Beads from Inhumation Rite Burials of Gnezdovo Burial Mound

The beads from 33 inhumation burials at Gnezdovo burial mound are examined in the article. The beads (total 367) were crafted from stretched tube (258), stretched stick (3), winding (45), press molding (2 pcs.), welding (2 pcs.), and mosaic beads (9 pcs.). The burial mound contains virtually no broken beads, including the settlement's most common yellow glass beads. Besides glass beads, cornelian, crystal, amber and faience beads have been registered among the burial mound material, as well as beads crafted with metal. Apart from beads, grave inventories contained a series of pendants with a bead strung on a wire ring. The considered complexes contain five pendants of this type. Besides Gnezdovo, similar pendants have been discovered in Kiev, Timerev, Pskov and Vladimir barrows. A comparison between bead sets from Gnezdovo and Kiev burial mounds allows to conclude that the general composition and occurrence frequency of beads is identical for these burials. At the same time, beads crafted with rock crystal, cornelian and metal are more frequently discovered in Kiev inhumations.