An astonishing 600-year-old amethyst ornament has been unearthed from the moat of a medieval castle in Poland. The piece of jewellery, thought to have been owned by a medieval noble, was made from fire-gilded silver. Lech Marek, archaeologist at the University of Wrocław, revealed that he and his team initiated archaeological excavations at the Castle Kolno site in 2010.
He told Live Science: “I believe the item was originally part of a brooch or, less likely, a coronet or a crown, which makes it so unique in a medieval settlement context.” Established in the early 1200s, the castle served as a home for dukes and a toll station for timber consignments. It was razed and ruined in 1442 amidst the civil wars in Silesia.
Duke Bolesław III of Brzeg initially owned the fortress, before it was transferred to wealthy knights.
During their investigations, Marek and the team discovered artefacts dating back to the 1300s and 1400s, including weapons, horse-riding gear, and pottery typical of the period.
To confirm the gemstone as an amethyst, researchers used Raman spectroscopy, a technique involving laser light to identify molecular structures.
X-ray fluorescence testing revealed that the metalwork was composed of silver treated with fire-gilding, a process requiring significant amounts of mercury to expose the metalwork.
Marek explained: “Because of their symbolic meaning, availability and aesthetic qualities, amethysts were popular in the medieval period.
“In the sophisticated medieval play of symbols, the choice of gems for jewellery always had a deeper reason. If a jewel was believed to be charged with supernatural powers, its value increased rapidly.”
It was believed that amethysts could protect against intoxication, poison, nightmares, betrayal, deception, imprisonment, loss of sight, witchcraft, and suffocation.
The identity of who owned the gem owner remains a mystery, though they were of noble status. The amethyst appears to have been lost during routine travel.