The piece of the month: A medieval belt buckle from Santa Creu de Llagunes

An archaeological survey and further research lead in the medieval village of Santa Creu de Llagunes (Soriguera, Lleida) have provided valuable data for the study of medieval mountain settlement. The identification of three different houses and its domestic structures has provided a large log of archaeologic pieces that become representative of a medieval community from the Pyrenees. (ROIG-ROIG, 1998, 2001).

The material recovered in different excavation campaigns mainly comes from the three located houses. The characteristics of the archaeological material deposition denote a deliberate abandonment of homes, which can be dated to the end of the 13^th century and early 14^th c. The location of two coins of James I (1213 – 1276), strengthen this chronology. Moreover, the presence of a coin (a double tournament of Philip IV (1285-1314) in the last layer prior to the demolition of the roof and walls of the church allows its abandonment date towards the beginning of the 14^th century.

DATASHEET

• Origin: Rubish tip layer from a house (space G of area number 4)of the Santa Creu de Llagunes village (Soriguera, Lleida).
• Excavation: 1994 – 1997.
• Serial Number: SCL-A4-EG-UE01.
• Stratigraphic Dating: Late 13^th century (James I’s coin)
• Material: Bronze with a gild layer and glass incrustations. Leather remains.
• Dimensions: 4,8cm long and 3,7cm wide.
• Description: Rectangular buckle plate with an articulated bowed head. It is decorated with incisions in the front face with the motive of a shield with four central registers, two striped and two with a vitreous paste inlay. The head also has a dots incised decoration. The board has 4 holes to fasten the strap piece and preserved remains one of the rivets and leather strap. The needle is prominent.
• Bibliography:
  
  1. ROIG, A. – ROIG , J. (1993).- “Despoblat de Santa Creu de Llacunes” Catalunya Romànica, volum XV, Enciclopèdia Catalana, Barcelona 1993, p. 296-298.
  2. ROIG, A. – ROIG , J. (1994).-“L’ocupació del territori de muntanya: l’urbanisme i els despoblats al Pallars (Pirineu central)”, IV C.A.M.E, Alacant, tomo II, p. 325-330.
  3. ROIG, A. – ROIG , J. (1998).- “Despoblat de Santa Creu de Llacunes”Catalunya Romànica, volum XXVII, Enciclopèdia Catalana, Barcelona 1998, p. 214-215.
  4. ROIG, A. – ROIG, J. (1998-1999). Memòries de les intervencions arqueològiques al poblat medieval de Santa Creu de Llagunes (Soriguera, Pallars Sobirà), campanyes de 1994, 1995 i 1996. Memòries inèdites dipositades al Servei d’Arqueologia de laGeneralitat de Catalunya, Barcelona, i Arrago sl, Sabadell.
  5. ROIG, A. – ROIG, J. (2001).- “Formes de poblament agrupat d’alta muntanya: la vall de Siarb (Soriguera, Pallars Sobirà)”, Villages Pyrénéens. Morphogenèse d’un habitat de montagne, Maurice Berthe –Benoît Cursente Ed., CNRS-Université de Toulouse-Le Mirail,Toulouse 2001, p. 209-220.
  6. ROIG , J. (2003a): “Santa Creu de Llagunes (Soriguera, Pallars Sobirà): un vilatge ramader d’època medieval al Pirineu”. Actes II Congrés d’Arqueologia Medieval i Moderna a Catalunya, SantCugat del Vallès 18-21 d’abril de 2002., Acram, Sant Cugat del Vallès, 2003, Vol. 2, p. 617–633
  7. ROIG , J. (2003b): “Els materials de ferro i de bronze del vilatge medieval de Santa Creu de Llagunes (Soriguera, Pallars Sobirà)”. Actes II Congrés d’Arqueologia Medieval i Moderna a Catalunya, Sant Cugat del Vallès 18-21 d’abril de 2002., Acram, Sant Cugat del Vallès, 2003, Vol. 2, p. 831-836.