Detail of the bowl. Image: Restaura, Haelen
Posted on 12/19/2014 11:29:59 PM PST by SunkenCiv
On an excavation site in Oegstgeest (South Holland), Leiden University archaeologists discovered a silver bowl dating to the first half of the seventh century. The bowl is decorated with gold-plated representations of animals and plants and inlaid with semi-precious stones. The discovery suggests the existence of an Oegstgeest elite with a wide international network.
Researchers believe that the bowl, which is 21 centimetres wide and 11 centimetres high, was buried as part of a ritual sacrifice. Such gilded discoveries are extremely rare. This one is exceptional because such bowls were usually made of bronze and were not, as a rule, lavishly decorated with gold leaf, making this is a unique artefact for the whole of Western Europe. Until the discovery of this bowl there were no indications of the presence of a local or regional elite on the Oegstgeest settlement.
The bowl, which may have been used as a drinking vessel or washbasin, is composed of a number of elements dating from different periods. The oldest element, the bowl itself, probably dates from the Late Roman Empire and the figures seem to indicate that the bowl originated in the Eastern Mediterranean or the Middle East. The other decorations date from the first half of the seventh century and show signs of German cultural influences, while the bowl’s suspension rings are characteristic of England and Scandinavia. Together, these elements symbolise the international position of the Netherlands fifteen hundred years ago.
(Excerpt) Read more at pasthorizonspr.com ...
Detail of the bowl. Image: Restaura, Haelen
Interesting. Some sort of regional mercantile power had a silver bowl dating from the era of Mediterranean-wide trade, and gussied it up with their Dark Ages wealth. The gold ornamentation shows skill, but not design elegance.
“What can we make with the gold?” “Um ... circles!”
Hey, I know some people from Oegstgeest! Leiden is just a little ways from there. Of course, if you’ve been to the Netherlands you’ll know that most places inside the country aren’t far from each other. We had a Dutch exchange student when I was a kid and it blew her mind when we took her to Michigans upper peninsula from the metro Detroit area (6+ hour drive) and at the end of it she was amazed we were still in Michigan. I told her you should see some of our other states, like Texas.
CC
I *knew* I misplaced that somewhere!
LOL!
She probably enjoyed seeing landscape that wasn’t polder-flat, as well. :’)
We all love Altariel, but, hey butterfingers.
Yeah, past Standish it gets a little hilly. We took her through New Englan too, Via the Poconos. she liked that too.
CC
> past Standish it gets a little hilly
Of course, that’s ironic, since a Dutch speaker would beklimming.
Um, you lost me with that one.
Yeah, that sounds pretty Dutch.
Every year, at about this time, all the little Dutch children leave their wooden shoes out by the fireplace so Santa Claus can come along and fill them with Odor Eaters.
The Dutch are a very practical people.
“Leave ze candy for the Belgians. Ve vant good personal hygiene.”
:)
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