][2] Kursk Oblast 8th–12th centuries[2]
Braceleted Krivichs Wire rings with a diameter of 5 to 10 cm, with the ends tied in a knot. Sometimes additional dandles or bangles were added to the ring.[3] Vitebsk Region Minsk Region[4] Pskov Oblast, Kaluga Oblast, Nizhny Novgorod Oblast, Ryazan Oblast[5] Smolensk Oblast 5th–7th centuries
Shield Ilmen Slavs bronze rings with the shape of a lozenge either hammered into the ring or attached.[6] Gatchinsky District[7] Novgorod Oblast.
Seven blades Vyatichi Moscow Oblast[8]
Spiral Severians Kursk Oblast[9] Poltava Oblast[10]
Three beads Dregovichs[11] Kyiv Oblast[12] Chernihiv Oblast[13]

References
  1. Шпилев А. Г. Лучевые и лопастные височные кольца Курского края (IX – начало XIII вв.) — Курск: Курский государственный областной музей археологии, 2007
  2. Классификация и культурная атрибутация лучевых височных колец Archived 2015-02-06 at the Wayback Machine
  3. Формирование смоленско-полоцких кривичей. Валентин Седов.Древнерусская народность. Историко-археологическое исследование. Книги по истории онлайн. Электронная библиотека
  4. Археологические находки
  5. Славяне. Историко-археологическое исследование
  6. Женский костюм Новгорода XI-XII вв
  7. Археологические памятники Гатчинского района
  8. Царицынские курганы Archived 2014-05-29 at the Wayback Machine
  9. Kursk Museum of Archeology
  10. Эволюция древнерусского металлического убора в IX-XI вв.
  11. Headdress:Temple rings Archived 2014-07-24 at the Wayback Machine
  12. "Трехбусинные височные кольца" ("Очелья") Archived 2013-04-17 at archive.today
  13. Височные кольца трехбусинные, перстни щитковые Archived 2014-07-24 at the Wayback Machine


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