Wooden toys — imitations of armament from excavations of mediaeval Novgorod (materials from the Troitsky Excavation)

This paper presents a review of the finds of children’s wooden toys imitating battle armament from the properties uncovered at the Troitsky Excavation in Veliky Novgorod. Totally, 203 items have been found including: wooden swords (160), bows (21), spears (14), knives (3), axes (3), a mace (1) and a bec de corbin (1). The chronological range of the study is the mid-10th — late 14th century. The majority of the collection is composed by sword hilts (160 items). Among this category, three main types have been distinguished according to the shape of the pommel corresponding to real battle swords. The topography of the finds throughout the properties was examined revealing separate accumulations characteristic primarily of the 10th — first half of the 11th century.