Researchers from the Institute of Archaeology at the University of Wroclaw have unearthed a jewel “worthy of a duke” at Castle Kolno, located between the Stobrawa and Budkowiczanka rivers in Stare Kolnie, Poland.
Castle Kolno was founded in the 13th century to serve as both a border fortification and a customs point for river trade in the Duchy of Brzeg.
By the 15th century the castle’s strategic importance had waned, and it was ultimately destroyed by fire during regional conflicts. Never rebuilt, its surviving masonry and architectural elements were later quarried in the 18th century for use as building material elsewhere.
Recent excavations in the castle’s moat have unearthed a rare jewel described as “worthy of a duke” – a silver-gilt amethyst setting, probably part of a brooch or a larger ornament, typical of elite jewellery from the 13th century across Europe.
A study published in the journal Antiquity revealed the craftsmanship of the setting: XRF (X-ray fluorescence) and SEM-EDS (scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersive spectroscopy) identified that the silver was fire-gilded, evidenced by significant mercury traces.
The gem itself is an amethyst cabochon set in a cone-shaped claw mount, encircled by openwork rays or petal-shaped motifs. “According to medieval folklore, the amethyst guarded against intoxication and venom, representing faith, modesty and martyrdom. It was supposed to provide protection from gout, bad dreams, treason, deceit, captivity, blindness, enchantment and strangulation.” Said the study authors.
The discovery at Castle Kolno offers a fresh window into the mobility of high-quality artefacts and the interactions of elite culture with more ordinary contexts. The authors suggest that the gem‐setting may have been lost by a traveller passing through the castle’s crossing, perhaps on way to or from the ducal customs house that the fortress originally guarded.
Header Image Credit : N. Lenkow & L. Marek
Sources : Antiquity – DOI: https://doi.org/10.15184/aqy.2025.10097
