ED-XRF analysis of silver and gold jewelry found in Medieval necropolis Crkvina, Donja Zgošća (Kakanj municipality), BiH

##plugins.themes.academic_pro.article.main##

Almir Olovčić
Aida Jotanović
Almira Kevilj-Olovčić
Amra Veispahić

Abstract

During archaeological campaigns in 2010, 2012 and 2015 at the Medieval necropolis Crkvina, in central Bosnia, beside skeletal remains, pieces of jewelry, ceramic, construction material, fabric and small artefacts from different periods were also found. The most important finding was a signet ring, with the lily motif, believing to belong to Bosnian king or some high class nobility from Medieval period. Beside the ring, other richly decorated silver and gold jewelry was also found. The goal of this study was, for the first time, to provide information about composition of the most interesting artefacts and also to enhance knowledge about Medieval jewelry industry in Bosnian Kingdom. Results showed that the majority of jewelry was made from silver, of highest quality, with gold being used for surface gilding. Higher than usual copper content in some of the rings (more than 3% in weight percentage) was possibly added intentionally, to enhance properties of the silver. One of the rings, without any decorations was proved to be brass made, with zinc content as high as almost 20%. Results of this study contribute to the better understanding of the otherwise previously scarce knowledge of jewelry tradition in Medieval Bosnian Kingdom.

##plugins.themes.academic_pro.article.details##

How to Cite
Olovčić, A., Jotanović, A., Kevilj-Olovčić, A., & Veispahić, A. (2022). ED-XRF analysis of silver and gold jewelry found in Medieval necropolis Crkvina, Donja Zgošća (Kakanj municipality), BiH. Godišnjak Centra Za balkanološka Ispitivanja, (50), 149–158. https://doi.org/10.5644/Godisnjak.CBI.ANUBiH-50.155

References

  1. Beck L. / Bosonnet S. / Reveillon S. / Eliot D. / Pilon F. 2004, Silver surface enrichment of silver-copper alloys: a limitation for the analysis of ancient silver coins by surface techniques, Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research B, 226, Amsterdam 2004, 153-162.
  2. Brown P. D. C. / Schweizer F. 1973, X-ray fluorescent analysis of Anglo-Saxon jewellery, Archaeometry, 15 (2), Oxford 1973, 175-192.
  3. Čremošnik I. 1949/1950, Iskopavanje Crkvine u Zgošći 1948. g, GZM NS, Sveska IV/5, Sarajevo 1949/1950, 411-416.
  4. Estrella V. P. 2014, The death of gold in early Visayan societies: Ethnohistoric accounts and archaeological evidences, UV Journal of Research, 8, Cebu 2014, 229-247.
  5. Fekeža-Martinović L. 2014, Pregled arheoloških istraživanja u 2010. i 2012. godini na lokalitetu Crkvina („Grčko groblje”) u Zgošći 19.07.-13.08. 2010 i 04.-30.10. 2012, Naše starine, XXIII, Sarajevo 2014, 27-66.
  6. Fodor I. 2014, Ancient death masks and the prehistory of Hungarians, HStud, 28, Budapest 2014, 119- 38.
  7. del Hoyo-Melendez J.M. / Świt P. / Matosz M. / Woźniak M. / Klisińska-Kopacz A. / Bratasz L. 2015, Micro-XRF analysis of silver coins from medieval Poland, Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research B, 349, Amsterdam 2015, 6-16.
  8. Ilieva P. / Penkova P. 2009, Funeral golden mask and hand with a ring. The necropolis of Trebeniste, ArcheoSciences, 33, Bordeaux 2009, 195-199.
  9. Kovačević D. 1961, Trgovina u srednjovjekovnoj Bosni, Naučno društvo BiH, Djela, Knjiga XVIII, Odjeljenje istorijsko – filoloških nauka, Knjiga 13, Sarajevo 1961.
  10. Magnavita S. / Mertz-Kraus R. 2019. XRF and LA-ICP--MS studies of gold and silver artefacts from a 12–13th century CE tumulus in Senegal: Implications for the medieval African gold trade, Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports, 23, Amsterdam 2019, 416-425.
  11. Marchand G. / Guilminot E. / Lemoine S. / Rossetti L. / Vieau M. / Stephent N. 2014, Degradation of archaeological horn silver artefacts in burials, Heritage Science, 2, Berlin/Heidelberg 2014, 1-7.
  12. Miśta-Jakubowska E. / Czech Błońska R. / Duczko W. / Gojska A.M. / Kalbarczyk P. / Żabiński G. / Trela K. 2019, Archaeometric studies on early medieval silver jewellery from Central and Eastern Europe, Archaeological and Anthropological Sciences, 11, Berlin/Heidelberg 2019, 6705-6723.
  13. Mozgai V. / Bajnoczi B. / May Z. / Mrav Z. 2021, Nondestructive handheld XRF study of archaeological composite silver objects—the case study of the late Roman Seuso Treasure, Archaeological and Anthropological Sciences, 13:83, 2021, Berlin/ Heidelberg 1-20.
  14. Pollard A.M. / Bray P. / Gosden C. / Wilson A. / Hamerow H. 2015, Characterising copper-based metals in Britain in the first millennium AD: a preliminary quantification of metal flow and recycling, Antiquity, 89, Cambridge 2015, 697-713.
  15. Sandor Zs. / Gresits I. / Juhasz M. K. 2003, X-ray fluorescence analysis of medieval gold coins and jewellery, Journal of Radioanalytical and Nuclear Chemistry, 256 (2), Dordrecht 2003, 283-288.
  16. Sergejevski D. 1948, Nove akvizicije odjeljenja klasične arheologije Zemaljskog muzeja, GZM NS, Tom III, Sarajevo 1948, 167-188.
  17. Shimada, I. / Griffin, J-A. / Gordus A. 2000, The Technology, Iconography and Social Significance of Metals: a Multi-Dimensional Analysis of Middle Sican Objects, In: McEwan C. (ed.), Pre-Columbian Gold. Technology, Style and Iconography, London 2000, 28-61.
  18. Stratimirović Đ. 1891, Srednjevjekovno groblje kod Zgošće, GZM Knjiga II, Godina III, Sarajevo 1891, 122-141.
  19. Škegro A. 1998, Eksploatacija srebra na području rimskih provincija Dalmacije i Panonije, Opuscula Archaeologica, 22, Zagreb 1998, 89-117.
  20. Taylour, J. H. 1994, Masks in Ancient Egypt: The Image of Divinity, In: Mack J. (ed.), Masks. The Art of Expression, London 1994, 168-189. 158
  21. Whittaker H. 2000, Religious symbolism and the use of gold in burial contexts in the Late Middle Helladic and Early Mycenaean periods, Studi Micenei and Egeo-Anatolici, 48, Roma 2000, 283-289.
  22. Wołoszyn M. / Špehar P. / Garbacz-Klempka A. 2019, Late Medieval Ornaments from Ras – Trgovište (Serbia) in the Light of Physico – Chemical Analyses, In: Turlej S. / Stachura M. / Kołoczek B.J. / Izdebski A. (eds.), Byzantina et Slavica, Studies in Honour of Professor Maciej Salamon, Krakow 2019, 450-462.

Similar Articles

<< < 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 > >> 

You may also start an advanced similarity search for this article.