engleski

Life on the mediaeval castle: bone artefacts as indicators of handicraft and leisure

The castle of Vrbovec lies on a steep slope offering a splendid view of the Sutla river valley, in the village Klenovec Humski in very north-western part of Croatia. Vrbovec Castle or castrum Vrbouch is directly or indirectly mentioned in historical sources in the period between 1267 and 1497. Archaeological excavations point to an even earlier time of its construction, i.e. to the very end of the 12th century, and to an even longer continuity of its use until the mid-16th cent. The polygonal layout of the Romanesque castle has been preserved only at foundation level and in the lower portions of walls of ground-floor rooms. Archaeological investigations brought to the light a lot of faunal remains from all periods of life at the castle. The sample consists of a total of around 6850 fragments of bones, teeth and horns (mostly mammals, a few bird and fish bones), but the bone artefacts themselves represent the rare finds from the Vrbovec Castle. Few of them show traces of butchery marks or even different marks of primary treatment in the process of making a bone artefact. That indicates these activities at the very castle of Vrbovec. Initial processing attempts are identified on the deer horn (1) from the cistern backfill (second half of the 15th c. - second half of the 16th c.) and on the red deer horn (Cervus elaphus L.) (2), which was scorched by fire which also damaged a wooden tower from the first half of the 16th century. A needle (3) with the damaged upper part where a thread hole (the eye) is visible represents the oldest artefact made of bone, and originates from the layer dated to the 14th or the first half of the 15th century. Most of other bone objects originate from the layer of backfill of the castle cistern, dating back to the late 15th and the first half of the 16th century. There are bone objects which were most probably used by servants such as objects probably made of cattle long bones (substantia compacta) - awls (?) (4, 5) and an awl or a tool for knitting fishing nets (6). An interesting object (7) could be a knitting needle or even a lace bobbin (certain analogies may even interpret it as a stylus that was used to write on wax tablets or parchment) and as such reveals how the noblewoman spent her day in the castle. Few bone artefacts tell us also a story on how the nobleman and noble child spent their leisure time - playing the flute and playing with astragaloi. A unique find of a pipe (8) made of a bird femur (os femoris) and two astragaloi made of pig bones (9) (Phalanx proximalis) and (10) (Ossa metatarsalia III) were found in the cistern backfill, and from the layer dated to the first half of the 16th century originates an astragal (11) made of a large ruminant bone, most probably cattle (Phalanx proximalis). Astragaloi in archaeological contexts are found from prehistoric times to the Modern Age. They are usually interpreted as bone pendants of votive and divinational character, but are also recognised as objects intended for augury, gambling, and play. Such a bone on a tape makes sounds by specific tightening and could also serve as a humming top or rattle. * all bone artefacts are shown in scale 2:1

mediaeval castle; archaeological find; worked bones; Klenovec Humski; North Croatia

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