Early metallurgy north of Danube: A necklace from a Boian–Vidra grave discovered at Glina–La Nuci
Early metallurgy north of Danube: A necklace from a Boian–Vidra grave discovered at Glina–La Nuci

Summary/Abstract: In the old collections belonging to the National Museum of Antiquities (“Vasile Pârvan” Institute of Archaeology) some interesting artefacts were found (shell, rock and copper beads). They belong to a necklace discovered in a Boian-Vidra grave at Glina-La Nuci (Ilfov County) in 1946. Similar items found in funerary contexts at the Lower Danube are discussed (Andolina, Cernica, Popești-Vasilați, Sultana-Valea Orbului). The Vidra phase of Boian culture has only a few radiocarbon dates until now, and corroborating other data (“imports”, indirect links, stratigraphy) we can state its existence around 5000 cal BC, a period of remarkable changes at the Lower Danube, such as the transition to tell settlements or the rise of metallurgy. The combination of shell and copper beads is rather rare at the Lower Danube in the first half of the 5th millennium BC, sometimes instead of copper other materials being used (e.g. malachite). The fact that our necklace was discovered as an inventory of a child grave raises the question of the status of so-called children (anthropologically speaking) in ancient societies. The XRF analysis proved that the copper sheets utilised to make beads were very pure (over 99%), which leads us to the conclusion that the ancient metallurgist used copper nuggets. Also, the 158 pieces of the necklace showed a variety of raw materials used (Spondylus & Dentalium shells, copper, limonite, marl and limestone) and high technological skills (melting/cold hammering and bending copper, cutting and abrasion of shells).

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