TIN AND TINNED DRESS ACCESSORIES FROM MEDIEVAL WROCŁAW (SW POLAND). X-RAY FLUORESCENCE INVESTIGATIONS

• Published in: Eesti Arheoloogia Ajakiri 2014-01, Vol.18 (1), p.57-79
• Main Author: Miazga, Beata
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Archaeology
• ISSN: 1736-7484; 1406-2933; 1736-7484
• DOI: 10.3176/arch.2014.1.03

This paper presents a non-destructive analytical study of selected archaeological artefacts from the Old Town in Wrocław, SW Poland, by energy-dispersive X-ray fluorescence spectrometry. The analysed specimens included dress accessories that decorated both women’s and men’s clothes in the Middle Ages. Several various metallic artefacts were selected for detailed studies: jewellery (e.g. finger rings) to more utilitarian utensil (functional) items (e.g. knives). All of them were made of tin-lead alloys or were tinned. This research was focused on determining the chemical composition of the artefacts, the identification of similarities and differences between alloys as well as technological aspects of the production. The obtained results suggest that there are many objects with the same chemical composition. It helps to distinguish groups of artefacts (e.g. rings made with the same alloys) or find the parts of one object. The next interesting result is the possibility of determining the presence of tin-plating that was in varied states of preservation (especially for badly damaged artefacts).