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ISSN 1063-7745, Crystallography Reports, 2020, Vol. 65, No. 6, pp. 1073–1080. © Pleiades Publishing, Inc., 2020.
Study of Medieval Russian Enamel Pendant Using a Complex
of Nondestructive Methods
E. S. Kovalenko
a
, M. M. Murashev
a
, E. K. Stolyarova
b
, K. M. Podurets
a,
*, V. P. Glazkov
a
,
N. N. Presnyakova
a
, P. A. Borisova
a
, R. D. Svetogorov
a
, A. A. Gogin
a
, E. A. Greshnikov
a
,
I. E. Zaytseva
c
, and E. B. Yatsishina
a
a
National Research Centre “Kurchatov Institute,” Moscow, 123182 Russia
b
Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow, 119992 Russia
c
Institute of Archaeology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, 117036 Russia
*e-mail: Podurets_KM@nrcki.ru
Received April 28, 2020; revised June 9, 2020; accepted June 29, 2020
Abstract—A medieval Russian bronze pendant icon with enamel images, dated to the period from the 12th to
the first half of the 13th century was studied. The investigation was performed using neutron and synchrotron
tomography, X-ray fluorescence analysis, and neutron and synchrotron X-ray diffraction analysis. The prod-
uct was found to have no strips dividing enamels of different colors, whereas strip fragments were revealed
deep in the enamel layer. The pendant fabrication technology has been reconstructed.
DOI: 10.1134/S106377452006019X
INTRODUCTION
A bronze icon-pendant decorated with enamel
images on both sides (Fig. 1) was found in 2018 in the
topsoil of the rural site Semenovskoye-Sovetskoye 3,
located 20 km away from Suzdal, during excavations
performed by the Suzdal expedition of the Institute of
Archaeology of the Russian Academy of Sciences (IA RAS)
under the guidance of N.A. Makarov. The finding
dates back to the 12th–the first half of the 13th cen-
tury [1].
The pendant has a quadrifoliate shape, being a
combination of a square and four leaves at the square
sides. The pendant base is metallic; it forms a border
along the perimeter of the square and quadrifoil
leaves. There are color enamel images in the depres-
sions. The square front face contains an image of
Christ Emmanuel with a cruciform halo, the letters on
which are shown by two points (the point on the upper
arm is absent). There are letters IC and XC with titlos
on the lateral leaves; the upper and lower leaves
contain a geometrical pattern “gorodok,” enclosed
with arcs. The reverse square face has an image of
St. Nestor of Thessaloniki with a halo. There are the
letters “HE” on the upper leave, “CT” on the left
leave, “E” on the right leave, and “PЪ” on the lower
leave. Heart symbols are obliquely located in the
square corners.
Both images in the squares are against blue-violet
background. This color is also used for the background
letters on the pendant reverse side and for the arcs
around the gorodok pattern on the front side. The hair
of both characters are dark gray (almost black), while
the faces and necks are bright gray. The six lines
CRYSTALLOGRAPHIC METHODS
IN HUMANITARIAN SCIENCES
Fig. 1. Pendant photograph and drawing.
1 cm