19. 09. 2023 The first phase of analyses begins – golden spherical buttons on stage

The long-term process of exact analyses and conservation-restoration treatment of artifacts is divided into individual phases. Each phase includes objects of the same type and basic material composition. First up are the spherical buttons (gombíky) made of gold. Spherical buttons are unique adornments made from hammered sheet metal , composed of two hemispheres soldered together and decorated with ornaments or filigree and granulation. They are typical for 9th-century Moravia, where their largest concentration has been found. They were fastened to garments at the neckline and served to represent members of the highest elite – especially the golden examples that are the focus of the first phase of our research. A total of 20 golden spherical buttons have been discovered in graves in Mikulčice, with the same number found in graves in the Staré Město – Uherské Hradiště agglomeration. We look forward to working with these extraordinary finds – you’ll be able to follow the results in the Jewellery Gallery on this website.