Larisa A. Golofast

Institute of Archaeology RAS, Moscow, Russia

E-mail: larisa_golofast@mail.ru

Keywords: Syro-Palestinian region, Holy Land, Christian archaeology, the early Byzantine period, collecting, votives.

The article introduces a votive bronze hand with a cross from the collection of Archimandrite Antonin Kapustin, as well as a small catalog of similar items known to the author, which are kept in various museums and private collections. The study of the collection presented in the paper makes it possible to support the assumptions made by the researchers earlier: first, the objects in question were votive offerings to the temple; this is indicated by bracelets and rings on some of them, as well as inscriptions and images on crosses; second, their use as votives was borrowed by Christians from pagan cults associated with various Middle Eastern deities, however, in a Christian context, they meant not only a plea for help and protection, but also symbolized the victory of Christianity over paganism, which was especially important during fierce struggle between receding religions and Christianity; third, items were mounted either on special stands, to which they were fixed with nails or rods, or on a shaft; fourth, the area of such hands is most likely confined to the Middle East, where they were produced, although it is possible that some objects were taken by pilgrims to other regions; fifth, their existence does not go beyond the early Byzantine period, until the Arab conquest of the beginning of the 7th century AD; it is impossible to compile a staged chronology due to the complete lack of information about the circumstances of finding currently known items (the only exception is the hand from the Second Cypriot hoard).

DOI: 10.31857/S0869606323020083, EDN: RFNBHE