Niello

La coppa di Enkomi, uno splendido recipiente in argento con decorazioni policrome in oro e nero, ora parte delle collezioni del Museo di Nicosia, Cipro (inv. nr. 4207), è stata rinvenuta durante gli scavi degli anni '40, condotti dalla missione francese ad Enkomi, e pubblicata da C. Schaeffer.  Il presente studio ha dimostrato che le decorazioni nere sulla coppa d'argento rinvenuta ad Enkomi da Claude Schaeffer non sono di niello (cioè di solfuri metallici di aspetto vetroso e fragili), ma si tratta invece di agemine in lamina a base di rame contenente piccole quantità di oro e di argento, patinata artificialmente per ottenere un colore nero, adatto a risaltare sull'argento dello sfondo. Le agemine in oro, sono a loro volta ageminate sulla lamina nera, secondo la tecnica nota da vari reperti micenei, come ad esempio i pugnali del museo di Atene.

Study of white inlays and niello in 38 items of Anglo Saxon jewellery from 6th and early 7th century graves in Kent  was carried out using X-ray diffraction  analysis and microscopy to identify their  materials.  Shell was the most common of the white inlays, with mother-of-pearl from fresh-water bivalves and bone or possibly ivory also represented. The fine-grained white minerals magnesite and cristobalite were also used. Calcite was found in several examples but it is likely this is the remnant of a backing paste rather than the original inlay. Silver sulphide niello was found in the items with magnesite/cristobalite inlays. The mixed copper-silver sulphide niello was found in  most of those with shell inlay as well as the two items of jewellery with bone/ivory inlay. It is suggested that the correlation between niello and white inlay type corresponds to workshop groups.

On the base of typical hypothetical reconstructions according to the stages of the development of the attire upon archaeological material the comparative history of attires of two states is restored. At the end of the 11th – in the beginning of the 12th century and later, the features of heavy metal attire were preserved, in Volga Bulgaria – of Finno-Ugric and nomadic, in Old Rus’ – mainly of Slavic one. At the end of the 11th – the first half of the 12th century noisy attires of different designs were formed. In the first half – the middle of the 12th century filigree, niello, openwork weaving were combined in Bulgarian jewelry. Adornments were complemented with bead pendants of new shapes. In Rus’, enamel attire of the sacred-ascetic style created innovations, the niello one was distinguished with a variety of ornamentation (wide bracelets), the filigree retained Slavic traditions. At the end of the 12th – the first third of the 13th century the best jewelry was created. In Bulgaria the temporal rings were complemented by a miniature filigree sculpture, necklaces and chains with pendants presented. Original filigree bracelets with oval endings were famous. In Rus’, enamel and black attires were made in exaggerated and lush styles; luxurious frames of jewelry with filigree technique were used. Filigree attire changed constructively, moving away from folk traditions. In Bulgarian attire the traditions of local and eastern jewelry combined; in Russian attire – of local and Byzantine jewelry.