For the Issue of Protospatharios Ribbon from Moshevaja Balka

Abstract

The article discusses the unique silk ribbon found in the famous burial ground of VIII—IX centuries in the Northwest Caucasus. The specified translation of inscriptions on the tape is proposed and historiography of studying the artifact is considered. Analysis allows us to conclude that we deal with neither common everyday thing nor an expensive ceremonial thing (narrow-headband tiara). It was made for a young person of foreign origin, who had been appointed in Constantinople in high protospatharios rank. His Slavic-Bulgarian, Georgian or Armenian origin, as the name (Ivanis, Cyr Ivanis, Vanis) remain questionable and in doubt. Unknown circumstances of this ribbon appearance in the Caucasus and its wide dating don’t allow to use this find as a complete source for the reconstruction of specific historical events. This kind attempts have been made should be recognized as unjustified.