An article by Prof. Lech Marek and Prof. Beata Miazga has been published in the prestigious journal Antiquity, focusing on an exceptional discovery from Castle Kolno in Stare Kolnie (Opole Voivodeship, Poland).

The article describes a unique medieval item of jewellery—a silver-gilt mount set with an amethyst, probably forming part of a larger ornament. The find was recovered from moat deposits associated with the use of the northern bridge, making it an unusual object within a predominantly settlement-related archaeological context.

Artefact analysis, including XRF and SEM-EDS examinations, confirmed the high quality of craftsmanship and the luxurious character of the object. In the Middle Ages, amethyst was valued for both its aesthetic and symbolic qualities, and the find may have belonged to an individual of high social status temporarily present at the castle. The object is dated to the second half of the thirteenth century.

We invite you to read the full article.