Przestrzeń rozświetlona. Znaleziska świec i wosku w grobach komorowych na terenie Europy Środkowowschodniej

Among many items which were found in early medieval chamber graves in Eastern-Central Europe are pieces of wax and candles (fig. 1). These artifacts were discovered in seven graves at four cemeteries in Gnezdovo (graves C-198, C-301 and C-306) (fig. 2-4; 7; 8.1-8), Pskov (graves 3 and 6) (fig. 5), Shestovitsa (mound 42) and Timerevo (mound 100) (fig. 6; 8.9). All of these graves were covered with mounds and contained inhumations with very rich grave-goods. The dead were buried with their heads to the west. Candles were found predominantly in female graves (Gnezdovo graves C-198, C-301 and C-306; Pskov grave 3) or in chamber graves containing two individuals (male and female) in association with the females (Timerevo grave 100). The chronology of the graves is very similar – all are dated to the second half of the 10th century. Candles were placed on the periphery in eastern (Gnezdovo graves C-301 and C-306, Pskov grave 6) or southern (Pskov grave 3, Shestovitsa mound 42) part of the chamber. The number of candles in particular graves ranged from one (Pskov grave 6, Shestovitsa grave 42, Timerevo grave 100) to as many as twelve examples (Gnezdovo grave C-306). Apart from chamber graves, from Russia and Ukraine there are also other types of graves, dated to the second half of the 10th – 11th century, which contained wax and candles. They were found in Gnezdovo (grave L-148) (fig. 8.11), Timerevo (mound 323) (fig. 8.10), Saki (mound 54(1)) (fig. 8.13), Starcy (fig. 8.14) Vahrushevo (mound CXVI), and Sednev (mound 2(1886) (fig. 8.12). Parallel finds are also known from Western and Northern Europe. The oldest discovery comes from the cemetery in Oberflacht dated to the 6th-7th century (fig. 9.3-5), and the youngest from Norway (graves in Grønhaug, Storhaug, Oseberg, Larvik and Lille Gullkronen (mound 7)) and Denmark (graves in Jelling, Mammen (fig. 10), Søllested, Brandstrup (fig. 9.2; 11). In the Early Middle Ages wax was a valued commodity and probably fairly expensive. Scholars point out that wax and candles in funerary contexts are connected with individuals of high material and social status. Candles can also have a very deep symbolic meaning in pagan and Christian beliefs. Chamber graves with candles are probably older than the official date of the Christianisation of Rus’ (988/989), but the people in places like Gnezdovo, Pskov, Timerevo and Shestovitsa had contact with Christianity about 100 years earlier. Chamber graves with candles contain Christian symbols like silver crosses/ pendants and other (fig. 12). In my opinion candles had an apotropaic meaning, and the graves with candles may be interpreted as a sign of an individual conversion of social elite to Christianity before official Christianisation.