Edited Books by Alexandra Hilgner
Studien zu Spätantike und Frühmittelalter 10, 2023
Welche Zeichen sendet die materielle Kultur der Frühgeschichte aus?
Der zehnte Band aus der Reih... more Welche Zeichen sendet die materielle Kultur der Frühgeschichte aus?
Der zehnte Band aus der Reihe „Studien zu Spätantike und Frühmittelalter“ widmet sich der Vermittlung von Botschaften über materielle Kultur und weitere Quellengattungen. Im Mittelpunkt stehen einerseits Fragen nach archäologisch, ikonographisch oder schriftlich greifbaren Manifestationen von Macht und Herrschaft, andererseits auch nach weiteren Kommunikationsformen, -wegen und -räumen sowie den Mechanismen des Austauschs.
In vierzehn interdisziplinären Beiträgen spannt sich der Bogen dabei von der Kommunikation und Machtdarstellung über Schrift(-quellen) und schriftliche Zeichen zu raumanalytischen Studien bzw. zu den Themen Macht und Kommunikation im Raum. Die Vermittlung von Macht- und anderen Inhalten über die materielle Kultur – Architektur, Artefakte und bildliche Darstellungen – wird ebenfalls betrachtet. Die Autorinnen und Autoren entstammen dabei verschiedensten Disziplinen, wie der Archäologie, den Geschichtswissenschaften oder Philologien.
Die Beiträge resultieren aus der 11. und 12. Sitzung der Arbeitsgemeinschaft Spätantike und Frühmittelalter. Die erste Sitzung „MachtZeichen. Herrschaftsausübung und Darstellung von Herrschaft in Spätantike und Frühmittelalter im Spiegel der Archäologie“ fand 2016 in Münster statt, die zweite, „Über alle Kanäle. Aspekte von Kommunikation in Spätantike und Frühmittelalter“ 2017 in Mainz.
beZAUBERnde ORTE - Naturbegegnungen in vormodernen Kulturen. Begleitkatalog zur Ausstellung, 2022
Researchers from different fields like archaeology, history, philology and natural sciences prese... more Researchers from different fields like archaeology, history, philology and natural sciences present their studies on ancient gemstones. Using precious minerals as an example, trade flows and craftsmanship, but also utilisation and perception are discussed in a cross-cultural and diachronic approach. The present volume aims at three main questions concerning gemstones in archaeological and historical contexts: »Mines and Trade«, »Gemstone Working« as well as »The Value and the Symbolic Meaning(s) of Gemstones«.
This volume contains the proceedings of the conference »Gemstones in the first Millennium AD« held in autumn 2015 in Mainz, Germany, within the scope of the BMBF-funded project »Weltweites Zellwerk – International Framework«.
The Tang Dynasty (AD 618–907), China’s Golden Age, was a flourishing period teeming with fascinat... more The Tang Dynasty (AD 618–907), China’s Golden Age, was a flourishing period teeming with fascinating cultural phenomena. At the centre of this cosmopolitan empire lay the capital city of Chang’an – one of the largest metropolises of its time and now hidden below present-day Xi’an.
Aristocrats as protagonists of courtly life shaped the character of the city, their luxurious everyday life equally reflected in lavishly furnished tombs. Nowadays, most of these tombs are found robbed. Evidence of the former splendour of these subterranean chambers only survives in the form of marvellous wall paintings and clay figurines disregarded by the grave robbers.
The undisturbed tomb of Li Chui who had died in AD 736, a descendant of emperor Gaozu, was excavated in Xi’an in 2001. It took a German-Chinese team six years to restore the intricate grave furnishings. For the first time, it was possible to reconstruct the opulent jewellery assemblage of a Tang period noblewoman. In conjunction with the results of scientific analyses by a team of specialists from various disciplines it was possible to obtain new insights into Tang period burial culture. This is the first time that these results are presented to a wider English-speaking public. Richly-illustrated appendices throughout the text provide further insights into Tang period everyday life.
Die Tang-Dynastie (618-907) – auch das goldene Zeitalter Chinas genannt – war eine blühende Epoch... more Die Tang-Dynastie (618-907) – auch das goldene Zeitalter Chinas genannt – war eine blühende Epoche voller faszinierender Kulturphänomene. Das Zentrum des kosmopolitisch ausgerichteten Kaiserreichs bildete die vom heutigen Xi’an überlagerte Millionenstadt Chang’an – eine der größten Metropolen ihrer Zeit. Als Protagonisten des höfischen Lebens prägten Adelige das Stadtbild, deren luxuriöser Lebensstil sich auch in den pompös ausgestatteten Grabanlagen widerspiegelt. Diese findet man heute meist beraubt vor. Nur die herrlichen Wandmalereien und die zahlreichen, von den Grabräubern unbeachteten Tonfiguren konnten bisher eine vage Vorstellung vom ursprünglichen Umfang der Grabbeigaben und der ehemaligen Pracht der unterirdischen Kammern vermitteln. Im Jahr 2001 wurde in Xi’an das unversehrte Grab der 736 verstorbenen Li Chui ausgegraben, einer Urenkelin des Kaisers Gaozu. Sechs Jahre dauerte die Restaurierung des umfangreichen Grabinventars durch ein deutsch-chinesisches Team. Erstmalig gelang es, das opulente Schmuckensemble einer Tang-zeitlichen Dame zu rekonstruieren. Mit den Ergebnissen der wissenschaftlichen Auswertung durch ein Team von Spezialisten unterschiedlicher Disziplinen bieten sich neue Erkenntnisse zur damaligen Bestattungskultur. Diese werden hier erstmals einem breiten Publikum vorgestellt. Reich bebilderte Exkurse zu Themen wie z.B. Weinkultur, Daoismus oder Alchemie gewähren darüber hinaus einen Einblick in den Tang-zeitlichen Alltag.
The current state of research on glass along the Silk Road was the subject of an international co... more The current state of research on glass along the Silk Road was the subject of an international conference within the scope of the »Sino-German Project on Cultural Heritage Preservation« of the RGZM and the Shaanxi Provincial Institute of Archaeology, hosted in December 2008 in Mainz.
Since Antiquity the routes of the so-called Silk Road formed an important network for commercial, cultural and technological exchange. Far-reaching and criss-crossing the Asian continent they connected eastern and south-eastern parts of Asia to the Mediterranean world via both maritime and overland routes. Named after the lucrative silk trade, which developed during Han Dynasty, one tends to think of the Silk Road as a one-way road starting in China and ending at the Mediterranean. However, goods, technologies and ideas were travelling in both directions, and glass is an excellent example for a trade-good that arrived in the East from the West. The key developments of glass, which had its origins in the Middle and Near East, mainly took place in the Mediterranean and in the Arab World during Antiquity and Islamic times. Although known in the Far East since at least the Han Dynasty and treated as equivalent to precious stones, glass never played a significant role in Far Eastern cultures. Therefore glass finds from Far Eastern sites provide evidence for far-reaching trade relationships and imply cross-fertilization with other cultures.
Thus the contributions to this conference dealt with a geographical area between Western Europe, the Balkans, the Near East, Central Asia, as well as Eastern and Southeastern Asia and covered a chronological range from 200 BC to AD 1000. The conference focused on the one hand on recent results of scientific analyses of glass and on the other hand on archaeological questions. The possibility of interdisciplinary research was one of the focal points of the conference and hence this volume, as well as questions on workshops, raw material, technology and trade.
The international conference was considered to provide the participants with an insight beyond their own immediate concerns. By means of presenting studies of regionally specific glass forms and techniques as well as current methods and discoveries, even when not directly connected to the Silk Road, a broader perspective is offered.
Papers by Alexandra Hilgner
From the Depth of Time. A Tale about a Fish, 2021
Ryba-ale jaka? Niestety, ryba z Czarnówka jest niezbyt charakterystyczna, a to z uwagi na brak ro... more Ryba-ale jaka? Niestety, ryba z Czarnówka jest niezbyt charakterystyczna, a to z uwagi na brak rozpoznawalnych płetw grzbietowych, piersiowych, brzusznych i odbytowych. Jej płetwa grzbietowa przypomina nieco jesiotry, które jednak mają zupełnie inną płetwę ogonową, przede wszystkim zaś zupełnie inną głowę. Myślę, że nie wyobraża ona żadnej konkretnej rodziny ani gatunku ryb, ale po prostu-"rybę". Dr Henriette Baron, Römisch-Germanisches Zentralmuseum, Mainz Czas zaklęty w kolorach-ale to tylko iluzja, która zniknęła pod ręką konserwatora...
Early medieval waterscapes Risks and opportunities for (im)material cultural exchange, 2019
Recent excavations of Anglo-Saxon cemeteries have added new finds to the small corpus of elaborat... more Recent excavations of Anglo-Saxon cemeteries have added new finds to the small corpus of elaborate linked-pin suites, dated to the 7th century. These objects were used to close a veil or shawl in the collar area and are found in female 7th-century high status burials in England. Although this jewellery type sometimes also appears in sets comprising simple copper-alloy pins, linked with a single loop-in-loop chain, the elaborate pieces are made of precious metal with garnet decorated pins. Some of the latter have chains merging into animal-head terminals. New analyses and close links to a German example from Isenbüttel show far-reaching relations between early medieval elites and allow the find-group to be set in its wider social and historical context. In this paper a possible Christian connection of the jewellery type “linked-pin suite” will be discussed as a hypothesis.
ÜBER DEN GLANZ DES GOLDES UND DIE POLYCHROMIE Technische Vielfalt und kulturelle Bedeutung vor- und frühgeschichtlicher Metallarbeiten, 2018
Summary:
Objects decorated with garnet reached peak popularity in Europe during the Early Middle... more Summary:
Objects decorated with garnet reached peak popularity in Europe during the Early Middle Ages. Between the fifth and the seventh centuries, the style developed from single-inlaid garnets through several forms of cloisonné, before returning to single inlays. At its peak, garnet cloisonné became a universal fashion trend in most of Europe, blurring the boundaries of the present day as well as past. This paper discusses the different forms of cloisonné and provides a brief general outline of the development of garnet jewellery in Europe.
The Antiquaries Journal, Aug 22, 2016
The ‘Isenbüttel gold necklace’, now in the Lower Saxony State Museum in Hanover, was found almost... more The ‘Isenbüttel gold necklace’, now in the Lower Saxony State Museum in Hanover, was found almost a century ago in Lower Saxony, an area with no history of early medieval gold finds or richly furnished burials. As no parallels are known for the object, scholars have long debated the dating, provenance and function of this unique loop-in-loop chain, with its animal-head terminals and garnet cloisonné. Recent excavations of Anglo-Saxon cemeteries dating to the seventh century have, however, added new finds to the small corpus of objects known as ‘pin suites’, consisting of comparatively short pins perhaps designed to fix a veil or a light shawl in the collar area, with ornate pinheads, linked by chains. This paper focuses on Anglo-Saxon pin suites from high-status burials of the second half of the seventh century and seeks to set the finds group in its wider social and historical context, revealing the ar-reaching relationships that existed between early medieval elites.
Small finds e cronologia (V-IX secc.) - esempi, metodi e risultati, 2017
Small findS e cronologia (V-iX secc.) esempi, metodi e risultati a cura di Joan Pinar gil
Archäologisches Korrespondenzblatt, 2016
Zusammenfassung:
Lange Zeit haben Wissenschaftler über die Funktion und Datierung der Goldkette v... more Zusammenfassung:
Lange Zeit haben Wissenschaftler über die Funktion und Datierung der Goldkette von Isenbüttel, einem Altfund aus der Sammlung des Niedersächsischen Landesmuseums debattiert. Bislang waren keine Parallelen zu dieser Fuchsschwanzkette mit Tierkopfenden und Granatcloisonné bekannt. Ausgrabungen von angelsächsischen Friedhöfen der letzten Jahre haben einige Neufunde an Nadelpaaren mit Verbindungskette hervorgebracht, einem Objekttyp welcher vor allem in der zweiten Hälfte des 7. Jahrhunderts in England populär war. Diese Nadelpaare mit Verbindungskette stellen die besten Parallelen zur Goldkette von Isenbüttel dar und demonstrieren weitreichende Verbindungen innerhalb der frühmittelalterlichen Eliten.
Tempo e preziosi. Tecniche di datazione per l’oreficeria tardoantica e medievale. Ornamenta 6, 2017
Abstract: This paper examines how scientific analyses, as well as technological aspects, can help... more Abstract: This paper examines how scientific analyses, as well as technological aspects, can help to work on the chronology of garnet jewellery and gives a brief general outline of the development of garnet jewellery in Europe. The focus lies on the garnet cloisonné style, which reached its peak of popularity in early medieval Europe, between the 5th and the 7th centuries.
Archäologisches Korrespondenzblatt , 2015
A belt buckle from Burwell was analysed within the scope of the project »International Framework«... more A belt buckle from Burwell was analysed within the scope of the project »International Framework«. Additional to the
garnet analyses (to be published) the iconography of one zoomorphic element which decorates the buckle shall be
discussed here. It is a double-headed animal with the body of a snake and birds‘ heads. Although this motif was popular
in the Early Middle Ages the origin of its predecessors goes back to antiquity. A contemporary comparison is interesting
as it links the buckle from Burwell with the iconography of Vendel period Sweden. The stylistic comparison
suggests that the motif of the Burwell buckle is an abridged motif, a cypher. It belongs to a pictorial cypher which is
documented numerously in the north-western parts of 7th century Europe.
(in German)
Archäologie in Deutschland, 3, 2014, 14-19.
Utere felix vivas. Festschrift für Jürgen Oldenstein. Universitätsforschungen zur prähistorischen Archäologie, 208., 2012
"
Im frühen Mittelalter treten häufig granatverzierte Objekte mit Einlagen aus einem weißen bis ... more "
Im frühen Mittelalter treten häufig granatverzierte Objekte mit Einlagen aus einem weißen bis grünbläulich verfärbten Material auf, dem bisher in der Forschung relativ wenig Aufmerksamkeit geschenkt worden ist. Im vorliegenden Beitrag wird der aktuelle Wissensstand zusammengefasst und anhand einiger untersuchten Objekte erörtert, welche naturwissenschaftlichen Methoden zur Bestimmung dieser Einlagen geeignet scheinen. Neben einer kurzen Erläuterung der verschiedenen analytischen Methoden werden in diesem Beitrag auch die wichtigsten mineralischen Komponenten vorgestellt, die als Einlagenmaterial Verwendung finden können.
Abstract:
Archaeometric analyses of white inlays in early medieval garnet jewellery.
Garnet decorated objects in the early Middle Ages often have also inlays made from a white or whitish material, which is not well analyzed, yet. Using the example of several currently analyzed objects it is discussed which method seems most suitable. Different analytical methods are presented as well as the current state of knowledge and the most common mineral elements used as inlay material.
"
Mainzer Zeitschrift 105, 2010, 41-86., 2010
"The high-status burial from Planig. An old finding revised." -
Since its excavation in 1939, t... more "The high-status burial from Planig. An old finding revised." -
Since its excavation in 1939, the early medieval and remarkably rich warrior grave from Planig (Rhine-Hessen, Germany) led to controversial debates – particularly on its absolute chronology. Even now an absolute dating can only be approached: the comparison of Planig to other burials points to the end of the 1st quarter of the 6th century. The research shows parallels not only to burials within the gold hilt spatha horizon but also to those with ring swords. Together with burials from Chaouilley and Krefeld-Gellep the burial from Planig represents a kind of transition horizon. Among the rich burial finds especially the garnet cloisonné attached to the purse mount and the spatha attracts attention. XRF-analyses proved their provenance from the Indian region and have outstanding parallels to recent analyses of Merovingian garnet decoration. Both the ostentatious grave furnishings as well as the burial’s location along a Roman road and near the castellum in Kreuznach emphasise the deceased’s status as belonging to the local elite. Their graves are often located nearby forts or other strategically or economical important places: e.g. the burial from Planig nearby the late Roman fort in Bad Kreuznach, the burials from Flonheim and Eich nearby the fort in Alzey and those from Bretzenheim and Wiesbaden-Biebrich near Mainz-Kastel. All those burials are situated along a Roman road and a nearby fort. The rich burials of early Merovingian age along the Roman Empire’s border at the rivers Rhine and Danube are often located within a late antique fort’s periphery and those in Rhine-Hessia add a Roman road to their preferred location.
Some of the grave goods from Planig are exceptional unique specimen, maybe custom-made items: e.g. the elaborate decorated spatha whose best parallels are from other Rhine-Hessian burials. Both the ango and the franziska are more regional, typical for the Frankish territory. The sax’s filigree as well as the solid gold buckle (“Schilddornschnalle”) are both elements of “newest fashion” and connect Planig to younger burials with ring swords. The solidus was identified as an imitation coin. The chainmail and the riveted plate helmet are both traditional armoury of Byzantine officers.
Some of the objects, e.g. the solidus, maybe came to Rhine-Hessen via trade; while other ones, e.g. the helmet, are individual-related status symbols, which present the elite’s high mobility.
Whether this burial is a so called founder’s grave and where the related settlement is situated remains unknown. Further research to answer those questions and gather more information about Rhine-Hessen’s history would be desirable.
Encyclopaedia Entries by Alexandra Hilgner
Oxford Dictionary of Late Antiquity, 2018
cameo [p. 285]; cloisonné [p. 361]; champlevé [p. 316]; enamel [p. 537]; jet [p. 813]; jewellery,... more cameo [p. 285]; cloisonné [p. 361]; champlevé [p. 316]; enamel [p. 537]; jet [p. 813]; jewellery, barbarian [p. 814]; stones, precious [p. 1418-1419]; Untersiebenbrunn [p. 1541]
exhibition catalogue entries by Alexandra Hilgner
Byzanz und der Westen. 1000 vergessene Jahre., 2018
Uploads
Edited Books by Alexandra Hilgner
Der zehnte Band aus der Reihe „Studien zu Spätantike und Frühmittelalter“ widmet sich der Vermittlung von Botschaften über materielle Kultur und weitere Quellengattungen. Im Mittelpunkt stehen einerseits Fragen nach archäologisch, ikonographisch oder schriftlich greifbaren Manifestationen von Macht und Herrschaft, andererseits auch nach weiteren Kommunikationsformen, -wegen und -räumen sowie den Mechanismen des Austauschs.
In vierzehn interdisziplinären Beiträgen spannt sich der Bogen dabei von der Kommunikation und Machtdarstellung über Schrift(-quellen) und schriftliche Zeichen zu raumanalytischen Studien bzw. zu den Themen Macht und Kommunikation im Raum. Die Vermittlung von Macht- und anderen Inhalten über die materielle Kultur – Architektur, Artefakte und bildliche Darstellungen – wird ebenfalls betrachtet. Die Autorinnen und Autoren entstammen dabei verschiedensten Disziplinen, wie der Archäologie, den Geschichtswissenschaften oder Philologien.
Die Beiträge resultieren aus der 11. und 12. Sitzung der Arbeitsgemeinschaft Spätantike und Frühmittelalter. Die erste Sitzung „MachtZeichen. Herrschaftsausübung und Darstellung von Herrschaft in Spätantike und Frühmittelalter im Spiegel der Archäologie“ fand 2016 in Münster statt, die zweite, „Über alle Kanäle. Aspekte von Kommunikation in Spätantike und Frühmittelalter“ 2017 in Mainz.
PDF im Open Access: https://openscience.ub.uni-mainz.de/handle/20.500.12030/8520
Weitere Infos zur Ausstellung unter:
https://www.grk-konzepte-mensch-natur.uni-mainz.de/bezaubernde-orte/
This volume contains the proceedings of the conference »Gemstones in the first Millennium AD« held in autumn 2015 in Mainz, Germany, within the scope of the BMBF-funded project »Weltweites Zellwerk – International Framework«.
Aristocrats as protagonists of courtly life shaped the character of the city, their luxurious everyday life equally reflected in lavishly furnished tombs. Nowadays, most of these tombs are found robbed. Evidence of the former splendour of these subterranean chambers only survives in the form of marvellous wall paintings and clay figurines disregarded by the grave robbers.
The undisturbed tomb of Li Chui who had died in AD 736, a descendant of emperor Gaozu, was excavated in Xi’an in 2001. It took a German-Chinese team six years to restore the intricate grave furnishings. For the first time, it was possible to reconstruct the opulent jewellery assemblage of a Tang period noblewoman. In conjunction with the results of scientific analyses by a team of specialists from various disciplines it was possible to obtain new insights into Tang period burial culture. This is the first time that these results are presented to a wider English-speaking public. Richly-illustrated appendices throughout the text provide further insights into Tang period everyday life.
Since Antiquity the routes of the so-called Silk Road formed an important network for commercial, cultural and technological exchange. Far-reaching and criss-crossing the Asian continent they connected eastern and south-eastern parts of Asia to the Mediterranean world via both maritime and overland routes. Named after the lucrative silk trade, which developed during Han Dynasty, one tends to think of the Silk Road as a one-way road starting in China and ending at the Mediterranean. However, goods, technologies and ideas were travelling in both directions, and glass is an excellent example for a trade-good that arrived in the East from the West. The key developments of glass, which had its origins in the Middle and Near East, mainly took place in the Mediterranean and in the Arab World during Antiquity and Islamic times. Although known in the Far East since at least the Han Dynasty and treated as equivalent to precious stones, glass never played a significant role in Far Eastern cultures. Therefore glass finds from Far Eastern sites provide evidence for far-reaching trade relationships and imply cross-fertilization with other cultures.
Thus the contributions to this conference dealt with a geographical area between Western Europe, the Balkans, the Near East, Central Asia, as well as Eastern and Southeastern Asia and covered a chronological range from 200 BC to AD 1000. The conference focused on the one hand on recent results of scientific analyses of glass and on the other hand on archaeological questions. The possibility of interdisciplinary research was one of the focal points of the conference and hence this volume, as well as questions on workshops, raw material, technology and trade.
The international conference was considered to provide the participants with an insight beyond their own immediate concerns. By means of presenting studies of regionally specific glass forms and techniques as well as current methods and discoveries, even when not directly connected to the Silk Road, a broader perspective is offered.
Papers by Alexandra Hilgner
Objects decorated with garnet reached peak popularity in Europe during the Early Middle Ages. Between the fifth and the seventh centuries, the style developed from single-inlaid garnets through several forms of cloisonné, before returning to single inlays. At its peak, garnet cloisonné became a universal fashion trend in most of Europe, blurring the boundaries of the present day as well as past. This paper discusses the different forms of cloisonné and provides a brief general outline of the development of garnet jewellery in Europe.
Lange Zeit haben Wissenschaftler über die Funktion und Datierung der Goldkette von Isenbüttel, einem Altfund aus der Sammlung des Niedersächsischen Landesmuseums debattiert. Bislang waren keine Parallelen zu dieser Fuchsschwanzkette mit Tierkopfenden und Granatcloisonné bekannt. Ausgrabungen von angelsächsischen Friedhöfen der letzten Jahre haben einige Neufunde an Nadelpaaren mit Verbindungskette hervorgebracht, einem Objekttyp welcher vor allem in der zweiten Hälfte des 7. Jahrhunderts in England populär war. Diese Nadelpaare mit Verbindungskette stellen die besten Parallelen zur Goldkette von Isenbüttel dar und demonstrieren weitreichende Verbindungen innerhalb der frühmittelalterlichen Eliten.
garnet analyses (to be published) the iconography of one zoomorphic element which decorates the buckle shall be
discussed here. It is a double-headed animal with the body of a snake and birds‘ heads. Although this motif was popular
in the Early Middle Ages the origin of its predecessors goes back to antiquity. A contemporary comparison is interesting
as it links the buckle from Burwell with the iconography of Vendel period Sweden. The stylistic comparison
suggests that the motif of the Burwell buckle is an abridged motif, a cypher. It belongs to a pictorial cypher which is
documented numerously in the north-western parts of 7th century Europe.
(in German)
Im frühen Mittelalter treten häufig granatverzierte Objekte mit Einlagen aus einem weißen bis grünbläulich verfärbten Material auf, dem bisher in der Forschung relativ wenig Aufmerksamkeit geschenkt worden ist. Im vorliegenden Beitrag wird der aktuelle Wissensstand zusammengefasst und anhand einiger untersuchten Objekte erörtert, welche naturwissenschaftlichen Methoden zur Bestimmung dieser Einlagen geeignet scheinen. Neben einer kurzen Erläuterung der verschiedenen analytischen Methoden werden in diesem Beitrag auch die wichtigsten mineralischen Komponenten vorgestellt, die als Einlagenmaterial Verwendung finden können.
Abstract:
Archaeometric analyses of white inlays in early medieval garnet jewellery.
Garnet decorated objects in the early Middle Ages often have also inlays made from a white or whitish material, which is not well analyzed, yet. Using the example of several currently analyzed objects it is discussed which method seems most suitable. Different analytical methods are presented as well as the current state of knowledge and the most common mineral elements used as inlay material.
"
Since its excavation in 1939, the early medieval and remarkably rich warrior grave from Planig (Rhine-Hessen, Germany) led to controversial debates – particularly on its absolute chronology. Even now an absolute dating can only be approached: the comparison of Planig to other burials points to the end of the 1st quarter of the 6th century. The research shows parallels not only to burials within the gold hilt spatha horizon but also to those with ring swords. Together with burials from Chaouilley and Krefeld-Gellep the burial from Planig represents a kind of transition horizon. Among the rich burial finds especially the garnet cloisonné attached to the purse mount and the spatha attracts attention. XRF-analyses proved their provenance from the Indian region and have outstanding parallels to recent analyses of Merovingian garnet decoration. Both the ostentatious grave furnishings as well as the burial’s location along a Roman road and near the castellum in Kreuznach emphasise the deceased’s status as belonging to the local elite. Their graves are often located nearby forts or other strategically or economical important places: e.g. the burial from Planig nearby the late Roman fort in Bad Kreuznach, the burials from Flonheim and Eich nearby the fort in Alzey and those from Bretzenheim and Wiesbaden-Biebrich near Mainz-Kastel. All those burials are situated along a Roman road and a nearby fort. The rich burials of early Merovingian age along the Roman Empire’s border at the rivers Rhine and Danube are often located within a late antique fort’s periphery and those in Rhine-Hessia add a Roman road to their preferred location.
Some of the grave goods from Planig are exceptional unique specimen, maybe custom-made items: e.g. the elaborate decorated spatha whose best parallels are from other Rhine-Hessian burials. Both the ango and the franziska are more regional, typical for the Frankish territory. The sax’s filigree as well as the solid gold buckle (“Schilddornschnalle”) are both elements of “newest fashion” and connect Planig to younger burials with ring swords. The solidus was identified as an imitation coin. The chainmail and the riveted plate helmet are both traditional armoury of Byzantine officers.
Some of the objects, e.g. the solidus, maybe came to Rhine-Hessen via trade; while other ones, e.g. the helmet, are individual-related status symbols, which present the elite’s high mobility.
Whether this burial is a so called founder’s grave and where the related settlement is situated remains unknown. Further research to answer those questions and gather more information about Rhine-Hessen’s history would be desirable.
Encyclopaedia Entries by Alexandra Hilgner
exhibition catalogue entries by Alexandra Hilgner
Der zehnte Band aus der Reihe „Studien zu Spätantike und Frühmittelalter“ widmet sich der Vermittlung von Botschaften über materielle Kultur und weitere Quellengattungen. Im Mittelpunkt stehen einerseits Fragen nach archäologisch, ikonographisch oder schriftlich greifbaren Manifestationen von Macht und Herrschaft, andererseits auch nach weiteren Kommunikationsformen, -wegen und -räumen sowie den Mechanismen des Austauschs.
In vierzehn interdisziplinären Beiträgen spannt sich der Bogen dabei von der Kommunikation und Machtdarstellung über Schrift(-quellen) und schriftliche Zeichen zu raumanalytischen Studien bzw. zu den Themen Macht und Kommunikation im Raum. Die Vermittlung von Macht- und anderen Inhalten über die materielle Kultur – Architektur, Artefakte und bildliche Darstellungen – wird ebenfalls betrachtet. Die Autorinnen und Autoren entstammen dabei verschiedensten Disziplinen, wie der Archäologie, den Geschichtswissenschaften oder Philologien.
Die Beiträge resultieren aus der 11. und 12. Sitzung der Arbeitsgemeinschaft Spätantike und Frühmittelalter. Die erste Sitzung „MachtZeichen. Herrschaftsausübung und Darstellung von Herrschaft in Spätantike und Frühmittelalter im Spiegel der Archäologie“ fand 2016 in Münster statt, die zweite, „Über alle Kanäle. Aspekte von Kommunikation in Spätantike und Frühmittelalter“ 2017 in Mainz.
PDF im Open Access: https://openscience.ub.uni-mainz.de/handle/20.500.12030/8520
Weitere Infos zur Ausstellung unter:
https://www.grk-konzepte-mensch-natur.uni-mainz.de/bezaubernde-orte/
This volume contains the proceedings of the conference »Gemstones in the first Millennium AD« held in autumn 2015 in Mainz, Germany, within the scope of the BMBF-funded project »Weltweites Zellwerk – International Framework«.
Aristocrats as protagonists of courtly life shaped the character of the city, their luxurious everyday life equally reflected in lavishly furnished tombs. Nowadays, most of these tombs are found robbed. Evidence of the former splendour of these subterranean chambers only survives in the form of marvellous wall paintings and clay figurines disregarded by the grave robbers.
The undisturbed tomb of Li Chui who had died in AD 736, a descendant of emperor Gaozu, was excavated in Xi’an in 2001. It took a German-Chinese team six years to restore the intricate grave furnishings. For the first time, it was possible to reconstruct the opulent jewellery assemblage of a Tang period noblewoman. In conjunction with the results of scientific analyses by a team of specialists from various disciplines it was possible to obtain new insights into Tang period burial culture. This is the first time that these results are presented to a wider English-speaking public. Richly-illustrated appendices throughout the text provide further insights into Tang period everyday life.
Since Antiquity the routes of the so-called Silk Road formed an important network for commercial, cultural and technological exchange. Far-reaching and criss-crossing the Asian continent they connected eastern and south-eastern parts of Asia to the Mediterranean world via both maritime and overland routes. Named after the lucrative silk trade, which developed during Han Dynasty, one tends to think of the Silk Road as a one-way road starting in China and ending at the Mediterranean. However, goods, technologies and ideas were travelling in both directions, and glass is an excellent example for a trade-good that arrived in the East from the West. The key developments of glass, which had its origins in the Middle and Near East, mainly took place in the Mediterranean and in the Arab World during Antiquity and Islamic times. Although known in the Far East since at least the Han Dynasty and treated as equivalent to precious stones, glass never played a significant role in Far Eastern cultures. Therefore glass finds from Far Eastern sites provide evidence for far-reaching trade relationships and imply cross-fertilization with other cultures.
Thus the contributions to this conference dealt with a geographical area between Western Europe, the Balkans, the Near East, Central Asia, as well as Eastern and Southeastern Asia and covered a chronological range from 200 BC to AD 1000. The conference focused on the one hand on recent results of scientific analyses of glass and on the other hand on archaeological questions. The possibility of interdisciplinary research was one of the focal points of the conference and hence this volume, as well as questions on workshops, raw material, technology and trade.
The international conference was considered to provide the participants with an insight beyond their own immediate concerns. By means of presenting studies of regionally specific glass forms and techniques as well as current methods and discoveries, even when not directly connected to the Silk Road, a broader perspective is offered.
Objects decorated with garnet reached peak popularity in Europe during the Early Middle Ages. Between the fifth and the seventh centuries, the style developed from single-inlaid garnets through several forms of cloisonné, before returning to single inlays. At its peak, garnet cloisonné became a universal fashion trend in most of Europe, blurring the boundaries of the present day as well as past. This paper discusses the different forms of cloisonné and provides a brief general outline of the development of garnet jewellery in Europe.
Lange Zeit haben Wissenschaftler über die Funktion und Datierung der Goldkette von Isenbüttel, einem Altfund aus der Sammlung des Niedersächsischen Landesmuseums debattiert. Bislang waren keine Parallelen zu dieser Fuchsschwanzkette mit Tierkopfenden und Granatcloisonné bekannt. Ausgrabungen von angelsächsischen Friedhöfen der letzten Jahre haben einige Neufunde an Nadelpaaren mit Verbindungskette hervorgebracht, einem Objekttyp welcher vor allem in der zweiten Hälfte des 7. Jahrhunderts in England populär war. Diese Nadelpaare mit Verbindungskette stellen die besten Parallelen zur Goldkette von Isenbüttel dar und demonstrieren weitreichende Verbindungen innerhalb der frühmittelalterlichen Eliten.
garnet analyses (to be published) the iconography of one zoomorphic element which decorates the buckle shall be
discussed here. It is a double-headed animal with the body of a snake and birds‘ heads. Although this motif was popular
in the Early Middle Ages the origin of its predecessors goes back to antiquity. A contemporary comparison is interesting
as it links the buckle from Burwell with the iconography of Vendel period Sweden. The stylistic comparison
suggests that the motif of the Burwell buckle is an abridged motif, a cypher. It belongs to a pictorial cypher which is
documented numerously in the north-western parts of 7th century Europe.
(in German)
Im frühen Mittelalter treten häufig granatverzierte Objekte mit Einlagen aus einem weißen bis grünbläulich verfärbten Material auf, dem bisher in der Forschung relativ wenig Aufmerksamkeit geschenkt worden ist. Im vorliegenden Beitrag wird der aktuelle Wissensstand zusammengefasst und anhand einiger untersuchten Objekte erörtert, welche naturwissenschaftlichen Methoden zur Bestimmung dieser Einlagen geeignet scheinen. Neben einer kurzen Erläuterung der verschiedenen analytischen Methoden werden in diesem Beitrag auch die wichtigsten mineralischen Komponenten vorgestellt, die als Einlagenmaterial Verwendung finden können.
Abstract:
Archaeometric analyses of white inlays in early medieval garnet jewellery.
Garnet decorated objects in the early Middle Ages often have also inlays made from a white or whitish material, which is not well analyzed, yet. Using the example of several currently analyzed objects it is discussed which method seems most suitable. Different analytical methods are presented as well as the current state of knowledge and the most common mineral elements used as inlay material.
"
Since its excavation in 1939, the early medieval and remarkably rich warrior grave from Planig (Rhine-Hessen, Germany) led to controversial debates – particularly on its absolute chronology. Even now an absolute dating can only be approached: the comparison of Planig to other burials points to the end of the 1st quarter of the 6th century. The research shows parallels not only to burials within the gold hilt spatha horizon but also to those with ring swords. Together with burials from Chaouilley and Krefeld-Gellep the burial from Planig represents a kind of transition horizon. Among the rich burial finds especially the garnet cloisonné attached to the purse mount and the spatha attracts attention. XRF-analyses proved their provenance from the Indian region and have outstanding parallels to recent analyses of Merovingian garnet decoration. Both the ostentatious grave furnishings as well as the burial’s location along a Roman road and near the castellum in Kreuznach emphasise the deceased’s status as belonging to the local elite. Their graves are often located nearby forts or other strategically or economical important places: e.g. the burial from Planig nearby the late Roman fort in Bad Kreuznach, the burials from Flonheim and Eich nearby the fort in Alzey and those from Bretzenheim and Wiesbaden-Biebrich near Mainz-Kastel. All those burials are situated along a Roman road and a nearby fort. The rich burials of early Merovingian age along the Roman Empire’s border at the rivers Rhine and Danube are often located within a late antique fort’s periphery and those in Rhine-Hessia add a Roman road to their preferred location.
Some of the grave goods from Planig are exceptional unique specimen, maybe custom-made items: e.g. the elaborate decorated spatha whose best parallels are from other Rhine-Hessian burials. Both the ango and the franziska are more regional, typical for the Frankish territory. The sax’s filigree as well as the solid gold buckle (“Schilddornschnalle”) are both elements of “newest fashion” and connect Planig to younger burials with ring swords. The solidus was identified as an imitation coin. The chainmail and the riveted plate helmet are both traditional armoury of Byzantine officers.
Some of the objects, e.g. the solidus, maybe came to Rhine-Hessen via trade; while other ones, e.g. the helmet, are individual-related status symbols, which present the elite’s high mobility.
Whether this burial is a so called founder’s grave and where the related settlement is situated remains unknown. Further research to answer those questions and gather more information about Rhine-Hessen’s history would be desirable.
Abstract: Within the interdisciplinary joint project “Weltweites Zellwerk – International Framework“ the social and symbolic meaning of a special kind of gemstone was analysed: the red garnet. This paper will focus on current results.
Garnet was very popular in the early medieval period (5th – 8th century) and was used to decorate surfaces of dress accessories and weapon fittings in a manner resembling mosaics. This so-called cloisonné style became popular in the 5th century, although in the beginning, only on prestigious objects. These were connected almost exclusively with a male military fashion. It is more than probable that those objects were produced in the eastern part of the Roman Empire and reached the Barbaricum as gifts to local elites, where the style was quickly adapted and interpreted. In the 6th century, cloisonné was common everywhere in the Frankish world, although in lower quality, becoming additionally part of the female dress. Chemical analyses allow us to differentiate the source of the garnet raw material and we know today that these 5th – 6h century garnets came almost exclusively from Indian and Sri Lankan sources. Afterwards, garnet was used on liturgical objects and Christian symbols – garnet itself seems to be connected with Christian meanings (the blood of Christ?). Starting at the end of the 6th century, there was a massive disruption in the supply of garnet, on the one hand leading to a decline of the cloisonné style – especially on mass-products – on the other bringing forth some very few high-quality objects. This discontinuity could be explained by political changes in the area of the Gulf of Aden. The lack of garnet in early medieval Europe led eventually to the use of red substitutes, recycling of older gems and half-finished, “empty” objects.
Abstract:
From the sixth century onwards garnet became also part of the material culture in the northwestern parts of Europe. Here, the cloisonné style was still popular after it vanished in Central Europe around the turn of the 7th century. Especially in Anglo-Saxon England and Vendel-period Sweden, garnet boomed throughout the whole 7th century on elaborate jewellery and weaponry in form of single set stones as well as garnet-cloisonné. While in Sweden mainly Indian almandines were used, in England Bohemian pyropes were also utilised in addition to almandines. Striking is the increased usage of probably recycled garnet slabs in both areas, particularly from the middle of the century onwards. Here, often technologically high-quality goldwork meets rather poor gemstone cutting skills, and also the quality of the cellwork itself declines with the advance of the century.
While England and Sweden show strong stylistically connections at the beginning of the 7th century, a transition takes place from the middle of the century onwards. Sweden develops a unique local style, and the cloisonné is now highly connected with the island of Gotland, while in England cloisonné becomes part of a more continental, »universal language«, obviously influenced by classical art and the emergence of the Christian church.
Alexandra Hilgner & Dieter Quast (RGZM, Mainz)
Im Rahmen des interdisziplinären Verbundprojektes „Weltweites Zellwerk“ im Rahmen der „Sprache der Objekte“ wurden am RGZM in großem Umfang frühmittelalterlicher Schmuck mit Edelsteineinlagen untersucht. Es handelt sich dabei um Granat, einen roten Edelstein zumeist aus Indien, welcher in enormen Mengen im 5. – 7. Jahrhundert verarbeitet wurde. Gewandspangen, Waffenteile, Gürtelbeschläge und Schmuck wurden flächig mit Granatplättchen belegt. In dem Projekt ging es hauptsächlich um wirtschaftsgeschichtliche Fragen, aber auch die Bedeutung des Granats wurde anhand von Schriftquellen untersucht. Im Rahmen dieser Arbeiten stießen wir immer wieder auf recycelte Einlagen aus Edelsteinen, teilweise auch auf Substitute aus anderen Materialien. Anhand einer großen von uns untersuchten Menge an Referenzmaterial können diese „Sonderfälle“ gut eingeordnet werden. Auf dieser Grundlage möchten wir die Bedeutung dieser recycelten Einlagen – zu denen wir auch antike Gemmen zählen – diskutieren.
https://zellwerk.hypotheses.org/conference
https://www.rgzm.de/zellwerk
Since Hellenistic times goldsmiths combined bright red garnets with gold to create outstanding pieces of jewellery. They appeared in the Mediterranean world as well as in Crimea and the East European plains, from where the fashion was presumably spread out by nomadic people over the whole of Europe. There it reached its climax in the Cloisonné jewellery art of the 5th-7th century AD, when it became the most used gemstone in Europe.
There are several kinds of garnets, which where called Carbunculus in the Antiquity, but the one most used is almandin. Referring to this name, the historical town of Alabanda was long time maintained to be the source for all those garnets. But the historic references pointed to other possible sources, too. Long times researchers wondered where the raw material sources for the garnets originated and finally in the last past years a way was developed to analyze and identify garnets. By use of archaeometrical methods the area can be named, where the garnets originate by comparing the geochemical composition of archaeological garnets with samples from well-known provenance. Although sources of garnet are spread all over the world, there are only a few known already being exploited in Antiquity; mainly Indian (until the 6th century) and Bohemian sources (from the 7th century on). Several researches proved this with various analytical methods.
This paper will focus on the 5th to 6th century AD and the question how natural sciences can help to reconstruct old trade routes.
2020 session of the Study Group on Late Antiquity and the Early Middle Ages at the Deutscher Archäologenkongress in Kiel
2018 session of the Study Group on Late Antiquity and the Early Middle Ages at the MOVA and WSVA Congress in Halle (Saale)
March, 19th - 21st
9. Deutschen Archäologiekongress in Mainz, 6.-7. Juli 2017 zum Thema:
„Über alle Kanäle“ - Aspekte von Kommunikation in Spätantike und Frühmittelalter
siehe auch:
https://www.wsva.net/fileadmin/wsva/dokumente/20170626_WSVA-Programm.pdf