A Medieval Knight Passionate about Dice games. The Spur Decorated with “Dice” Discovered in Aghireș Sub pășune (Sălaj county)
A Medieval Knight Passionate about Dice games. The Spur Decorated with “Dice” Discovered in Aghireș Sub pășune (Sălaj county)

Summary/Abstract: Rescue archaeological researches were performed in 2008–2009 on the site in Aghireş Sub păşune(the municipality of Meseșenii de Jos) in the need to rescue the archaeological remains from an area envisaged by the construction of the bypass road of Zalău. During these excavations archaeologists uncovered remains from Prehistory (the Bronze Age), La Téne, the post-Roman period, and the Early Middle Ages (the 8th–9th centuries, the10th–11th centuries, and the 13th–14th centuries). Five medieval spurs were discovered, four of which originated in archaeological features and one in a layer: a pair from feature C. 30/2008 (located in S. 15/2008), another pair from feature C. 35/1/2008 (located in S. 15/2008), and a fifth from the culture layer (S. 16/2008). The spur under discussion here is made of iron, its two sides (triangular in cross-section) used for fastening on the footwear end in circular/annul arterminals. One of the sides is embossed with three small squares made of the same meta lpiece as the side. The three squares have a decorative role and are in their turn adorned with small dots carved in the soft metal. A different number of dots can be seen on each square on the side of the spur: four, five, and six.The three squares (with a different number of dots on each) imitate the sides of a game dice. The five discovered spurs belong to the habitation level dated to the 13th–14th centuries. Base on the formal characteristics of the se items I have included them among the findings specific to the 13th–14th centuries. Archaeological discoveries attest to the presence of dice since Antiquity and games with dice (made of clay, bone, stone, metal, and glass)are inseparable from the development of human society. The medieval world also had its games, including those with dice, and its players / game enthusiasts, including prominent members of the elites. Such ornate spurs (rare specimens which denote the rank/social status of those who wore them) could not belong to commoners but to representatives of the elite. The owner of the item found in Aghireș Sub pășune was probably one of the (local)potentates passionate about dice games.

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