Finding of an Olbian “as” in Ostrohladovich, Belarus

A cast bronze coin belonging to the 2nd series of the Olbian “asses,” dated to the second half of the 5th century BC, is included in the collections of the Jagiellonian University Museum. The coin was probably added to the university collection in 1871, as a gift of Baron Edward Rastawiecki (1805–1874) for the archaeological unit. According to the donor, the “as” was found during the excavation of a barrow in the village of Ostrohladovich in Minsk province – currently Astrahlady/Astrahliady/Ostrogliade (Belarusian Астрагля́ды, Russian Острогляды) in Belarus in the Gomel region, in the Brahin district. In the first millennium BC this area was occupied by the Miłograd culture. Finds of coins produced in Olbia, in particular the Olbian “asses,” have not been recorded outside the Black Sea region until recently. In recent years, however, finds of early Olbian coins (known as “dolphins” and “asses”) have been recorded in the forest-steppe zone. These new discoveries give credence to the finding of the “as” from Ostrohladovich. The coin arrived in the area of the Miłograd culture probably via the Scythians.

A cast bronze coin belonging to the 2nd series of the Olbian “asses,” dated to the second half of the 5th century BC, is included in the collections of the Jagiellonian University Museum. The coin was probably added to the university collection in 1871, as a gift of Baron Edward Rastawiecki (1805–1874) for the archaeological unit. According to the donor, the “as” was found during the excavation of a barrow in the village of Ostrohladovich in Minsk province – currently Astrahlady/Astrahliady/Ostrogliade (Belarusian Астрагля́ды, Russian Острогляды) in Belarus in the Gomel region, in the Brahin district. In the first millennium BC this area was occupied by the Miłograd culture. Finds of coins produced in Olbia, in particular the Olbian “asses,” have not been recorded outside the Black Sea region until recently. In recent years, however, finds of early Olbian coins (known as “dolphins” and “asses”) have been recorded in the forest-steppe zone. These new discoveries give credence to the finding of the “as” from Ostrohladovich. The coin arrived in the area of the Miłograd culture probably via the Scythians.