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The poster presents the conservation-restoration treatment of the iron sword found during the 2005 excavation of the unique and rich princely grave which belongs to the oldest group (8th century BC) of tumuli in the early iron age necropolis near Kaptol village, Croatia. The sword was found together with the numerous ceramic vessels and extraordinary metal finds (situla, helmet, swords, axes, spears, horse gear...). It had the wooden scabbard with iron belt mount and had probably been wrapped in cloth before it was put in the grave chamber. In order to get some basic information on the production technology of the sword, metallographic investigation was carried out in Curt-Engelhorn-Zentrum Archäometrie in Mannheim. The results obtained show that the sword was made of heterogenously carburised steel with no sign of deliberate piling or quenching. The pearlitic structure (0, 8 % C) on the cutting edge has maximum hardness of 310 HV 0, 1 while the ferritic-pearlitic structure (0, 2 % C) in the interior of the blade has maximum hardness of 120 HV 0, 1. So far, it is the earliest iron sword found in Croatia. |
