Technical study of Early Medieval gombiky (spherical hollow buttons) from Mikulčice, Great Moravia and Lumbe's Garden cemetery, Prague Castle

0522719 - ARÚ 2020 RIV CA eng A - Abstract
Ottenwelter, Estelle - Krupičková, Šárka - Barčáková, Ludmila - Poláček, Lumír - Robbiola, L. - Frolík, Jan
Technical study of Early Medieval gombiky (spherical hollow buttons) from Mikulčice, Great Moravia and Lumbe's Garden cemetery, Prague Castle.
Archéométrie Montréal 2019. L'archéométrie dans tous ses états : Perspectives interdisciplinaires sur une discipline en constante évolution. XXIIe colloque du GMPCA 9 au 12 mai, 2019, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Québec, Canada. Programme final. Montréal: GMPCA, 2019. s. 64. ISBN N.
[Archéométrie Montréal 2019. Colloque du GMPCA /22./. 09.05.2019-12.05.2019, Montréal]
R&D Projects: GA ČR GA17-01878S; GA ČR GAP405/12/2195
Institutional support: RVO:67985912
Keywords : Early Middle Ages * jewellery * archaeometry * Mikulčice * Prague Castle
OECD category: Archaeology; Archaeology (ARUB-Q)
https://anthropo.umontreal.ca/public/FAS/anthropologie/Documents/5-Departement/GMPCA_2019/Programme_final_GMPCA_full.pdf

Mikulčice and Prague Castle are two major political, ecclesiastical and economical centres in the Early Medieval Period located on the territory of present day Czech Republic. Mikulčice was probably the seat of the Moravian ruler and the capital of Great Moravia, the first Slavic pre-state while Prague Castle became the main seat of the Bohemian rulers at the turn of the tenth century after the fall of the Moravian Empire. A high concentration of prestigious grave goods belonging to the Moravian and Bohemian ruling elite was discovered in both localities. Among them, are gombiky (spherical hollow buttons), used as prestigious clothing fasteners or pendants, as well as luxurious amulet usually found in pairs. This type of jewels appears in Moravia in the ninth century and became a symbol of the ruling elite in Bohemia too. At the fall of the Moravian Empire, we find new types of gombiky in Bohemia which could suggest a local production. In order to trace production of specific workshops, a technological study was performed to characterize metal composition, construction, and manufacturing processes of these type of jewels. Thirty specimens from Mikulčice and twenty specimens from Prague Castle were investigated by observation under optical stereomicroscope (Olympus SZ60), X-ray radiography, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), supplemented by electron microanalysis (EDS). Replicas of each main type of gombiky were manufactured by a professional goldsmith. Results have evidenced the use of almost pure gold, silver alloys, gilded copper, different type of soldering techniques, gilding by fire-gilding, specific tool marks and high skills in chasing, filigree and granulation work. They also evidenced similarities and differences in technology which points to different influences and transfer of knowledge. The importance of past restoration treatment on the objects and their impact on surface analysis will be also stressed upon.
Permanent Link: http://hdl.handle.net/11104/0307169