Färbetechniken der prähistorischen Hallstatt-Textilien

In August 2008 an international team of archaeologists, natural scientists and artists started a project to research the dyeing techniques used on the prehistoric textile finds from Hallstatt. Due to the results of the analysis and additional experiments three ribbons from Hallstatt were reconstructed. Katrin Kania, Karina Grömer und Helga Rösel-Mautendorfer did the preparation of the fleece, the spinning of the thread and the weaving of the ribbons. Of importance for the dyeing process was the washing of the wool to free it from grease. The treatment of the fibres was also of importance, they had to be processed in a way, that the fibres were nearly all parallel in the thread to get a result as the original ribbon.

Mitteilungen der Anthropologischen Gesellschaft in Wien 134/135, 2005, 115-134, 2005

Funde von Kugelkopfnadeln und Spiralröllchen in Gräbern von Hallstatt sowie bildliche Darstellungen besonders der Situlenkunst waren Ausgangspunkt für experimentalarchäologische Versuche, die eine Rekonstruktion der Haar- und Schleiertracht in der Hallstattzeit zum Ziel hatten. Dazu wurden in mehreren Experimentanordnungen verschiedene Frisuren mit und ohne Schleier gestaltet und auf ihre Vergleichbarkeit mit den Originalfunden überprüft.

2015

2013

Im Zentrum eines laufenden deutsch-franzosischen Forschungsprojektes stehen die Goldobjekte der Hallstatt - kultur nordwestlich der Alpen. Im Gegensatz zu fruheren Forschungsarbeiten zum fruhkeltischen Gold stehen vergleichende Studien zur stilistischen Einordnung und insbesondere zur Herstellungstechnik, erganzt durch moderne Materialanalysen der Objekte im Vordergrund. Im Rahmen der technologischen Untersuchungen konnten neue Erkenntnisse zu speziellen Techniken im Goldschmiedehandwerk der jungeren Hallstattkultur gewonnen werden. Die Methoden der Oberflachenveredelung mit Gold sind von besonderem Interesse, da sie selbst an unscheinbaren Objekten Verbindungsglieder zu anderen Kulturen aufzeigen konnen. Neben den traditionell angewandten Techniken der mechanischen Aufbringung von Blechen und Folien aus Gold, tritt in der alteren Eisenzeit die Diffusionsvergoldung von Silber als neue Technik auf, die hier an mehreren Beispielen belegt werden kann. Charakteristisch fur die Diffusion...

The presented work primarily focuses on both the damascene and patination technique which are archaeometallurgically treated within the framework of the Bronze Age north of the Alps. The aspect of patination is here perceived as a pure artificial procedure. On the one hand the investigation should reveal how damascenings were realized on bronze objects and if the observations provide evidence for clarifying the provenance of the rarely used inlay technique – a major question that is still unsolved. On the other hand authentic methods are to be examined in detail that once presumably allowed the patination of prehistoric damascened items for enhancing the weak color contrasts between base metals and inlays. First of all the study shows that metal inserts were not used frequently throughout the whole Bronze Age and in the different areas north of the Alps. There were longer gaps between the various stages of the era. In contrast platings as a special form of damascening (»surface damascening «) were applied continuously since period Montelius II, yet this decoration is only a characteristic feature for the Nordic circle that was not adopted in southern regions. Using only electron as decoration metal throughout the entire Bronze Age platings differ from damascenings with metal inlays (»inlaid damascening«) in another point that besides gold or electron they mainly availed of unalloyed copper. Later the spectrum of inlaid damascenings was enlarged by pewter, bronze, and iron. The investigation demonstrates furthermore that the cavities for inlays on most objects were already designed prior casting. However, multiple evidence is found for reworking cast grooves. Only in some cases the grooves were made exclusively by chasing or engraving. For Late Bronze Age artifacts it becomes clear on account of stylistic and technical characteristics that the metal inlay technique was practiced only by few workshops, nevertheless probably having influenced each other. Such considerations are much more difficult to proof for the Early and Middle Bronze Age as there are less damascened pieces. Yet, similar decoration patterns and techniques suggest interactions between single craftsmen or workshops. Unfortunately, the provenance of the damascene technique still remains unclear despite this new investigation. Though, it is at least unlikely that the polychrome decoration was directly adopted from Mediterranean or even Greek prototypes, but the stimulations rather have to be searched in the Carpathian region. Finally, also a selfcontained development somewhere in Central or Northern Europe cannot be completely ruled out. On the basis of patination experiments it can be shown that in fact human urine is suitable for coloration of damascened objects with copper inlays. Ideally, the medium produces purple-black patinas on unalloyed copper while the addition of elements such as tin or arsenic to copper gives somewhat lighter appearances. High concentrations of tin result in light yellow or slightly green-gray coatings. Even these colors may have been desired in prehistory on tin bronzes as they perfectly contrast with purple-blackish patinated copper inlays. The investigated method therefore emerges as a possible and formerly neglected way for patinating many damascenings of the Bronze Age north of the Alps. For this, however, some preconditions have to be fulfilled which are discussed in detail in the following work.

in: Interpretierte Eisenzeiten. Fallstudien, Metho¬den, Theorie. Tagungsbeiträge der 1. Linzer Gespräche zur interpretativen Eisenzeitarchäologie. Hrsg. Raimund Karl, Jutta Leskovar [= Studien zur Kulturgeschichte von Oberösterreich 18], Linz: Oberösterreichisches Landesmuseum 2005, 229–240

2016

Universitätsforschungen zur prähistorischen Archäologie, 2019

Several clothing fragments of leather and skin are kept in the teaching collection of the Institute of Prehistoric and Historical Archaeology, University of Vienna. Some of these prehistoric artefacts from the “Much- Collection”, which come from mining contexts, were analyzed. They include a fragment of a cap made of (presumably) sheep skin from the Iron Age salt mines of Hallstatt and fragments of leather clothing from the Late Bronze Age copper mining site Kelchalpe near Kitzbühel. In der Studiensammlung des Instituts für Urgeschichte und Historische Archäologie der Universität Wien werden mehrere Leder- und Fellobjekte aus prähistorischen Fundstellen mit montanarchäologischem Kontext – darunter Kleidungsreste – aufbewahrt. Einige der Fellfragmente der „Much-Sammlung“, die als Basis der Studiensammlung gilt, wurden untersucht. Unter den Funden aus den prähistorischen Salzbergwerken von Hallstatt sticht ein Fellkappenfragment heraus, wie es von diesem Fundort mehrfach bekannt ist. Es ist vermutlich aus Schaffell hergestellt. Zudem wird ein Lederwams vorgestellt, der von der spätbronzezeitlichen Fundstelle Kelchalpe bei Kitzbühel stammt.

2005

The region Hallstatt-Dachstein/Salzkammergut was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1997. The decision was taken in appreciation of the more than 2.500 years of history of this Austrian cultural heritage with its major archaeological and spelaeological sites, but also with due regard to the picturesque appearance of the region characterised by its variable alpine landscapes and their rare fauna and flora. By its admission of the region to its List, UNESCO recognised the salient importance and uniqueness of the Hallstatt culture and its artefacts for all of humanity. By its Convention concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage (1972) and the Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage, passed in 2003, UNESCO wishes to draw the world's attention to the cultural treasures of humankind and to call for their preservation. A part of this cultural heritage that is to be preserved for posterity is the important textile finds from the Hallstatt culture. Even though less spectacular and less well-known than the pyramids of Gizeh or the Chinese Wall, they are nevertheless of an artisanry and skilfulness that make them key witnesses of everyday life 3.000 years ago and thus equal to the monumental buildings included in the World Heritage List. The Austrian UNESCO Commission is therefore pleased to sponsor the conference of "Hallstatt Textiles" organised by the Austrian Society for Textile-Art-Research, the Vienna Museum of Natural History and the University of Applied Arts Vienna, Department of Archaeometry, and wishes the meeting much success and interesting finds.

H. Reschreiter, K. Kowarik (2015): Die prähistorischen Salzbergwerke von Hallstatt. In: Th. Stöllner, K. Oeggl (Hrsg.): Bergauf Bergab, 10.000 Jahre Bergbau in den Ostalpen, Wissenschaftlicher Begleitband zur Ausstellung im Deuschen Bergbau-Museum Bochum, Bochum, 289-296.