Purses from Ancient Mordovian Sites of the 7th ? 10th Centuries

The article describes the main types of bags (purses) found on the early Mordovian sites in Vad and Tsna River basins in 7th ? 10th centuries. The proposed typology relies on the fabric and shapes of the purses, as well as distinguished elements of decoration and suspension. It was established that only birch bark and fur purses can be attributed to the local production. Leather bags of variant 2 fi nd broad analogies on the Volga Bulgarian sites, while variant 1 is found on Vetluga-Vyatka sites and in Sweden (Birka). Elements of decoration on variant 3 bear a remote resemblance to Oriental things, although no analogies could be found. Simple clasps-pipes and purses of mixed types made of fur and leather are widely spread. Poor state of the fi nds does not allow us to better defi ne the sources of their import. All purses are dated by the end of the fi rst millennium AD based on the decorations found at their side. It was the time for growing contacts with the East.