This volume is a revised and enlarged English version of the book 'Prelucrarea metalelor în lumea barbară la Dunărea Mijlocie și Inferioară în sec. VI–VII' (Timișoara: Excelsior Art, 2010).
In 'Craftsmen and Jewelers in the Middle and Lower Danube Region (6th to 7th Centuries)' Daniela Tănase examines the practice of metalworking with the aim of comparing the archaeological evidence of different peoples in the Middle and Lower Danube in the Early Middle Ages, with a particular focus on blacksmithing, goldsmithing and burial customs. Evidence suggests that the distinction between these specialties was quite fluid, so blacksmiths could craft jewelery, while jewelers were able to create tools and weapons. The study also reveals how the production process and the main techniques employed by craftsmen for the ornamentation of dress and accessories were subject to multiple influences, from Byzantium, the eastern steppe, and the Merovingian kingdoms.
Author(s): Daniela Tănase
Series: East Central and Eastern Europe in the Middle Ages, 450-1450, 67
Publisher: Brill
Year: 2021
Language: English
Pages: 422
City: Leiden
Contents
Acknowledgements
Figures
Introduction
Chapter 1. History of the Research
1 Discovery of the First Tombs with Tools
2 The History of Research regarding Burials with Tools (First Half of the 20th Century)
3 The Status of Early Medieval Craftsmen in European Historiography
4 Graves with Tools in Early Medieval Europe. The Case of the Avar Qaganate
5 Tools in Assemblages of the Forest-Steppe Belt of Eastern Europe
6 Early Medieval Metalworking in the Literature Published in Romania after World War II
6.1 Finds from Walachia
6.2 Finds from Transylvania and Banat
6.3 Finds from Moldavia
Chapter 2. The Archaeology of Metalworking
1 Workshops
1.1 Transylvania
1.2 Walachia and Oltenia
1.3 Moldavia
2 Graves
3 Hoards
4 Isolated (Stray) Finds
5 Workshops or Funerary Contexts – an Indicator of a Different Cultural Behavior
Chapter 3. Sources of Raw Materials
1 Extraction and Reduction of Iron Ore
1.1 Exploitation of Iron Deposits
1.2 Smelting in Furnaces
1.3 Ore Reduction in Clay Vessels
1.4 Ore Reduction in Pits
2 Alloys
3 Precious Metals
3.1 Byzantine Gold and Silver North of the Danube
4 Trade as a Possible Source of Raw Material
Chapter 4. Metallurgical Technologies
1 Metalworking Techniques
1.1 Forging
1.2 Slitting, Piercing, Riveting
2 Techniques of Non-Ferrous Metallurgy
2.1 Hammering, Chiseling and Polishing
2.2 Engraving, Punching, Stamping
Chapter 5. Special Technological Methods for the Manufacture of Clothing and Harness Accessories Made of Non-Ferrous Metals
1 Pressing on Dies
2 Casting in Molds and Casting by the “Lost Wax” Method
3 Granulation and Filigree
4 Silver and Niello Inlaying
5 Gilding
6 Stones and Glass Inserts
Chapter 6. The Tools
1 Pliers
2 Hammers
3 Anvils
4 Drills
5 Wire-Drawing Plate (or Nail-Making Tool)
6 Tools for Making Nails and Rivets
7 Files
8 Engraving Tools
9 Chisels
10 Punches
11 Mandrels
12 Tweezers
13 Bone Dies
14 Metal Patterns
14.1 Imprinting Models
14.2 Pressing Dies with Incised Decoration
14.3 Pressing Dies with Embossed Decoration
15 Ladles
15.1 Metal Ladles
15.2 Clay Ladles
16 Crucibles
16.1 Cup-Shaped Crucibles
16.2 Round-Rimmed Crucibles with Rounded Bottoms
16.3 Crucibles with Trefoil-Shaped Openings and Rounded Bottoms
16.4 Crucibles with Rounded Bottoms and Pouring Spouts
17 Clay Molds
17.1 Molds for Earrings, Beads and Mounts
17.2 Mold for Pendants
18 Stone Molds
18.1 Molds for Earring Accessories
18.2 Molds for Casting Cross-Shaped Pendants and Mounts
18.3 Molds for Pendants
18.4 Molds for Belt Buckles and Mounts
18.5 Patterns Preserved in Fragmentary Form
Chapter 7. The Ornamentation of the Dies and of Contemporaneous Dress Accessories
1 Ornamental Styles and Motifs of Byzantine Origin
1.1 Concentric Circles and the Circle-with-Dot Motif
1.2 The Dot-Comma Motif
1.3 The Central, Rosette Motif
1.4 The Palmette Motif
1.5 The Star Motif
1.6 The Cross Motif
2 Ornamental Styles and Decorative Motifs of Germanic Origin
3 Animal Style II with Dentil Ornamentation
4 Ornamental Styles and Motifs from the Forest-Steppe Zone of Eastern Europe
Chapter 8. The Cultural and Chronological Framework of the Tool Finds
1 Graves with Tools
1.1 Band
1.2 Felnac
1.3 Sărata Monteoru
2 Settlements
2.1 Moldavia
2.2 Walachia and Oltenia
2.3 Transylvania
3 The Issue of Ethnicity
Chapter 9. Metalworking Craft and the Social Status of Blacksmiths and Goldsmiths
1 Metalworking and the Craftsmen’s Way of Life
2 Craftsmen’s Mobility
3 Sketching Regional Styles – a Traveling Sign?
4 Who Were the Craftsmen?
Chapter 10. Conclusions
Chapter 11. Catalogue of Finds from Romania
1 Aldeni (Buzău Co.) (Fig. 42.1)
2 Banat? (Fig. 42.2a–c)
3 Band/Bandu de Câmpie/Mezőbánd/Bandorf (Mureș Co.) (Fig. 31–36)
4 Băleni-Români (Dâmbovița Co.) (Fig. 12.1)
5 Botoșana (Suceava Co.) (Fig. 12.2–4, Fig. 17)
6 Bratei/Pretau/Baráthely (Sibiu Co.) (Fig. 3)
7 Bucharest
7 a Băneasa (Fig. 13.1)
7 b Casa Armatei (Fig. 13.2)
7 c Dămăroaia (Fig. 13.3)
7 d 10, Soldat Ghivan Str. (Fig. 13.6)
7 e Străulești-Lunca (Fig. 13.4)
7 g Tei (Fig. 11.2)
8 Budureasca, Vadu Săpat Village, Fântânele Commune (Prahova Co.)
8 a Budureasca 3 (Fig. 11.1)
8 b Budureasca 4 (Fig. 8.1–14, Fig. 9.1–4)
8 c Budureasca 5 (Fig. 10.1.1–2)
8 d Budureasca 9 (Fig. 10.2.1–2)
9 Cacica/Kaczyka (Suceava Co.) (Fig. 5.3)
10 Cândești (Buzău Co.)
11 Coroteni, Slobozia Bradului Com. (Vrancea Co.) (Fig. 5.4)
12 Corund/Korond (Harghita Co.) (Fig. 5.2.1–2)
13 Costești, Town of Târgu Frumos (Iași Co.) (Fig. 44.1, Fig. 45)
14 Cristuru Secuiesc/Székelykeresztúr/Kreuz (Harghita Co.) (Fig. 5.1)
15 Cucuteni (Iași Co.) (Fig. 5.5)
16 Davideni, Țibucani Com. (Neamț Co.) (Fig. 20–22)
17 Dichiseni (Călărași Co.) (Fig. 44.2a–b)
18 Dodești, Viișoara Com. (Vaslui Co.) (Fig. 15–16)
19 Dolheștii Mari, Dolhești Com. (Suceava Co.) (Fig. 44.3)
20 Dulceanca (Teleorman Co.) (Fig. 14)
21 Dumbrăveni/Elisabethstadt/Erzsébetváros (Sibiu Co.) (Fig. 37.1)
22 Felnac/Fönlak (Arad Co.) (Fig. 37.2.1–10–41)
23 Giurcani, Găgești Com. (Vaslui Co.) (Fig. 7.2)
25 Gropșani (Dolj Co.) (Fig. 7.4)
26 Izvoare-Bahna (Neamț Co.) (Fig. 7.5)
27 Izvorul Dulce, Merei Com. (Buzău Co.) (Fig. 7.3)
28 Lazuri/Lázári/Neuschlag (Satu Mare Co.) (Fig. 4)
29 Lozna, Dersca Com. (Botoșani Co.) (Fig. 24–29)
30 Morești/Malomfalva/Mühlendorf, Ungheni Com. (Mureș Co.) (Fig. 2.1)
31 Moțca (Iași Co.) (Fig. 2.2)
32 Olteni, Dobrogostea Village, Olteni Com. (Teleorman Co.) (Fig. 2.3)
33 Onești (Bacău Co.) (Fig. 2.4)
34 Poienița, Năruja Com. (Vrancea Co.) (Fig. 2.5)
35 Răcoasa (Vrancea Co.) (Fig. 2.6)
36 Rădeni, Păstrăveni Com. (Neamț Co.) (Fig. 6.1)
37 Sărata Monteoru (Buzău Co.) (Fig. 6.4)
38 Sânmiclăuș/Bethlenszentmiklós/Klosdorf bei Kleinkopisch, Șona Com. (Alba Co.) (Fig. 6.2)
39 Soveja (Vrancea Co.) (Fig. 6.3)
40 Suceava-Șipot (Suceava Co.) (Fig. 18–19)
41 Șirna (Prahova Co.) (Fig. 6.5)
42 Ștefan cel Mare, Sat Gutinaș, Com. Ștefan cel Mare (Bacău Co.) (Fig. 23.1)
43 Târgșor (Prahova Co.) (without Illustration)
44 Traian = Parincea (Bacău Co.) (Fig. 23.3)
45 Traian (Neamț Co.) (Fig. 23.2)
46 Udești (Suceava County) (Fig. 43.1)
47 Vadu Săpat, Fântânele Com. (Prahova Co.) (Fig. 43.2)
Chapter 12. Finds from Central and Eastern Europe
1 Dies and Molds from Central and Eastern Europe
1.1 Bronze Dies for Pressing and Impressing Bronze Dies
1.2 Stone Molds
1.3 Clay Molds
1.4 Bone Dies
2 Graves with Implements/Tools in Central and Eastern Europe
Bibliography
Index