engleski

Results of the archaeometallurgical analysis of the Late Hallsatt and La Tene astragal belts - new insights into technological knowledge of their production

Astragal belts represent a recognizable item of women's costume in the southeastern part of the Carpathian Basin during six centuries, from the beginning of the 6th to the end of the 1st cent. BC. Considering this is an extremely long period of their production, changes in the shapes of buckles and segments are noticeable, on the basis of which it is possible to single out recognizable forms for the Late Hallstatt or La Tène period. Previous analyzes of the oldest forms of segments from sites in Syrmia and Eastern Slavonia show that the idea of the origin of the astragal belts is located in the areas of the Central and Western Balkans, from where at the beginning of the 6th cent. BC through cultural transfer and/or mobility of women reached the southeastern part of the Carpathian Basin. However, in the mentioned area already during the 6th cent. BC the production of astragal belts begins and soon the original shape with characteristic three-loop buckles — Nikinci type — is created, which will be maintained until the beginning of the Late Iron Age (LT B2). At the beginning of the Middle La Tène (LT C1) there was a change in the shape of the buckles which have a bell-shaped loop. During the Late La Tène (LT D) a number of different shapes of buckles and segments appeared which are now found outside the area of creation of the astragal belts. Since the astragal belts were composed of a large number of segments, their production required significant quantities of copper and tin, which meant organized supply networks of raw materials. Undertaking the XRF analysis of the metal composition of buckles and segments disovered at sites in the Vinkovci region and cemetery in Osijek, it was intended to check whether, in addition to design, there are certain technological changes during the centuries-long production of astragal belts. Also, the long tradition of production of astragal belts in the southeastern Carpathian Basin meant the presence of skilled craftsmen who passed on the acquired knowledge to future generations who then changed them and technologically improved so that astragal belts would continue to be a visually recognizable part of gender and social identity of women who wore them.

astragal belts ; female costume ; southeastern Carpathian Basin ; Late Hallstatt period ; La Tene culture ; archaeometallurgical analysis ; technology ; supply networks ; crafstmen

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