Good things come to those who wait, but also to those who patiently search for them and so it was the case that, in 2021, a Dutch historian found a medieval treasure using a metal detector.
Lorenzo Ruijter discovered the 1,000-year-old treasure in the small northern city of Hoogwoud, in The Netherlands. The bounty included four golden earring pendants in the shape of a crescent moon, two strips of gold leaf and 39 silver coins, small pennies from Holland, Guelders and Cleves, the Diocese of Utrecht, and the German Empire. Textile traces on the coins suggested they were originally buried in a bag or wrapped in cloth.
While the coins date from 1200 to 1248, the jewelry, a prized heirloom collection, was already 200 years old when it was buried with the coins. Golden jewelry from the High Middle Ages is extremely rare in the Netherlands, so the discovery was surprising and archaeologically significant.
According to museum researchers, the objects were buried by their owner hoping to protect them since there was a war raging between the Dutch regions West Friesland and Holland in the middle of the 13th century, with Hoogwoud being the epicenter (William II of Holland died in Hoogwoud in 1256).
The discovery was kept secret till March this year as the Rijksmuseum van Oudheden (National Museum of Antiquities) had to clean, research and date the objects.
The four earrings from the 11th century are particularly beautiful: two of the four pendants have intricate filigree decoration; the other two are engraved with decorative scenes.
The earring pendants are rather large and decorated on one side and have fragile suspension brackets, which meant they were not pierced through the ears but rather worn on a hood or a headband (pael). One of the pendants depicts a man's head surrounded by sunlight rays, which has been interpreted as a portrait of "Sol Invictus" (the "Unconquered Sun").
Given its archaeological significance, the treasure (that remains in the official property of the finder) was given as a loan to the Rijksmuseum van Oudheden where the pieces are on display until mid-June.
This is already an interesting narrative for a fashion collection – an unearthed lost treasure, the story of the people who owned these pieces, and the reasons why they buried these objects.
But the discovery ties in with another exhibition about the Middle Ages at the Fries Museum, in Leeuwarden, entitled "Freedom, Feuds & Purgatory: The Middle Ages in the North" (running until 7th May), that offers further inspirations.
Characterised by an interdisciplinary approach combining together archaeology, landscape, anthropology, architecture and history, the exhibition is a reconstruction of Friesland during the Middle Ages.
At that time, Friesland (Tota Frisia) extended from the present province of Friesland to the Weser River in Ostfriesland, Germany.
Unlike elsewhere in Europe, the Frisians governed themselves, elected their own judges, spoke their own language and had their own distinctive clothing style.
Though compact, the exhibition pays particular attention to women's costumes and body adornment and presents new insights about Frisian attire, showing that, at the time, people who had power flaunted their wealth and dressed in extravagantly rich styles.
The exhibition also includes the 16th century Manningahuisboek (1561) that features beautiful drawings of Frisian nobles in traditional costume with drawings of accessories as well, reminiscent of the jewelry pieces found in Hoogwoud.
The drawings portraying the attire of noble women are particularly beautiful as they show rich costumes in burnt red covered in intricate gold jewelry. As you may imagine, the final ensembles were extremely heavy and it was difficult to sit or stand while wearing them.
The book resembles a fashion designer's notebook or collection lookbook as it features meticulously detailed illustrations that provide us with wonderful insights on the fashion of those times in the region, reminding us that new fashion narratives can be found in the past and, in particular, in an archaeological discovery.
Image credits for this post
1. The objects found in Hoogwoud. Photo © Archeology West-Friesland/Fleur Schinning
2. Two gold earrings with engraved decoration, 1000-1050 AD. Photo © Archeology West-Friesland/Fleur Schinning
3. Detail of gold earrings with engraved decoration, "Sol invictus", 1000-1050 AD. Photo © Archeology West-Friesland/Fleur Schinning
4. Detail of gold earrings with filigree decoration, 1000-1050 AD. Photo © Archeology West-Friesland/Fleur Schinning
5. Reconstruction on model, gold earring worn on a headband. Photo © Archeology West-Friesland/Fleur Schinning
6. Map of Friesland, Groningen, and Ostfriesland, 1605, copper engraving, A. Ortelius, Fries Museum, Leeuwarden
7. Gold items from the monastery Barthe (Ostfriesland), 1300-1550, Ostfriesian Landschaft, Aurich
8. Fibula with moonstone, 12th century, from Heveskes (Groningen province), Groninger Museum Collection
9. Golden ring with a sapphire in soldered claw mount, 1300-1500, gold, Fries Museum, Leeuwarden, Collection Royal Fries Society
10 -14. Figures from the Manningahuisboek, showing richly dressed women from Osfriesland, circa 1571. The large breast armour, the round side shields and the golden necklace were collectively called "esschart". Private collection.
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