THE TREASURE OF GUARRAZAR: TRACING THE GOLD SUPPLIES IN THE VISIGOTHIC IBERIAN PENINSULA*

The treasure of Guarrazar, found in the 19th century in Spain, is the most important illustration of the high level of Visigothic jewellery in the Iberian Peninsula. The votive crowns and crosses of this treasure are an arrangement of pierced gold in a Byzantine–Germanic style, decorated with emeralds, garnets, sapphires and other materials. In order to establish the provenance of the gold, we analysed a group of 46 minute samples from the most important pieces kept in Spain for major and trace elements. The combination of PIXE and PIGE with an external 3 MeV proton µ‐beam was used to analyse the samples. Considering the gold sources cited by Pliny the Elder and the composition of contemporary Visigothic coins, we suggest the exploitation of south Iberian mines. Using the same set‐up, we complemented these results with the analysis of 11 emeralds inlaid in items from the Guarrazar jewellery that is kept in France. We suggest the use of European sources unknown to the Romans for these gemstones.     

Visigothic Jewellery: A Technical Study of Glass Used as Gems in Belt Buckles from a Spanish Necropolis

In this work, we studied coloured and colourless glass used as gems in Visigothic buckles possibly originating from the necropolises of Torredonjimeno, Duraton or Castilltierra in Spain. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) with energy‐dispersive analysis (EDS) and observations made with an optical microscope in reflected and transmission mode were performed in order to establish the composition, origin of the colour and decay process of these glass pieces. The chemical analysis of ancient glass can provide relevant information regarding the manufacturing approach used during a specific period. The results revealed the presence of various transition metal elements used as chromophore elements, as well as some metallic backing foils used to improve the colour of pieces of almost colourless glass.