Late La Tène Bronze Knobbed Rings and Armrings in the South-Eastern Carpathian Basin: Beloved Jewellery and Amulets of the Scordiscan Women?

Abstract

Knobbed rings and armrings are among the most numerous Late La Tène forms of jewellery in the territory of the Scordisci. Even though the circumstances of discovery are unknown for most finds, the knobbed rings and armrings found in the richly furnished grave 1 in the cemetery of Sotin — Zmajevac showed that they were popular and frequently worn items of jewellery, which seems to be confirmed by numerous finds from La Tène settlements around Vinkovci. Based on size differences, some knobbed rings are assumed to have served as pendants, while those of larger diameter are believed to be arm jewellery. Parallels for knobbed rings and armrings from Scordiscan sites have been found in Transylvania and central Europe, confirming the intensive cultural contacts and involvement of the Scordisci in the complex communication networks of the Late La Tène. Among the finds from Scordiscan sites, many knobbed rings belong to the Szárazd — Regöly type, which is characteristic for the south-eastern Carpathian Basin, but their function is still unclear. On the other hand, the presence of triple knobbed rings and rings with zoomorphic representations indicates a connection between the Scordisci and contemporary communities in central Europe. The finds from grave 1 in Sotin show that knobbed rings and armrings could have been worn by women of high status in the community, who used body ornamentation to display various aspects of their visual identity.