Description
Book SynopsisMedieval Jewelry and Burial Assemblages in Croatia analyzes the Croatian archaeological heritage from the 8th to the 15th century, consisting mostly of jewelry (earrings) findings from cemeteries. Stratigraphy is used to establish horizons and phases of material culture, as well as the structure of the burial chambers. All in comparison with materials from neighboring regions of Europe.
Trade Review"[This book] is focused on analysis of so-called 'Old-Croat' medieval cemeteries on the Adriatic coast and deep hinterland, with the author aiming to redefine the existing chronologies of those cemeteries through assessment of grave architecture, cemeteries and grave assemblage - with earrings a particular focus. This is a poorly known field as most of the existing literature is written in Croatian, and so this book, if anything, is important for making this field accessible for a wider reading audience. Sokol offers a meticulous analysis of 16 selected cemeteries, revealing an excellent knowledge of the sites and the existing (Croatian) literature." Danijel Dzino, Macquarie University, in: Medieval Archaeology, 61/1 (2017), pp. 194-195.
Table of ContentsContents Abbreviations x Introduction 1 part 1 Graves and Material Culture 1 A History of Research 5 The Beginning of Excavations—The First Finds 5 First Classification of Artefacts 5 Modern Research 7 Recent Research (1989–2012) 13 2 Cemeteries and Material Culture 17 Spatial, Temporal and Cultural Characteristics 17 Key Cemeteries 17 3 Cemetery Stratigraphy and the Classification of Material Culture 30 Methodology 30 Cemetery Analysis 31 Relative Chronology and the Interpretation of Groups 82 4 Cemetery Horizons and Material Culture Phases 88 Cemetery Horizons 89 First or Early (Pagan) Horizon (±795–850/855) 89 Second or Middle (Christian) Horizon (}850/855–1090/1110) 93 Third or Late Horizon (±1090/1110–1450) 95 5 The Development of Material Culture: Earrings and Their Evolution 99 PHASE I: Early or Pagan—±?795–850/855 99 PHASE II: Classical—± 850/855–1000 102 PHASE III: Interim ±1000–1090/1110 107 PHASE IV: Late (ca. 1110–1450) 110 6 Grave Architecture 114 General Remarks 114 Interpretation and General Remarks 1 Croat Burial Rites and Belief System 123 Material Culture and Non-Christian Spirituality among Croats—Its Duration and Cessation 124 2 Stone Cists: Late Antique or Early Medieval? 126 3 Burial Customs 129 4 Burial Horizons and Churches 132 5 Cemeteries between the Mountains and the River Sava 136 part 2 Earrings 1 Earrings as Grave Goods 141 List Sites with Earring Finds 142 2 Medieval Earrings in Croatia 144 Omega-shaped Earrings (no. “1”) 144 Plain Links 144 Plain Links with Pseudo S-loop and Clasp (no. “2”) 144 Plain Links with Thinner Hoop and Spiral Cone Ending (no. “3”) 145 Links with Three Interlaced Pendants on the Lower Part of the Hoop and Spiral Hoops on the Links (no. “4”) 152 Earrings with Grape-shaped Pendant with Filigree Ornament (no. “5”) 153 Earrings with Stylized Ear-of-wheat Spike (no. “6”) 158 Plain Links with Thinner Hoop, with Loop and Clasp (no. “7”) 159 Ancient-looking Earrings with Oppositely Placed Buds (no. “8”) 159 Ancient-looking Temple Pendants with Three Rings on the Link and Filigree Ornament (no. “9”) 166 Ancient-looking Earrings with Floral, Omega-shaped Ornaments (no. “10”) 167 Triple-beaded Earrings or Temple Pendants with Bell-shaped Calotte (no. “11”) 167 Finely Cast Grape-shaped Earrings (no. “12”) 174 Filigree Earrings with Almond-shaped Pendant (no. “13”) 174 Earrings with Single, Smooth Beads (no. “14”) 175 Tetra-beaded Temple Pendants with Filigree Ornament (no. “15”) 175 Earrings or Temple Pendants with Single Beads with Filigree Ornament (no. “16”) 186 Earrings or Temple Pendants with Intricately Fashioned, Single Beads with Filigree Ornament (no. “17”) 186 Earrings or Temple Pendants with Single, Smooth Beads (no. “18”) 187 Earrings or Temple Pendants with Twin Beads Decorated with Filigree Ornament (no. “19”) 187 Plain Links with Straight Open Ends (no. “20”) 193 Earrings with Single, Round Beads (no. “21”) 193 Earrings with Three Round Beads (no. “22”) 202 Temple Pendants with Single, Bi-conical Beads between Two Loops (no. “23”) 202 Temple Pendants with Three, Bi-conical Beads Arranged in a Y-shaped Pattern (no. “24”) 202 Earrings Made of Thin Interwoven Wire (no. “25”) 203 Earrings with Thicker Links and S-shaped Ends (no. “26”) 212 Earrings or Temple Pendants with Three Joints (no. “27”) 212 Earrings with Three Joints Decorated with Filigree (no. “28”) 213 Earrings with Filigree and Granulated Ornament (no. “29”) 213 Earrings with Three, Equally Sized, Round Beads Decorated with Filigree (no. “30”) 222 Triple-beaded Earrings with a Larger Central Bead and Filigree Decoration (no. “31”) 223 Table of Absolute Chronology for Earrings—31 Basic Types 229 Conclusion 232 List of Cited References 237 Index of Proper Names 251 Index of Geographical Names 253
