Unique artifacts of the XVI–XVIII centuries find in Moscow

By Alimat Aliyeva

Unique artifacts of the XVI–XVIII centuries have been found in Moscow, Azernews reports.

According to Moscow's mayor, these antique objects offer a fascinating glimpse into the history of the Russian capital and shed light on the traditions of past generations of Muscovites.

Among the significant discoveries, experts have uncovered a double-sided matrix seal dating from the late XVI to early XVII century, crafted from non-ferrous metal. The artifact was found near the Church of Elijah the Prophet. One side of the seal depicts a lion, while the other shows a warrior.

As Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin pointed out, these are popular symbols of power and valor from the Middle Ages. "Typically, a warrior would be depicted in full length or in profile, but on this seal, the warrior is shown from the waist up," Sobyanin explained.

In addition to the seal, archaeologists found a non-ferrous metal overlay featuring a lion from the 17th century in the Obydenskiye Lanes area. During that period, such objects were commonly used to decorate belts or bags.

Another fascinating find was an 18th-century Moscow "story tile" discovered at the Chizhevsky estate. These tiles, which were influenced by both ancient Russian terracotta styles and the Dutch aesthetic, often featured blue painting on a white background, depicting biblical scenes, genre scenes, and animals.

Mayor Sobyanin emphasized that all of these discoveries will be transferred to Russia's museum collections. Over the past 14 years, Moscow's archaeologists have uncovered more than 120,000 artifacts, with over 47,000 ancient items being sent to museum collections in the last five years alone.