Apgalvis iš Bandužių kapinyno : tyrimai, konservavimas ir restauravimas
LTReikšminiai žodžiai: Antgalvis; Apgalvis; Archeologiniai radiniai; Bandužių kapinynas; Kapai; Konservavimas; Lietuvos istorija; Restauracija; Restauravimas; Tyrimai; Archaeological find; Bandužiai; Burial Ground; Conservation; Examination; Graves; Headband; Lithuanian history; Restoration.
ENBandužiai burial ground (Klaipėda district) covers the area of around 2 hectares. This burial ground was discovered before the World War II - in 1935 an exploratory research was carried out (under the guidance of senior lecturer E. Nauburys) and in 1974 the exploratory expedition was conducted (under the guidance of Dr L. Vaitkunskienė). Systematic exploration of the burial ground was launched in 1985 and executed until 1989. The head of the exploration was archaeologist Dr J. Stankus. During the excavation of Bandužiai burial ground, an area of 3361 square meters was explored and 90 cremated graves were found, dating back to the 1st-8th centuries. Besides, 879 iron and copper finds were also found in the excavated area of the burial ground. In 1986 during the excavation of grave No 43A (at the depth of 45cm) an extremely rare archaeological find was found - a headband made of glass beads. Such headbands have previously been found in various Curonian burial grounds, which date back to the 9th-10th centuries. The headband found in Bandužiai burial ground for many years has been kept unconserved in the History Museum of Lithuania Minor and only in 2005 it was taken to Pranas Gudynas Restoration Centre (The Lithuanian Art Museum) for restoration. When the headband was delivered to Pranas Gudynas Restoration Centre, it was severely worn and damaged.The headband consisted of jade and white coloured beads swung on copper alloy wires, divided into six segments. Due to the fact that the wires that hold the beads together were broken and most of the beads were spilled, it was decided to dismantle the broken segments of the headband, to examine all the materials and to restore and conserve the find. After dismantling the headband, microscopic and spectral analysis of the coloured beads was carried out and the beads were also examined at 800 C. After such examination, which was conducted by restoration technologist Jurga Bagdzevičienė, it became evident that the beads were made of glass. The quantitative and qualitative composition of the beads was determined by the atomic absorption analysis, which was carried out by Dr Marija Jakubėnienė. The author of the article notes that during the process of restoration the restorer has a unique chance to analyse the design and structure of the artefact in order to decide whether it fits its purpose given by the archaeologists. During the restoration of the headband found in Bandužiai burial ground, some queries arose regarding its true purpose. According to Dr A. Bliujienė, the design of a headband can be very similar to that of a collar or a necklace, thus it is often very hard to distinguish one from another. [From the publication]
