Svetlana I. Valiulina^a,#, Olga S. Rumyantseva^b,##, Ekaterina S. Vaschenkova^c,###, Pavel A. Volkov^c,####, Artem M. Ismagulov^c,#####, Anastasia N. Mandrykina^c,######, Vasily M. Retivov^c,#######, Anton G. Kulikov^d,########, Elena Yu. Tereschenko^e,#########, and Ekaterina B. Yatsishina^c,##########

^a Kazan Federal University, Kazan, Russia
^b Institute of Archaeology RAS, Moscow, Russia
^c Kurchatov Institute National Research Centre and Kurchatov Institute–IREA, Moscow, Russia
^d Shubnikov Institute of Crystallography at Federal Research Centre of Crystallography and Photonics RAS, Moscow, Russia
^e Federal Research Centre of Crystallography and Photonics RAS, Kurchatov Institute National Research Centre, Kurchatov Institute–IREA, Moscow, Russia

^#E-mail: svaliulina@inbox.ru
^##E-mail: o.roumiantseva@mail.ru
^###E-mail: e_katerina2708@mail.ru
^####E-mail: volkov.pavel.msu@yandex.ru
^#####E-mail: ismagulov.art@mail.ru
^######E-mail: mandrykina_av@mail.ru
^#######E-mail: vasilii_retivov@mail.ru
^########E-mail: ontonic@gmail.com
^#########E-mail: elenatereschenko@yandex.ru
^##########E-mail: yacekaterina@yandex.ru

Keywords: Veliky Novgorod, 13th century, cloisonne enamel, electron microscopy, X-ray fluorescence mapping, atomic emission spectroscopy, chemical composition, technology, Byzantium.

The article analyzes an inset made in the technique of cloisonne enamel on a gold pendant of the early 13^th century from Veliky Novgorod. The enamel compositions were analyzed by scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersive X-ray microanalysis and laser ablation inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry. The technology and composition of red enamel correspond to the Byzantine artisan tradition. Enamels of white, blue and turquoise colours have a composition typical of Roman soda glass and contain antimony used in glass manufacturing till the 4th century BC. This makes it possible to conclude that Roman tesserae were reused as a raw material for them – a practice attested in European enamel industry until the late 12th – early 13th century. Three options of the origin of the object can be assumed. First, the pendant with the enamel inset is a Byzantine import. Second, the enamel inset could be made in a Byzantine workshop and later brought to Russia, where it adorned a locally made gold cross. Third, the inset together with the whole object was made by Greek craftsmen in one of the Rus towns. In any case, imported (probably Byzantine) enamel was used in manufacturing the object under analysis.

DOI: 10.31857/S0869606322030175