St Petersburg University researchers determine what the belt buckles of the ancient Xiongnu people were decorated with
Restorers from St Petersburg University together with their colleagues from the Institute for the History of Material Culture of the Russian Academy of Sciences and the State Hermitage Museum have analysed artefacts of the Xiongnu people who lived before the 1st century A.D. The belt buckles found in the Republic of Tyva turned out to have been crafted of boghead coal and inlaid with mother-of-pearl, carnelian, turquoise and fuchsite.
The ancient Xiongnu nomads lived in the 3rd century B.C. — 1st century A.D. in the territories bordering northern China. The Great Wall of China is believed to have been built for defence against their raids. We know about the Xiongnu people from ancient Chinese sources and from archaeological finds. The expedition of the Institute for the History of Material Culture of the Russian Academy of Sciences led by Marina Kilunovskaya and Pavel Leus carried out archaeological excavations in the Republic of Tyva and found Xiongnu culture artefacts.
The research findings are published in the Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports.
The researchers describe the finds as large and beautiful black jet belt buckles inlaid with various brightly coloured minerals. Several finds of analogous buckles have been previously reported in research publications, usually described as being made of: shale torbanite; coal; resin; jet; and even rhino horn. It is impossible, however, to accurately determine what the buckles were made of without additional laboratory studies using precise research methods. It is especially important for restorers to identify the material, because when the artefacts are removed from the ground, they require different approaches to conservation and different conditions for further storage in museum collections.
The conducted laboratory studies enabled the researchers to identify what materials the artefact was made of, despite the fact that the object is highly degraded, as is often the case with archaeological finds.
Nikolai Kurganov, a co-author of the study, Assistant Professor in the Department of Restoration at St Petersburg University, Director of the Centre for the Study, Preservation, Restoration and Update of Cultural Heritage Objects at St Petersburg University.
‘Thus, for example, the presence of the mineral aragonite provided an indication that the white inlay could have been made of mother-of-pearl. The black buckle plaque is made of boghead-type fossil coal, while the white, red and blue inlays are made of mother-of-pearl, carnelian of different shades, turquoise and fuchsite,’ noted Nikolai Kurganov, a co-author of the study, Assistant Professor in the Department of Restoration at St Petersburg University, Director of the Centre for the Study, Preservation, Restoration and Update of Cultural Heritage Objects at St Petersburg University.
According to the researchers, boghead coal is a material that is especially responsive to humidity changes due to its high organic content. When archaeologists excavate such objects from the ground, it is therefore recommended to be extremely careful about controlling the relative humidity because the objects can deform by absorbing moisture from the air or by drying out excessively. It is also important to take into account that boghead coal is rich in bitumen. Hence, when choosing any conservation treatment, it is important to keep in mind that some solvents can soften or even partially dissolve the resin.
The laboratory studies were carried out at the resource centre "Centre for Optical and Laser Materials Research" at the St Petersburg University Research Park by a group of experts: Evgenii Borisov, Dmitri Pankin, and Anastasia Povolotckaia.
Thanks to the collaboration between the experts from the Institute for the History of Material Culture of the Russian Academy of Sciences, the State Hermitage Museum and the St Petersburg University Research Park, the buckles were studied using non-destructive research methods: optical microscopy; Raman spectroscopy; Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy; X-ray phase analysis; scanning electron microscopy; and X-ray microanalysis. These allowed for measurements to be made without sampling and damaging the surface of the ancient artefacts.
The Centre for the Study, Preservation, Restoration and Update of Cultural Heritage Objects was established at St Petersburg University in 2022. St Petersburg University restorers help in the preservation of cultural heritage. In particular, the researchers were able to discover the original painting in the green drawing room at the Vladimir Nabokov Museum of St Petersburg University.
St Petersburg University, the oldest university in Russia was founded on 28 January (8 February) 1724. This is the day when Peter the Great issued a decree establishing the University and the Russian Academy of Sciences. Today, St Petersburg University is an internationally recognised centre for education, research and culture. In 2024, St Petersburg University will celebrate its 300th anniversary.
The plan of events during the celebration of the anniversary of the University was approved at the meeting of the Organising Committee for the celebration of St Petersburg University’s 300th anniversary. The meeting was chaired by Dmitry Chernyshenko, Deputy Prime Minister of the Russian Federation. Among the events are: the naming of a minor planet in honour of St Petersburg University; the issuance of bank cards with a special design; the creation of postage stamps dedicated to the history of the oldest university in Russia; and the branding of the aircraft of the Rossiya Airlines to name just a few. Additionally, the University has launched a website dedicated to the upcoming holiday. The website contains information about outstanding University staff, students, and alumni; scientific achievements; and details of preparations for the anniversary.