The discovery of precious objects on medieval sites is not only chance, it offers a tangible vision of aristocratic lifestyles in Central Europe. In Poland, archaeologists from the Archeology Institute of the University of Wrocław have exhumed a rare jewel in the moats of the Château de Kolno, located in the old Silesia. Published in the Revue Antiquity, their study highlights a fragment of broche in golden silver set with amethyst, a probable vestige of an ornament carried by a noble in the 14th century.
An unexpected find at the bottom of the moats
Buried in the dense mud and the stagnant waters of the moat of the Château de Kolno, this fragment of jewelry was found during excavations around the piles of an old wooden bridge. It testifies to an event as fortuitous as it was. The fragment consists of a golden silver frame decorated with amethyst cut in cabochon. He was probably lost in the passage of a nobleman crossing the bridge in medieval times.
Lech Marek and Beata Miazga, of the Archeology Institute of the University of Wrocław, underline the exceptional nature of this find in Live science. Usually we find these types of jewelry in aristocratic treasures or burials. However, this one emerges from a space linked to daily life and not to a voluntary deposit. The stratigraphic layers, disturbed by time, but rich in clues, have delivered currencies – Prague Groschen and Local Hellers. There are also fragments of enameled glassware and pottery. These elements, associated with the dendrochronological dating of the surrounding woods, make it possible to locate the loss of the jewel between the beginning of the 14th century and the destruction of the castle in 1443.
The site used to serve as a strategic customs post at the border of the Duchies of Open and Brzeg. He was frequented by high -ranking figures, including the first known owner, the Duke Bolesław III of Bru. The historical framework and geographic position of the castle increase the probability that this jewel belonged to a person of the elite. This makes its discovery particularly precious for the study of aristocratic practices.
The manufacturing secrets revealed by science
To understand the history and value of this medieval jewel, the researchers have mobilized advanced analysis technologies. The use of XRF fluorescence (XRF) and the scanning electron microscopy associated with dispersive energy spectroscopy (SEM-EDS) revealed the exact composition of the materials without damaging the object. These methods have shown that the structure of the jewel is made up of pure silver covered with a thin layer of gold. We know this technique under the name of gilding in fire. This process, used in the Middle Ages, involved the application of an amalgam of gold and mercury on the surface of silver. The object was then heated to evaporate the mercury, leaving a golden and shiny golden layer. The residual traces of detected mercury confirm this sophisticated method.
The amethyst, identified thanks to Raman spectroscopy, is cut in cabochon and solidly embedded in a conical frame. Recall that a cabochon is a precious stone, polished and curved, without facets, with a flat base to be set.
Here, around stone, delicate patterns in the shape of palmettes form an ornamental halo. It is typical of the international style which was imposed in aristocratic courses in the 13th century and lost in the following century.
The meticulous examination of the setback of the jewel reveals traces of lead welding and a small tie. This indicates that it was an element fixed to a larger ornament, perhaps a spindle or a badge. This technical and aesthetic sophistication testifies to the mastery of medieval goldsmiths. They were able to produce both luxurious and symbolic pieces, intended to assert the social rank of their owners.
A symbol of power and beliefs
In medieval times, the port of jewelry like the one discovered in Kolno was not only a taste for luxury. These objects also served to display a social status, belonging and sometimes even to protect themselves against invisible forces. The amethyst spindle illustrates this double function, both worldly and symbolic. She was not only a sign of wealth. It acted as a row marker, visible and immediately readable by contemporaries.
The amethyst itself, chosen to adorn the room, bore a set of widely spread in medieval culture. According to beliefs of the time, this semi-precious stone protected its carrier from drunkenness, poisons and diseases. It was also associated with moral qualities such as fidelity, modesty or piety. Expected qualities of the members of the aristocracy … These virtues explain why amethyst was frequent in the adornments of the elite and sometimes integrated into religious objects.
The literary texts of the period also testify to the magic dimension attributed to stones. In some stories, encrusted gems give invulnerability or luck to their holder. Certainly these beliefs cannot be verified archaeologically. However, they reveal a mentality where the material object and spiritual protection mingled closely. In Kolno, the spindle could thus represent much more than a simple ornament: a talisman worn to affirm power and legitimacy. But while combining the daily perils of a world where the border between the sacred and the profane remained permeable.
A mirror of aristocratic networks and ambitions
The Château de Kolno, on the border of the Duchies of Oppole and Brzeg, was not only served as a defensive bastion. As a strategic customs post, he saw transit merchants, knights and emissaries, promoting the circulation of rare objects and foreign know-how. This spindle fragment reveals the importance of the networks of craftsmen capable of making such pieces. The fire-gilding technique and the decorative patterns show that the goldsmith controlled widely disseminated knowledge between the production centers of the Holy Empire, Bohemia or Poland. These objects sometimes circulated as diplomatic gifts or matrimonial endowments, strengthening alliances between noble families.
The concept of “ostentatious consumption”, mentioned by Haase and Whatley, finds here a concrete illustration. The jewel was not a simple ornament. It materialized a system of values where visible richness consolidated social prestige. His presence on a site like Kolno also suggests that even after his passage in the hands of less powerful local nobles, the castle remained a place frequented by an aristocracy anxious to appear.
This spindle, both a material witness and a symbolic vector, thus recounts a section of the ambitions and strategies of distinction specific to the elites of Central Europe.
Source: Marek L, Miazga B. “A Jewel Worthy of A Duke from the Moat of Castle Kolno”. Antiquity. Published Online 2025: 1-6. DOI: 10.15184/AQY.2025.10097
With an unwavering passion for local news, Christopher leads our editorial team with integrity and dedication. With over 20 years’ experience, he is the backbone of Wouldsayso, ensuring that we stay true to our mission to inform.
