Nakrycia głowy biskupów przemyskich z archikatedry pw. Jana Chrzciciela i Wniebowzięcia Najświętszej Maryi Panny

The article presents the headdress found during the research conducted in 2012–2015 in the crypts of the Przemyśl archcathedral. They were furnishings ofburials of ordinary and suffragan bishops. There were analysed mitres, which are an important part of the pontifical attire, and calottes, which are not liturgical vestments. Both headdresses are exceptional finds because they are found relatively rarely during archaeological research. Although they are headdress typical of bishops,they differ significantly in form and purpose, which was demonstrated in the article. Based on written sources, the mitre was presented in a broader symbolic and culturalcontext, recalling the prayers that were said during the consecration and during preparation for the pontifical mass, when the mitre was placed on the bishop’s head.Its appearance was discussed, paying attention to the characteristic features of the cut and finish, which made it possible to distinguish mitre: pretiosa, auriphrygiataand simplex. The way of wearing it was also indicated and the changes in its form observed over the centuries. The article also highlights the modifications in the appearanceof the calotte. The Przemyśl finds allowed to capture various forms of this headdress and the transition stage between the calotte typical of the 16th century anda fully shaped one made of several equal wedges.W artykule zaprezentowano nakrycia głowy wydobyte podczas badań w kryptach grobowych archikatedry przemyskiej. Stanowiły one wyposażenie pochówków biskupów ordynariuszy i sufraganów. Analizie poddano mirty, będące ważną częścią stroju pontyfikalnego i kalotki, które nie są szatą liturgiczną. Zwrócono uwagę na charakterystyczne cechy ich kroju i wykończenia. Na podstawie źródeł pisanych zaprezentowano je w szerszym kontekście symboliczno–kulturowym, zwracając uwagę na odmienną funkcję, jaką pełniły oba nakrycia głowy

Microbiological Hazards Associated with Archaeological Works, Illustrated with an Example of Fredro Crypt (Przemyśl, Poland)

The human remains and other materials found in crypts can be highly contaminated with microorganisms. Archaeologists are exposed to microorganisms in many ways (e.g by inhaling dust, contaminating scratches or cuts). We aimed at evaluating microbial hazards associated with human remains and bioaerosols formed during archaeological works in burial crypts. The samples of the human remains, bioaerosols and personal protective equipment (dust respirators, disposable coveralls) were collected during archaeological works in the vault of the Cathedral Basilica of St. John the Baptist and the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Przemyśl (Fredro crypt). The microbiological examination involved determining the number of spores of aerobic and anaerobic bacteria, the number of mesophilic and hemolytic bacteria, and the number of xerophilic, non- xerophilic and keratinolytic fungi. The air as well as objects and materials found in crypts are highly contaminated with bacteria and fungi. The xerophilic fungi were the most numerous in all samples of human remains 1–230·103 cfu(colony forming units/g). The non-xerophilic fungi were predominant in bioaerosols (>104 cfu/m3 during archaeological works). The majority of bacterial strains (81.3%) belonged to the genus Bacillus. Fungi belonging to the genera Penicillium (65.2%) and Aspergillus (28.6%) dominated among the isolated fungi. Fogging sterilization of the crypt turned out to be ineffective. The high number of microorganisms both in the air and on human remains indicates that there is a need for particular caution during archaeological works which cause dust emission. In order to reduce exposure to harmful biological factors, the use of disposable personal protective equipment seems necessary

CONSERVATION OF SEVENTEENTH- AND EIGHTEENTH-CENTURY BURIAL APPAREL

The article deals with textile monuments extracted in the course of archaeological work from crypts and tombs situated below floors in the churches of the Assumption of the Holy Virgin Mary in Toruń, St. Nicholas in Toruń, St. John in Gdańsk, St. Peter and Paul in Tworków, and the Holy Virgin Mary in Kostrzyn as well as the arch-cathedral of St. John in Lublin. The conservation encompassed 29 fragments of children’s clothes, which comprised part of the outfitting of children’s burials. Select examples of the apparel, preserved in larger fragments, were reconstructed by recreating the original form and shape. The conserved clothes had been sewn specially for the burial ceremony in accordance with the fashion of the time; they are accompanied by clothes worn by children while alive, “death” smocks, and apparel specially made from refashioned daily clothes. The conservation was conducted in the Atelier for the Documentation and Conservation of Archaeological Monuments in the Institutes of Archaeology at the Mikołaj Kopernik University in Toruń. Since the conserved clothes were coagulated, affected by fungi, damaged and dirty, they were first disinfected in a gas chamber by using ethylene oxide. After initial cleaning, the disinfection was repeated by applying a 0,5% solution of m p-chloro-m-cresol in methanol (PCMC). Prior to the cleaning, silk fibres were moistened and rendered flexible by means of a 5% and 10% water solution of PEG 200 or PEG 300. Several days later, the water bath was augmented with Pretepon G, used as a washing agent. One of the dresses and one of the żupans were impregnated (Paraloid B72, polyethylene glycol 300 in methanol and toluene) due to the damaged and weakened silk fibres. The next stage involved duplicating and reconstructing the missing elements of the clothes with acrylic glue 498 HV (Lascaux); in places the fabric was threaded together. Finally, trimmings made out of metal thread were cleaned and protected separately

Badania w kryptach kościoła św. Franciszka z Asyżu w Krakowie

The paper presents the results of archaeological research carried out from 2017 to 2018 in the Church of Saint Francis of Assisi in Cracow, funded by the National Science Centre. The aim of the work undertaken was to locate, inventory, and explore crypts, and to study in detail burials and grave goods. The paper discusses different devices, research methods, and procedures developed by the team and used to locate crypts. They allowed to find eighteen crypts in the church and four in the cloisters. All underground chambers were inventoried using 3D laser scanning. During research, ninety-six burials of the lay and the clergy, men, women, and children, were found.W artykule zaprezentowano wyniki badań archeologicznych prowadzonych w latach 2017–2018 w kościele św. Franciszka z Asyżu w Krakowie, które finansowane były przez Narodowe Centrum Nauki. Celem podjętych prac było zlokalizowanie, inwentaryzacja i eksploracja krypt grobowych oraz szczegółowe przebadanie pochówków wraz z wyposażeniem. Omówiono różne urządzenia użyte do poszukiwań krypt, metody badań i wypracowane przez zespół procedury. Dzięki nim odnaleziono osiemnaście krypt w kościele i cztery w krużgankach klasztoru. Wszystkie podziemne pomieszczenia zostały zinwentaryzowane za pomocą skaningu laserowego 3D. W trakcie badań odnaleziono 96 pochówków osób świeckich i duchownych, mężczyzn, kobiet i dzieci

Kilka uwag na temat nowożytnych koronek klockowych z odzieży grobowej

Jest to jedno z pierwszych opracowań jedwabnych koronek pozyskanych w czasie badań archeologicznych w Polsce.Archaeologists carrying out excavations in churches increasingly oft en discover, alongside remains of funeral outfi ts, scraps of bobbin lace made of silk and metal threads with a silk core. Analysing them is oft en diffi cult due to their incompleteness and signifi cant damage. Bobbin lace are textiles made by braiding and twisting lengths of thread, which on one end are wound on bobbins and on the other end are held in place with pins set in a lace pillow. In the past it also used to be called pillow lace. Bobbin lace was made with many linen, silk or metal-wrapped silk (silver or gold) and cotton threads. It was used to trim edges of collars, ruff s, hems of sleeves, bonnets and gown corsets and handkerchiefs. Th e lace discovered in Lublin and Gdańsk is a bobbin lace made of silk threads and gold-wrapped threads. In three instances the pattern and the width of the lace is clear and in one case the entire sequence of the pattern has been reconstructed on the basis of preserved fragments. So far, lace has not played a major part in research carried out by Polish fashion historians and thus requires further studies, most of all, collecting and cataloguing fi nds acquired in the last few years during excavations

Multi-Technique Investigation of Grave Robes from 17th and 18th Century Crypts Using Combined Spectroscopic, Spectrometric Techniques, and New-Generation Sequencing

The textile fragments of the funeral clothes found in the 17th and 18th century crypts were subjected to spectroscopic, spectrometric, and microbial investigation. The next-generation sequencing enabled DNA identification of microorganisms at the genus and in five cases to the species level. The soft hydrofluoric acid extraction method was optimized to isolate different classes of dyes from samples that had direct contact with human remains. High-performance liquid chromatography coupled with diode matrix and tandem mass spectrometry detectors with electrospray ionization (HPLC-DAD-ESI-MS/MS) enabled the detection and identification of 34 colourants that are present in historical textiles. Some of them are thus far unknown and uncommon dyes. Indigo, madder, cochineal, turmeric, tannin-producing plant, and young fustic were identified as sources of dyes in textiles. Scanning electron microscopy with energy-dispersive X-ray detector (SEM-EDS) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) were used to identify and characterize fibres and mordants in funeral gowns. Of the 23 textile samples tested, 19 were silk while the remaining four were recognized as wool. The presence of iron, aluminium, sodium, and calcium suggests that they were used as mordants. Traces of copper, silica, and magnesium might originate from the contaminants. The large amount of silver indicated the presence of metal wire in one of the dyed silk textiles. SEM images showed that textile fibres were highly degraded