NEW INFORMATION ABOUT THE BATTLE HAMMER FROM THE NOVOTROITSKOYE-1 NECROPOLIS

• Published in: Teorii͡a︡ i praktika arkheologicheskikh issledovaniĭ Vol. 34; no. 2; pp. 228 - 241
• Main Authors: N., Golovchenko, O., Likhacheva
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: 2022
• ISSN: 2307-2539
• DOI: 10.14258/tpai(2022)34(2).-13

The article considers a fighting battle hammer from the Novotroitsky-I burial ground, which is kept in the funds of the Museum of the Pedagogical University. The original product was considered lost, and only its primary, not entirely accurate drawing is known in the scientific literature, which was repeatedly attracted by specialists in various studies. Thus, incorrect information about the battle hammer was constantly duplicated. In 2021, in the course of work in the museum’s funds, a battle hammer was discovered by one of the authors. As it turned out, the battle hammer underwent a partial restoration, which made it possible to reveal significant morphological features of the object. The purpose of this article is to re-publish the product, considering the new information that has appeared, which significantly refines the information about its design. One of the significant features of the battle hammer) is a diamond-shaped extension at the end of the striker, which enhances its penetrating properties, as well as the presence of such additional details as an inflow and a cap. The latter protect the shaft from splitting. Samples with similar characteristics are practically not known in other territories. The closest analogy is a specimen from the western Tien Shan, originating from the Saka complex. At the same time, coins of a similar appearance are well known from the materials of site located on the territory of the Forest-Steppe Altai. Likely, these characteristics are a local tradition, which allows us to speak of a high level of development of military affairs in this region, since these details significantly increase the combat effectiveness of weapons. The considered battle hammer from the Novotroitsky-I burial ground replenishes the original series of products of this type of weapon, which was popular among the population of the Forest-Steppe Altai in the Scythian time.