Seal of the Galician prince from Chernihiv Polissia

In April 2017 Dr.. to the employees of the Chernihiv Historical Museum named after. VV. Tarnovsky got a lead seal from the Horodnya Historical and Local History Museum (inv. No. KN 958). The shape of the sfragis is round, with a loss in the lower part, size approx 20 х 21 мм. On the front side, John the Baptist is depicted in full height, with a cross in his left hand, on the back of St. Basil of Caesarea in full height, on both sides of 2 columns of letters O VASI/LEIOS. The image of the saints is surrounded by a dotted rim, diameter 19 мм. Traces of the channel for the cord are clearly visible, which crosses the plane of the seal.

According to experts, this is a type of seal of Galician prince Ivan Vasylkovich, the son of Vasylko Rostyslavych, prince of Terebovlyansky. After the death of his father (1124) his brother Rostislav inherited Terebovl, and Ivan - Halych. Wife Hanna Vsevolodavna. Died 1141 р., buried in Halych. In the monograph V. Yanina is close to her seal no 227.1, which was found in the Ternopil region, and dated 1140–1141.[1] Yanin's interpretation of some details of the image of John the Baptist raises doubts.

In our opinion, the saint holds a spear in his right hand, and in the left - a sword in a wide decorated scabbard with the blade down, to the left of him is an image. Another possible option is not a sword, but the cross is on the throne. Of course, the question arises whether this is an image of John the Baptist? The history of the appearance of the seal in the museum is unknown - whether it was found in Horodny, or surrounding villages, or elsewhere. If we accept the first two options, then a logical question arises, what was the Galician prince doing so far from his native home? There is only one explanation. A similar sample of artillery is stored in the collection of the Dnepropetrovsk Historical Museum. D.I. Yavornytsky, that 1140 Dr.. he helped his father-in-law, Prince Vsevolod of Kyiv, defend the princely throne. Therefore, it is quite possible that Prince Ivan and his wife ended up on the territory of the Chernihiv principality. It is also worth reminding, that Vsevolod II Olhovich Grand Duke of Kyiv (1139–1146), with 1115 Dr.. to 1127 Dr.. reigned in Novgorod-Siverskyi, а від 1127 Dr.. to 1139 Dr.. - in Chernihiv. Maybe, that it was at this time that the first contacts of future relatives and Prince Ivan's visits to Chernihiv Oblast took place.

Старший науковий співробітник музею,

кандидат історичних наук Ігор Ситий

[1] Yanin VL. Actual seals of Ancient Rus' X–XII centuries. Moscow, 1970. T.1. С. 211, 311.