Alexey Furasyev

On the basis of analysis of the morphological and structural characteristics of the two-plate fi bulae that are found in the Crimea the author details the current general typological scheme for the items (fi g. 6): variant 1A – fi bulae with medium-sized plates, whole; variant 1B – large fi bulae with plates, composite; variant 2A – small fi bulae with protrusions at the head and rhombic foot; variant 2B – large fi bulae with protrusions at the head and frame on the reverse side; variant 3 – small fi bulae with triangular foot. The author regards as erroneous the hypothesis that these varieties of fi bulae followed a unifi ed line of evolution from variant 1 to variant 3. Fibulae of variants 1 and 2 existed synchronously, and their origin is connected with two different prototypes from the Great Migration period. Three general tendencies in the evolution of Crimean two-plate fi bulae have been identifi ed for the fi rst time. All the three tendencies manifested themselves in the evolution of variant 1 and variant 2 items throughout the 6th – beginning of the 7th cc. The fi rst tendency is larger size, the more recent items are longer than the earlier ones. Second, the fi rst tendency brought about the appearance and gradual strengthening of the reinforcing frame on the reverse side of the fi bulae. Third, the quality of the metal became poorer, i.e. the silver content in the alloy went down from 97% which is the maximum content in the earlier fi bulae to 50% and less in the more recent versions.