Okucie ze znakiem ruryka znalezione w Gieczu

The fortified town of Giecz, which was at the heart of the Piast patrimonium, was one of the most important centers of the early Piast state. New discoveries and interpretation of the finds have highlighted the special significance of the location for members of the first Polish ruling dynasty as their private residence and, according to some researchers, as the ancestral seat of the Piasts. The author presents one of the elements of a rich set of finds of Varangian-Rus’ provenance found in the vicinity of the fortified town – a unique fitting of gilded bronze with a representation of the Rurikids trident, the sacred emblem of the Varangian-Rus’ dynasty. The paper addresses the issue of who had the privilege of using the variant of the symbol appearing on the fitting from Giecz. The author indicates a stylistic affinity between the Giecz trident and the emblem of Yaroslav I the Wise (Grand Prince of Kiev in 1015–1054) and considers the possibility of the presence in Giecz of persons close to the Kievan court of Yaroslav.