Treasure of Nagyszentmiklós: Difference between revisions
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[[File:Emesesdreemhungary.JPG|thumb|right|The treasure of Nagyszentmiklós illustrating the [[High Prince Álmos|Álmos]] legend from the [[Hungarian mythology]]: [[Emese]]'s dream of the [[Turul]] bird]] |
[[File:Emesesdreemhungary.JPG|thumb|right|The treasure of Nagyszentmiklós illustrating the [[High Prince Álmos|Álmos]] legend from the [[Hungarian mythology]]: [[Emese]]'s dream of the [[Turul]] bird]] |
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[[File:KHM Wien VIIIb 11 - Bull's head bowl, Treasure of Nagyszentmiklós.jpg|thumb|A bull's head bowl from the treasure.]] |
[[File:KHM Wien VIIIb 11 - Bull's head bowl, Treasure of Nagyszentmiklós.jpg|thumb|A bull's head bowl from the treasure.]] |
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== Inscriptions == |
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On one of the vessels in the hoard there is an inscription written in the [[Greek alphabet]] which reads: |
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:BOYHΛA.ZOAΠAN.TECH.ΔYΓΕTOIΓH.BOYTAOYΛ.ZΩAΠAN.TAΓPOΓH.HTZIΓH.TAICH |
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::(Transliteration: ''bouēla zoapan tesē dygetoigé boutaoul zōapan tagrogē ētzigē taisē''<ref>Francis Dvornik, "Deux inscriptions gréco-bulgares de Philippes", ''Bulletin de correspondance hellénique'', 1928 Vol. 52 no. 52, pp. 125-147 [http://www.persee.fr/web/revues/home/prescript/article/bch_0007-4217_1928_num_52_1_2919], accessed Oct. 10, 2011</ref>. |
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The language of the inscription is probably a [[Turkic language]]. While there is no consensus as to the meaning of the inscription, there is general agreement that Butaul and Buyla are Turkic names or titles, and that they are associated with the title of ''župan''. There is another inscription in Greek and several other very short inscriptions in a [[Old Turkic alphabet|runiform script]] and also likely to be in a Turkic language, but these are very brief and also have not been deciphered.<ref>András Róna-Tas, ''Hungarians and Europe in the early Middle Ages'' (Central European University Press, 1999; ISBN 9639116483), pp. [http://books.google.com/books?id=I-RTt0Q6AcYC&pg=PA131#v=onepage&q&f=false 131-132]</ref> |
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The treasure, consisting of twenty-three gold vessels and variously dated from the 6th to the 10th century, was found in 1799 in the vicinity of Sânnicolau Mare. The figure of the "victorious Prince" dragging a prisoner along by his hair (see figure on the right), and the mythological scene at the back of the golden jar, as well as the design of other ornamental objects, show close affinities with finds at [[Novi Pazar]], [[Bulgaria]] and at [[Sarkel]], [[Russia]]. Stylistically, [[Central Asia]]n, [[Persian-Sassanid art patterns|Persian-Sassanid]] and [[Byzantine Art|Byzantine]] influences are predominant.<ref>László Gy., Rácz I. (1986): ''A Nagyszentmiklósi kincs'' [[Treasure of Nagyszentmiklos]]. Helikon, Budapest</ref> |
The treasure, consisting of twenty-three gold vessels and variously dated from the 6th to the 10th century, was found in 1799 in the vicinity of Sânnicolau Mare. The figure of the "victorious Prince" dragging a prisoner along by his hair (see figure on the right), and the mythological scene at the back of the golden jar, as well as the design of other ornamental objects, show close affinities with finds at [[Novi Pazar]], [[Bulgaria]] and at [[Sarkel]], [[Russia]]. Stylistically, [[Central Asia]]n, [[Persian-Sassanid art patterns|Persian-Sassanid]] and [[Byzantine Art|Byzantine]] influences are predominant.<ref>László Gy., Rácz I. (1986): ''A Nagyszentmiklósi kincs'' [[Treasure of Nagyszentmiklos]]. Helikon, Budapest</ref> |
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Revision as of 19:18, 10 October 2011
The Treasure of Nagyszentmiklós (also called the Treasure of Sânnicolau Mare) is a valuable collection of twenty-three early medieval gold vessels, found in 1799 in Nagyszentmiklós, Kingdom of Hungary in the Habsburg Empire (now Sânnicolau Mare in Timiş County in western Romania).[1] The treasure was soon transferred to Vienna, the capital of the empire, where it has been ever since. Recently, Romania have issued requests to the Austrian government for its "repatriation".[2][3]
Description
Inscriptions
On one of the vessels in the hoard there is an inscription written in the Greek alphabet which reads:
- BOYHΛA.ZOAΠAN.TECH.ΔYΓΕTOIΓH.BOYTAOYΛ.ZΩAΠAN.TAΓPOΓH.HTZIΓH.TAICH
- (Transliteration: bouēla zoapan tesē dygetoigé boutaoul zōapan tagrogē ētzigē taisē[5].
The language of the inscription is probably a Turkic language. While there is no consensus as to the meaning of the inscription, there is general agreement that Butaul and Buyla are Turkic names or titles, and that they are associated with the title of župan. There is another inscription in Greek and several other very short inscriptions in a runiform script and also likely to be in a Turkic language, but these are very brief and also have not been deciphered.[6]
The treasure, consisting of twenty-three gold vessels and variously dated from the 6th to the 10th century, was found in 1799 in the vicinity of Sânnicolau Mare. The figure of the "victorious Prince" dragging a prisoner along by his hair (see figure on the right), and the mythological scene at the back of the golden jar, as well as the design of other ornamental objects, show close affinities with finds at Novi Pazar, Bulgaria and at Sarkel, Russia. Stylistically, Central Asian, Persian-Sassanid and Byzantine influences are predominant.[7]
Connections
Avars
Scholars have connected the treasure with the Avar khaganate.[8][9] The newest researches show direct connections to Avar origin.
Magyar and Bulgar
As noted above, close affinities have been recognized between the Nagyszentmiklós material and that found at Novi Pazar and in Khazar. Archaeologists in both Hungary and Bulgaria consider these affinities to support theories of ancient migration between regions. Both were allied with Khazars for a period. The treasure gives some idea of the arts practised within the First Bulgarian Empire, Magyar/Hungarian and Khazar empires. According to professor Nykola Mavrodinov (based on Vilhelm Thomsen), the script on vessel number 21 is in Bulgar, written with Greek letters, surrounding a cross, and reads, “Boyla Zoapan made this vessel. Butaul Zoapan intended it for drinking.” .[10]
Khazar
One school of Hungarian archaeologists maintains that the tenth-century gold and silversmiths working in Hungary were Khazars.[11] When Magyars migrated to Pannonia in 896, some Khazar tribes, known as the Khavars, came with them to their new homes. The Khavars were skilled gold and silversmiths.
Persian
Khazar art is believed to be modelled on Persian-Sassanide art patterns. The Soviet archaeologist O. H. Bader emphasized the role of the Khazars in the spread of Persian-style silver-ware towards the north.[12] Some of these works may have been re-exported by the Khazars, true to their role as middlemen; others were imitations made in Khazar workshops - the ruins of which have been traced to near the ancient Khazar fortress of Sarkel. The Swedish archaeologist T. J. Arne mentions ornamental plates, clasps and buckles found as far as Sweden, of Sassanide and Byzantine inspiration, manufactured in Khazaria or territories under their influence.[13] Thus, the Khazars, Magyars and Bulgars could have been intermediaries in the spreading of Persian-Sassanide art in Eastern Europe.[14]
Central Asian
Several elements of the Treasure of Nagyszentmiklos have Central Asian counterparts. One is the scene of the divine Garuda bird's lifting up a human body. This motif can be found all over Central Asia, India and Siberia. The motif of an animal drinking from the cup also occurs throughout Eurasia from China, through Siberia, to Hungary. The image of the nautilus shell in the set may relate to India, where the animal is native to the Indian Ocean. This relation goes back to the Hephthalites, the white Huns who ruled during the fourth and fifth centuries in Gujarat, Rajastan.[15]
See also
- Kunsthistorisches Museum
- National Historical Museum (Bulgaria)
- Persian-Sassanide art patterns
- Toreutics
- History of decorative arts
- Sânnicolau Mare
- Scythian art
References
- ^ Official description at Kunsthistorisches Museum Vienna
- ^ Banatenii spera sa recupereze Tezaurul de la Sannicolau. Retrieved September 02, 2008.
- ^ Comorile Banatului se intorc acasa. Retrieved September 02, 2008
- ^ ЗЛАТНОТО СЪКРОВИЩЕ НА БЪЛГАРСКИТЕ KАНОВЕ - анотация на проф. Иван Добрев. Военна Академия "Г. С. Раковски", София.
- ^ Francis Dvornik, "Deux inscriptions gréco-bulgares de Philippes", Bulletin de correspondance hellénique, 1928 Vol. 52 no. 52, pp. 125-147 [1], accessed Oct. 10, 2011
- ^ András Róna-Tas, Hungarians and Europe in the early Middle Ages (Central European University Press, 1999; ISBN 9639116483), pp. 131-132
- ^ László Gy., Rácz I. (1986): A Nagyszentmiklósi kincs Treasure of Nagyszentmiklos. Helikon, Budapest
- ^ Avar goldsmiths’ work from the perspective of cultural history. In: C Entwistle, N Adams, Byzantine goldsmithwork. London: British Museum Press, 2009. p. 62.
- ^ A short essay on the Nagyszentmiklós treasure. in: The Gold of the Avars. The Nagyszentmiklós Treasure. General editor: T. Kovács. Budapest 2002, 57-80.
- ^ László Gy., Rácz I. (1986): A Nagyszentmiklósi kincs (Treasure of Nagyszentmiklos). Helikon, Budapest
- ^ Dunlop, D. M., "Khazars", in Enc. Judaica, 1971-2 printing.
- ^ Bader, O. H., Studies of the Kama Archaeological Expedition (in Russian, Kharkov, 1953)
- ^ Arne, T. J., "La Su de et l'Orient", Archives d'Études Orientales, 8º. v.8, Upsala, 1914.
- ^ Bálint Cs. (2004): A nagyszentmiklósi kincs. (Treasure of Nagyszentmiklos). Varia Archaeologica Hungarica c. series, XVIa, Budapest
- ^ Bálint Cs. (2000): "Der Schatz von Nagyszentmiklós in der Bulgarischen Archäologischen Forschung", in Acta Archaeologica Academiae Hungaricae, 51. 1999/2000. 1-4. 429-438