Horn Ferrules from Excavation at Novgorod the Great and Smolensk

The article deals with tree horn ferrules with dragon images 12th – 13th centuries from Novgorod the Great and Smolensk. Armors and belts with dragon images became a part of the power institute of the Mongol Empire. The Old Russian works of art created under the influence of the Golden Horde are considered frequently as an imitation of more elaborated and process complicated prototypes. A careful study of the iconographic and stylistic features of the three ferrules from Novgorod and Smolensk suggests that the Novgorod find has a direct connection with the Golden Horde tradition, dating back to the art of the Yuan dynasty. The Smolensk finds are an attempt to follow a well-known pattern within the framework of the development of ancient Russian art during the Mongol conquest.