Golden Horde coin hoard from the barrow on Svistun Mountain (northern vicinity of the village of Aleksandrovskoe, Stavropol Region) Cover Image

Клад золотоордынских монет из кургана на горе Свистун (северные окрестности с. Александровского Ставропольского края)
Golden Horde coin hoard from the barrow on Svistun Mountain (northern vicinity of the village of Aleksandrovskoe, Stavropol Region)

Author(s): Igor V. Volkov, Yuriy A. Prokopenko
Subject(s): History, Archaeology, Middle Ages
Published by: Нижневартовский государственный университет
Keywords: Jochid coins; dirhams; coin production centre; hoard; Svistun Mountain; legend; younger coin; ‘Velikaia Zamiatnia’;

Summary/Abstract: A hoard of 37 dirhams of the Golden Horde is presented. In the early 2000s, it was found in a loose soil left after barrow robbery on Svistun Mountain (northern environs of the village of Alexandrovskoe, Stavropol Region). Most likely, the hoard was part of the deposit that was found on Svistun Mountain in 1895. It includes coins of Öz Beg, Jani Beg, Khiḍr, Berdi Beg, Nowruz Beg, and Murād. According to the younger coin, the treasure dates back to the 763 AH (31 October 1361 — 20 October 1362). The later issuer, Murād (Amurat of the Russian Chronicles), is mentioned in written sources as the ruler of Sarai, but he minted coins only in Guliston. Thus, the hoarding may refer to the final stage of the hot phase of the civil war, to which the definition of ‘Velikaia Zamiatnia’ (‘The Great Turmoil’) can be applied, and the hoard is another illustration of this phenomenon.