Download PDF | Vladimir Sokol - Medieval Jewelry and Burial Assemblages in Croatia_ A Study of Graves and Grave Goods, ca. 800 to ca. 1450-Brill 2016.
269 Pages
Introduction
At the beginning of the third millennium AD, a time when all the results of many decades, even centuries, are consolidated, it is necessary to summarize what has been the focus of numerous Croatian and European archaeologists interested in the Middle Ages: the material culture of the medieval period in Croatia, notably that represented by the most frequent finds—jewelry, more specifically earrings. A century has passed since Father Lujo Marun began publishing research on earring finds, now housed in the Knin Museum, in his renowned series of articles that appeared over the years in the journal Starohrvatska prosvjeta.
It was then that hundreds of examples of what he called ‘Old Croatian earrings’, hitherto safeguarded at the Museum, emerged from the shadows of the past; to date, thousands more have emerged. With almost five thousand recorded examples, the Knin Museum holdings are probably the largest collection of medieval artefacts of this kind in Europe. Over an extended period of time, jewelry changed in shape and size, as did techniques and types of metals used to fashion it: from small, plain earrings, measuring as little as 2 to 3 cm, to large temple pendants, measuring 8 to 10 cm. However, one thing remained a constant: continuity in production, use and wear and the presence of this artefact in graves dating from the Early to the Late Middle Ages.
In ten decades of research, many have contributed to the recognition of this beautiful dress accessory. Further contributions can be expected in the future; the work we are presenting is just one moment of the research process recorded on paper. By the end of the 20th century enough material facts had been collected to complete the groundwork for a systematic classification, periodization and chronology of jewelry in general, notably earrings. Also, the significant finds of burial architecture enabled the identification of succession in the diversity of shapes, the manner in which they were fashioned, and their indirect correlation to the type of artefacts found as grave goods. The sequencing of burial phases contributed to the overall correlating of such occurrences in time and space.
This book presents all preceding attempts and the results thus generated. Some results have been applied successfully, some to a lesser degree, but every new fact is invaluable as is each find. They have enabled the development and constant update of the system, which will no doubt continue in the future, notably thanks to new technologies. The ultimate intention of all the material presented in this book is to define the Old Croatian material culture, to define the period in which it was produced in respect to design and material, the scope of its occurrence and to set absolute temporal and spatial values.
The personal participation in the field research of important medieval sites, as research assistant or head, as well as the insight into recent research in Croatia, has offered me an in-depth and comprehensive overview of issues concerning periodization, research chronology and status, not only within a Croatian context, but also within a Central European context. A colleague and I discovered (1974), and later excavated the Old Croatian cemetery in Stranče near Crikvenica; I took part in research carried out at the cemetery with standing tombstones in Raška Gora near Mostar; I participated in the research and computer analysis of three cemeteries with stone sepulchral slabs dating from the period of standing tombstones located at the foot of Mt Velebit, the first study of this type in Croatia (1977– 1978); I was a guest researcher at the site of the St George cemetery (Bijelo Brdo culture) in Sveti Juraj u Trnju (St George in Trnje); I participated in field study trips to Hungary, Slovenia, Austria, Germany, Italy, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Poland, Ukraine and Russia. Regular correspondence and contact with major researchers, both foreign and Croatian, helped me gain even better insight into the material.
On the other hand, years of field research at the large Late Roman castrum on Kuzelin Hill near Sesvete (Zagreb) have supplied the necessary elements, allowing me to get an understanding of the period before the Early Middle Ages. This work also helped me to define what, in later periods may, or may not, be seen as a remnant from that period. Alongside this, regular research at numerous professional and scientific institutions and libraries has also been of importance. I am grateful to my colleagues for their support and cooperation, especially those in Hungary, Slovenia, Moravia, Slovakia and the United States.
This, ultimately, helped to create the necessary prerequisites for what was to follow: to all those who have assisted me in my endeavour, my heartfelt thanks. The analysis of the medieval jewelry, and earrings in particular, found in Croatia, which is one of the largest known archaeological collections of such jewelry in Europe, creates the necessary prerequisites for an integration of existing Central European systems, such as proposed by L. Niederle, Lj. Karaman, Z. Váňa, B. Dostál, J. Giesler and others. I believe this is necessary and possible, and it will enable artefacts found in Croatia to be cited and included in individual, contracted syntheses more frequently, where they will be recognized as imported material, or analysed within other contexts. The basic methods applied in this work are archaeological in nature and aimed at creating a realistic picture of chronology, with as little possible influence from other approaches and disciplines.
I strove to avoid correlations between the dating of archaeological material and historic events; it was, however, necessary to write several excursuses in order to clarify certain occurrences. The first, Croatian edition of this book received the 2007 Josip Brunšmid Annual Award given by the Croatian Archaeological Society.1 I remain indebted to Professor Milan Prelog to this day; it was because of him that I embarked upon this work which has, despite all circumstances, borne fruitful and rewarding results. And finally, I am grateful to the general editor of the series, Professor Florin Curta, who initiated and continuosly supported efforts that this book would be brought to light. I would also like to thank to my friend and colleague Dr Damir Karbić (HAZU, Zagreb) for his help in the final stages of copy editing.
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