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Ring Pendant (Kolt)
Ukraine
11th-12th centuries
Gold, enamel
H 5.5 cm, w 4.7 cm
Yesigorskoye Estate, near Kiev
One side of the kolt is decorated with a pair of Sirin-birds, and the other with floral ornament. Executed in cloisonne enamel, this object is an excellent example of the high skill of ancient Russian enamellers. Cloisonne enamel objects are frequently found in the rich hoards of Kiev and Chernigov, buried before the Mongol invasion of 1240-1241. The golden age of Russian enamel work was the 11th and 12th centuries, as after the middle of the 12th century gold ornaments with enamel work were no longer produced. They were, however, kept in families and handed down from generation to generation.
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