Archaeologists have discovered a bronze figurine of a mysterious beast near the Gorky embankment on the territory of an ancient Smolensk jewelry workshop.
The adornment resembling either a donkey or a lynx is referred to as "pendants of the Smolensk type". For several decades, archaeologists have failed to identify this beast. The riddle has recently been solved in Latvia. This leucroth is mentioned in bestiaries - medieval collections of zoological articles. Half a century ago, it was established that such levkrot were made in Smolensk, and now archaeologists have managed to find them at the place of production.
Together with a spoon, figures of these mythical creatures were worn on the belt. It was believed that they protected the owner from wild animals.
Nikolai Krenke, Head of the Smolensk Expedition of the Institute of Archeology of the Russian Academy of Sciences:
“This leukrota is an animal that was mentioned by ancient writers. Such a beast that lived in India spoke with a human voice - a woman's voice. A rather evil creature that lured people somewhere. His mouth was very strangely arranged: he had no teeth, and instead of all the teeth there were two bones."
