Egy 17. századi főúri hölgy sírjából előkerült viseletmaradványok készítéstechnikai bemutatása
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.63396/083332jkiawwAbsztrakt
The production techniques of the clothing remains found in the grave of a 17th-century noble lady
A wooden coffin with the remains of a noble lady was discovered during a rescue excavation in the Benedictine Church of Our Lady (Sopron, Hungary, built from 1280) in 2010. Her identity is yet to be established. The exact date of burial also remains unknown, but
it must have taken place before 1650 because a crypt was built above the grave at that time. Judging from the burial site and the richness of her garments, she must have been a member of the aristocracy. The cut of her clothes suggests that they were made at the
end of the 16th or the beginning of the 17th century.
The grave is special in several ways. Compared to coeval burials, it contained a surprisingly large number of clothing items, most of which stand out among the 17th-century historical and archaeological artefacts in Hungarian collections due to their tailoring, sophisticated workmanship, and rich decoration. The finds made with different techniques include textile, fur, and leather fragments, as well as precious metal artefacts and components. The textiles recovered from the coffin underwent rescue treatment at the National Centre for Conservation and Conservation Training (HNM) in 2010.
The conservation of the poorly preserved fabrics and their ornaments was preceded by a comprehensive examination of the finds aimed at identifying the materials and techniques used in their manufacture. The preliminary study outlined the working process and aided in the choice of appropriate materials and techniques for conservation.
In an attempt to identify the materials and production techniques, an analysis was performed on the fragments, the results of which were completed with data from contemporary descriptions and representations. The analysis did not provide clear answers to all questions but, based on the assessment of the relationships between the findings, the authors believe that first, a long winter dress lined with fur and embellished with trimmings was laid on the bottom of the coffin. An embroidered pillow with vegetal stuffing was
placed on top of it, and the head of the deceased rested on that. Clothing and embroidery fragments of unknown provenance were found under the body. The dress of the noble lady consisted of a Hungarian-style undergarment and a garment in Spanish fashion, with a gilded silver decorative belt on the waist, a headdress on the head, and leather shoes on the feet. Before the closing the coffin, the mourners had placed a folded, Spanish-style round cape on top of the dressed body.