About “green niello” in the decor of encolpion crosses of Rus from the finds in Suzdal Opolye
Table of contents
Share
QR
Metrics
About “green niello” in the decor of encolpion crosses of Rus from the finds in Suzdal Opolye
Annotation
PII
S086960630005670-6-
Publication type
Article
Status
Published
Authors
Irina E. Zaitseva 
Affiliation: Institute of Archaeology RAS
Address: Moscow, Russia
Eduard A. Greshnikov
Affiliation: National Research Cente “Kurchatov Institute”
Address: Moscow, Russia
Aleksey A. Veligzhanin
Affiliation: National Research Cente “Kurchatov Institute”
Address: Moscow, Russia
Aleksandr S. Pakhunov
Affiliation: Institute of Archeology RAS
Address: Moscow, Russia
Pavel V. Dorovatovsky
Affiliation: National Research Cente “Kurchatov Institute”
Address: Moscow, Russia
Nataliya N. Kolobylina
Affiliation: National Research Cente “Kurchatov Institute”
Address: Moscow, Russia
Konstantin M. Podurets
Affiliation: National Research Cente “Kurchatov Institute”
Address: Moscow, Russia
Ekaterina S. Kovalenko
Affiliation: National Research Cente “Kurchatov Institute”
Address: Moscow, Russia
M. Murashev
Affiliation: National Research Cente “Kurchatov Institute”
Address: Moscow, Russia
Viktor P. Glazkov
Affiliation: National Research Cente “Kurchatov Institute”
Address: Moscow, Russia
Ekaterina B. Yatsishina
Affiliation: National Research Cente “Kurchatov Institute”
Address: Moscow, Russia
Edition
Pages
50-61
Abstract

This article presents the results of comprehensive studies of the niello composition and the technique of its application in brass reliquary crosses of Rus of the 12th–13th cent. AD from unfortified medieval dwelling sites on the area known as Suzdal Opolye (Russia). The decor was applied as an inlay. The niello images of the cross in the centre of the leaves of two medieval encolpions are unusual as they include “green” and “black” inlays. They were studied with a combination of X-ray synchrotron methods, neutron tomography, scanning electron and optical microscopy. The data suggest that niello was made by melting of the multicomponent copper-based alloys with sulphur without deliberate admixing of silver. The corrosion products of “copper” niello (brochantite, anglesite and others) were detected in “green” inlays of the reliquary crosses.

Keywords
Rus, encolpion crosses, niello technology, chemical composition of niello
Acknowledgment
This article was prepared under the project RFBR № 17-29-04129.
Date of publication
23.08.2019
Number of purchasers
89
Views
795
Readers community rating
0.0 (0 votes)
Previous versions
S086960630005670-6-1 Дата внесения правок в статью - 01.07.2019
Cite   Download pdf

References

1. Astashova N.I., Petrova L.A., Saracheva T.G., 2013. Kresty-enkolpiony iz sobraniya Gosudarstvennogo istoricheskogo muzeya [Encolpion crosses from the collection of the State Historical Museum]. Moscow: RIP kholding. 319 p.

2. Eniosova N.V., Pushkina T.A., 2012. Finds of Byzantine origin from the early Gnezdovo town centre in the context of contacts between Russia and Constantinople in the 10th century. Sugdeyskiy sbornik [Sugdean collection of papers], 5. Kiyev; Sudak: Gorobets, pp. 34–85. (In Russ.)

3. Govor L.I., Greshnikov E.A., Zaytseva I.E., Kovalenko E.S., Kurkin V.A., Murashev M.M., Podurets K.M., Somenkov V.A., Glazkov V.P., Blagov A.E., Yatsishina E.B., 2017. Studies of two-part medieval Russian reliquary crosses by nuclear physics methods. KSIA [Brief Communications of the Institute of Archaeology], iss. 249, part II, pp. 348–365. (In Russ.)

4. Greshnikov E.A., Tereshchenko E.Yu., Veligzhanin A.A., Dorovatovskiy P.V., Demkiv A.A., Kolobylina N.N., Loboda A.Yu., Shushchnov M.N., Yatsishina E.B., 2017. A Rus underwear cross from the settlement of Suvorotskoye-1 in Suzdal Opolye (an experience of complex technological research). Trudy V (XXI) Vseros. arkheol. s”yezda v Barnaule – Belokurikhe [Proceedings of the V (X XI) All-Russian Archaeological Congress in Barnaul–Belokurikha], III. A.P. Derevyanko, A.A. Tishkin, eds. Barnaul: Izd. Alt. univ., pp. 23–27. (In Russ.)

5. Grigor’yeva O.V., 2015. Reliquary crosses from the prince’s residence in Rurikovo Gorodishche. Arkheologicheskiye vesti [Archaeological news], 21. St. Petersburg: IIMK RAN, pp. 246–260. (In Russ.)

6. Johto H., Taskinen P., 2013. Phase stabilities and thermodynamic assessment of the system Cu–Pb–S. Minerals Engineering, 42, pp. 68–75.

7. Kolobylina N.N., Greshnikov E.A., Vasil’yev A.L., Tereshchenko E.Yu., Zaytseva I.E., Makarov N.A., Kashkarov P.K., Yatsishina E.B., Koval’chuk M.V., 2017. Electron microscopy studies of a niello-decorated encolpion cross of the 12th century Rus. Kristallografiya [Crystallography Reports], vol. 62, no. 4, pp. 543–550. (In Russ.)

8. Kolpakova Yu.V., 2011. Pskov and Izborsk encolpions. Drevnosti Pskova. Arkheologiya, istoriya, arkhitektura [Antiquities of Pskov. Archaeology, history, architecture], 2. V.L. Yanin, ed. Pskov: Sterkh, pp. 141–156. (In Russ.)

9. Kolpakova Yu.V., 2015. New finds of encolpions and reliquary crosses in Pskov and Old Izborsk (2000–2014). Novgorod i Novgorodskaya zemlya. Istoriya i arkheologiya [Novgorod and the Novgorod land. History and Archaeology], 29. Novgorod: Novgor. gos. ob”yed. muzey-zapovednik, pp. 203–210. (In Russ.)

10. Korzukhina G.F., Peskova A.A., 2003. Drevnerusskiye enkolpiony. Nagrudnyye kresty-relikvarii X–XIII vv. [Encolpion crosses of Rus. Pectoral reliquary crosses of the 10th–13th centuries]. St. Petersburg: Peterb. vostokov. 432 p.

11. La Niece S., 1983. Niello: A historical and technical survey. The Antiquaries Journal, vol. 63, no. 2, pp. 279–297.

12. LEAD Geochemistry-Eh-pH-Solubility and remedial technologies (Electronic resource). URL: http://www.coalgeology.com/lead-geochemistry-eh-ph-solubilityand-remedial-technologies/21720/.

13. Ma R., Stegemeier J., Levard C., Dale J., Noack C., Yang T., Gordon E., Brown G., Lowry G., 2014. Sulfidation of copper oxide nanoparticles and properties of resulting copper sulfide. Environmental Science: Nano, vol. 1, iss. 4, pp. 347–357.

14. Makarov N.A., Zaytseva I.E., Greshnikov E.A., 2017. Niello encolpion crosses in Suzdal Opolye. Arkheologicheskiye vesti [Archaeological news], 23. St. Petersburg: IIMK RAN, pp. 291–310. (In Russ.)

15. Moss A.A., 1953. Niello. Studies in Conservation, vol. 1, no. 2, pp. 49–61.

16. Northover P., La Niece S., 2009. New thoughts on niello. From Mine to Microscope – Advances in the Study of Ancient Technology. A.J. Shortland, ed. Oxford: Oxbow, pp. 2060–2082.

17. Petersen K.S., 1994–1995. Danish niello inlays from the Iron Age. A technological investigation. Journal of Danish Archaeology, vol. 12, iss. 1, pp. 133–149.

18. Petersen K.S., 2002. Niello indlsgninger fra jernalder og vikingetid. Metalhåndværk og håndværkspladser fra yngre germansk jernalder, vikingetid og tidlig middelalder. M.B. Henriksen, ed. Odense: Odense Bys Museer, Publikum & Kommunikation, pp. 63–77. (Skrifter fra Odense Bys Museer, 9).

19. Wolters J., 1998. Niello im Mittelalter. Europäische Technik im Mittelalter 800–1200. Berlin: Gebr. Mann Verlag, pp. 169–186.

Comments

No posts found

Write a review
Translate