Conservation around the Millennium (Hungarian National Museum, 2001)
Pages - 74
2. Enlarged detail of the large strap end from Grave 1315 the handling of tools corresponding to the facts and it provides a better possibility for observation. Both objects are typical decoration elements of straps belonging to clothes appeared in the last third of the 7th century. CHARACTERISTIC FEATURES OF THE OBJECTS The raw material of the great strap end found in grave 1315 is bronze, its surface is decorated, silver-coloured and metal-coated and in some places products of active corrosion or in other places corrosion of unusual colour can be detected. This fact attracted my attention. Besides the undesirable product of active corrosion (I don’t want to detail it here as it is discussed in numerous works elswhere). I presumed to detect the outward form of noble patina on some places of the strap end. After carrying out a more thorough microscopic test it turned out that this cover of noble patina nature was to be found in definite, properly separated places in the wedge-shaped engravings used for decoration of strap ends. The regular inlaying of these channels makes the pattern plastic and decorative. I found these inlays in an astonishing good status and by loosening them a little bit I felt this surface wax and resin-covered. I have experienced this waxy and resinous cover in the inner part of the strap ends for more years, together with other restorers working on such materials,. As far as I know no tests have been performed to determine this material so far. Objects from the 7th century with similar technique of decoration were presented in earlier publications however the wax inlay technique was not noticed. In the course of the microscopic test I also took notice of another phenomenon. It is a method of decoration by scratching. It can be found in the decoration of both the great and the small strap ends. 74
