Belt Buckle Research Articles

Production perspectives of a high-status polychrome jewellery set from the Hunnic period (mid-5th century AD) Carpathian Basin

Fifty years after the discovery of the Regöly grave, the emblematic Hunnic period archaeological assemblage from Hungary, an extensive scientific investigation was performed on the polychrome dress accessories of the high-status woman, often referred to as the “Princess of Regöly”, buried there. The multi-instrumental analyses aimed to characterise material and technological aspects of the gemstone-inlaid artefacts (a set of a pair of bow-brooches and a belt buckle), i.e., the manufacturing and decorative techniques as well as the chemical and mineralogical compositions. The non-destructive and non-invasive gemmological and geochemical analyses applied optical microscopes, handheld XRF, SEM-EDX and Raman microspectrometer. This study provides the first comprehensive examination of the Hunnic period polychrome jewellery, and highlights the potential of combining surface and subsurface analyses to specify garnet provenances. It presents the first evidence of use of antique and early medieval garnet sources during the early Migration period. The findings enhance understanding of the garnet supply chain and trade network, the production organisation and potential workshop connections. Significant differences of the brooches and the buckle reveal varying levels of luxury among the elite, providing insight into the social context of the polychrome jewellery associated with the “Princess of Regöly”.

Anthropological analysis of a padea-panaghiurskii-kolonii incineration grave from letca veche, Giurgiu county, Romania

In March 2023, in a field outside Letca Veche, Giurgiu County, Romania, some metal detector users discovered a cremation burial from the La Tène period (Ist century BC). After the discovery was announced, a team led by Ana Ilie from the Curtea Domnească National Museum Complex in Târgoviște excavated the burial, which had an inventory typical of this type of cremation grave, consisting of a small vessel, a belt buckle, a fibula, two spears and two sicas. The bones were taken to the Francisc I. Rainer Institute of Anthropology in Bucharest, where they were subjected to an anthropological analysis by Costin Șendroiu. The purpose of this article is firstly to present the results of the anthropological analysis of the cremated human bones and secondly to integrate the find into the context of the La Tène cremation burials in this area.

ON THE PROBLEM OF EASTERN BORDER OF SAKA CULTURE OF ALAI

Introduction. The article is devoted to the problem of establishing the eastern border of the Saka culture of Alai. An important role in understanding of this problem is played by the Touyun burial ground, located in the southwestern part of Xinjiang, close to Kyrgyzstan. Materials and methods. This burial ground has specific funeral rites, which demonstrate the characteristic features peculiar to the Saka culture of Alai. In particular, these are burials in stone boxes, crypt-like stone structures and at the level of the ancient surface, constructed under low stone-earth burial mounds. Burials in them were both single and multi-act. The buried people in these burials were in an elongated position with orientation of the sculls to the west and northwest direction. The funeral inventory from Touyun was relatively poor and represented by a couple of ceramic vessels, jewelry items (earring, bracelet, and beads), a belt garment (belt buckle), household items (sumac, awls) and clothing items (plaques). Results and discussion. These funeral objects, based on analogies, allowed us to establish the time of existence of the Touyun burial ground, which fits into the chronological framework of the end of the 5th - 3rd centuries BC. It is evident, that this necropolis appears as a result of the migration of the Saka population from the eastern part of the Alai Valley. The occupying this territory group of Alai Saka was appeared in the contact zone with the population of the Saka culture of Tien Shan region, with which, apparently, they established marital ties. Currently, the Touyun burial ground is the easternmost site of the Saka culture of Alai, which makes it possible to expand the border of this culture by more than 130 km to the east than previously thought. It also made it possible to significantly clarify the real areas of the main archaeological cultures in the southwestern part of Xinjiang such as the Saka cultures of Alai, Pamir and Tien Shan region.

Force in Cable of Pretensioner Tube—A Possibility of Car Accident Reconstruction

The reconstruction of traffic accidents has grown as an interdisciplinary field, encompassing bodies of research from automotive engineering, traffic and transport engineering, biomechanics, and forensic sciences. In this work, a method is proposed by which the value of the force in the safety belt buckle can be determined provided the belt buckle is equipped with a pretensioning system with a pyrotechnic trigger in the pretensioner tube, PBP—Pyrotechnical Buckle Pretensioner, or PLP—Pyrotechnical Lap Pretensioner type. The anti-return system of the pretensioner mechanism, which prevents the passenger’s body from moving forward, contains a set of balls that block the movement of the piston in the pretensioner tube after its activation. When limiting the movement, the force the human body exerts on the safety belt webbing is transformed into the deformation of the pretensioner tube by the balls of the anti-return system. Depending on the magnitude of the force, the marks left by the balls differ. This is an alternative method for determining the force that occurs in a seatbelt and causes injury to the occupants of a vehicle. The advantage of this method is that the force in the seatbelt buckle cable can be determined relatively quickly and accurately by analyzing the deformations in the pretensioner tube, without a need for expensive laboratory equipment. The limitation of the model resides in the consideration of a static system with rigid bodies. The correlation between the normal force causing the deformation of the tube and the force in the belt buckle cable is obtained by means of a mechanical model that explains the operation of the anti-return system. By comparing the values of the normal force given by the proposed model and the elastoplastic model, a good correlation is found. Finally, a regression curve is determined to help the expert in approximating the force in the buckle cable depending on the deformation size in the pretensioner tube. The value of this force also enables biomechanical or medical specialists to correlate the degree of injury to occupants of a vehicle depending on the force in the seatbelt.

Set Belts from the Catacomb No. 31 of the Early-Medieval Burial Ground near Verkhnii Saltiv Village

The materials of the catacomb burial no. 31 investigated in 1985 by the expedition of the Kharkiv Historical Museum under the leadership of V. H. Borodulina on the main site of the Early-Medieval burial ground in Verknii Saltiv village (VSM1) are introduced into the scientific circulation. The burial chamber, transverse to the dromos, contained the remains of two people (a man and a woman) with the traces of deliberate destruction committed in ancient times (fig. 1: 1). Inventory found with the buried people (fig. 2) allows dating this complex to the second — third quarters of the 9th century. The elements of the belt set found in the burial, represented by cast bronze plaques and a fragment of a bronze belt buckle (fig. 1: 2—6) are of interest. Two belt plaques with a fixed loop in the lower part of the shield are decorated with a lotus ornament (fig. 1: 6) typical for the 3rd chronological horizon of the Saltiv antiquities. Two square-shaped plaques with a rectangular hole that has a pointed top in the lower part of the shield (fig. 1: 3, 4) are distinctive among the Turkic antiquities of the 8th—10th centuries. Similar plaques of the Saltiv period are found in the assemblages of the Volga River middle region and the Southern Urals (Volga Bulgarians, Magyars, Mordovians, Mari), where they are part of the decorations of the Turk-Ural circle. Five more round plaques are decorated with floral ornament (fig. 1: 5), which finds analogies in the monuments of the “Magyar” circle of the 9th—10th centuries (Elizavetino-Mikhailovka, Kriukovo-Kuzhnovskii burial grounds in the Volga region, burial in the village of Nova Mykolaivka in the Dnipro Oblast). This belt set consists of three types of plaques that correspond to different traditions. Appearance of the set reflects existence of certain military fashion in the Saltiv society associated with the role played by the Magyars in the 830–890s, being in allied relations with the top of the Khazar Khaganate.

An Exceptional Late Antique Belt Buckle Plate from Jaffa: From Metalworking Technology to Cultural Biography

Abstract: This paper introduces a technological and cultural biography of an exceptional copper-based belt buckle plate from ancient Jaffa. The exploration of intricate metalworking techniques and the cultural significance of this find provide new insights into late antique material culture in the Levant. Although similar buckles appear in museum collections around the world, few have archaeological provenience and, to date, none have been analyzed and published in terms of their material characteristics. This study establishes a metallurgical database for future comparative analyses, employing X-ray fluorescence spectrometry and scanning electron microscopy with energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy to characterize the buckle's composition and manufacture. The results reveal the use of recycled metals, casting, cold fastening, and decorative finishing techniques, including contouring of the openwork shapes. The analysis finds no evidence of enameling, challenging existing theories about these buckles. A comparison of the crafting techniques and design elements of this belt buckle plate with those of similar buckles shows evidence of distinctive artisanal traditions. The socio-cultural inferences of its art and iconography are also explored in light of the geopolitical landscape after the Arab conquests. This study sheds light on the production and distribution of Levantine buckles and enriches understanding of their use in late antique culture and society.

Refractive outcomes following silicone oil tamponade in vitreoretinal surgery.

To evaluate the factors influencing the refractive outcomes following silicone oil tamponade (SOT) and silicone oil removal (SOR) in different lens statuses post-vitreoretinal surgery. Retrospective analysis of three different lens statuses. This was a descriptive study that included 150 eyes of 147 patients who had undergone pars plana vitrectomy with SOT and SOR between January 2017 and June 2021. Demographic profile, spherical equivalent refraction (SER), and its association with clinical features were evaluated with SOT and post-SOR. The mean (±standard deviation [SD]) age was 47 ± 17.8 years, including all three groups. SER was represented in diopters (D). The mean ± SD refraction with SOT in phakic, pseudophakic, and aphakic was 4.28 ± 2.59 D, 2.94 ± 2.58 D, and 3.98 ± 4.82 D. The mean SER post-SOR in phakic, pseudophakic, and aphakic was -2.72 ± 2.03 D, -1.12 ± 1.41 D, and 8.22 ± 3.70 D. The diagnosis of rhegmatogenous retinal detachment (RRD) among 96 eyes (64%) is the common indicator to perform vitreoretinal (VR) surgery. A minority of subjects were managed with retinal lasers before VR surgery (14%). The macula was attached in 100 eyes (67.6%), the belt buckle was done in 37 eyes (24.7%), and the silicone oil viscosity with 1000 centistoke was chosen in 129 eyes (86%). SOT was used as a tamponade in VR surgeries irrespective of lens status. The significant predictor for post-SOR refraction in phakic and aphakic is post-SOT refraction. In pseudophakic, gender and diagnosis of RRD are the predictors of SOR refraction.

Cemetery at Luzino – the easternmost located site of the Dębczyno Group in Poland (Pomerania)

Luzino burial ground is the easternmost site of the Dębczyno group, located in Wejherowo county, in the northern Polish province of Pomerania. The cemetery occupied the summit of a slightly elevated terrain ridge. The remains of 20 graves, most probably only skeletal burials, were recorded, in which, apart from one case, no bone material survived. Grave goods were recorded in five of them. In four graves, small-sized hand-made vessels were recorded whose state of preservation allowed their reconstruction, while in one burial an elaborate necklace of beads (glass and amber, see below), a brooch and probably a belt buckle were discovered. The materials found at the Luzino site should be associated with the late stages of Migration Period. The burials with grave goods, however, show mainly links to the Elbe circle, while Scandinavian influences are lacking in the mobile materials.

Research on Decorative Patterns of Jade Belt Buckle of Haihun Marquis From A Formalistic Perspective

Research on Decorative Patterns of Jade Belt Buckle of Haihun Marquis From A Formalistic Perspective

Визуализация представлений о душе в украшениях национальных костюмов саха (якутов) и тувинцев

Introduction. The cultural heritages of the Sakha (Yakut) and the Tuvan are distinguished by a similarity of basic worldview ideas pertaining to the structure of the Universe, multi-storeyedness of each of the Three Worlds, the pantheon of deities, etc. Goals. The article aims to interpret semantics of ethnic jewelry as a visual narrative articulating the ideas of individual soul in traditional Sakha and Tuvan cultures. To facilitate this, the paper shall summarize the available descriptions of these ideas from ethnographic material, identify some facts confirming jewelry used to serve as markers of soul, consider semantics of traditional jewelry signs. The study hypothesizes as follows: when it comes to soul visualizations, folklore sources manifest repeated indications localizing one of the three souls (aorta, blood, belt, etc.) ― hence, the other two must also have some certain locations and related beliefs, too. Methods. With due regard of the dynamics in religious and aesthetic preferences, the employed interdisciplinary and comparative historical approaches comprise the structural/functional, interpretative, and axiological methods. The method of mosaic reconstruction proves as instrumental in revealing jewelry symbolism. Results. The paper confirms adornments (jewelry pieces) act as means to visualize some valuable worldviews, ideas of human soul and its whereabouts, prestige and behavioral norms. The former are defined as utmost identity signs for an inhabitant of the Middle World that serve as markers and protective amulets for each of the three human souls, also viewed as mediators between the sacred and profane worlds, triggers in ritual communication, and social status indicators. Conclusions. Being a universal form, circle (silver disk, bead, infinity knot, and button) denotes the place and function of each soul. For instance, the air one of the Sakha and the middle one of the Tuvan are placed in the head and identified with head adornments (jewelry pieces). According to Sakha beliefs, the maternal soul is localized in the mediastinum (pulse and blood ― heart and liver), while Tuvans place soul one into the navel. Yakut women of fertile age tend to mark this soul with solar breast jewelry, with no identified symbolic parallels in the Tuvan costume. Yakuts believe the third earthly soul be indicated with a belt buckle and dwell in the navel, while the Tuvan tradition says the good soul dwells in the belt. So, the Yakut have retained somewhat more archaic version of the symbolic corpus. And the differences are largely determined by the late influence of Manchu-Chinese culture and Buddhism on worldviews of southern Tuvans.

Unique accessories and connection network of a Gepid Period child burial. New data on the distribution of early medieval ivory artefacts

AbstractThe Gepid Period row cemetery at Tiszaug-Országúti bevágás was unearthed in 2018–2019. Grave 301 was one of the outstanding burials amongst the 194 graves unearthed thus far. It kept the remains of a 9–11-year old boy, who was laid to rest in a scale-down burial created according to the funerary customs of the area and era but dressed in a mortuary costume and provided with goods befitting adult men. He had a purse hanging from his belt, containing an iron knife, and some pieces of flint. A double-row antler comb was placed beside his head. A cast copper alloy belt buckle with a shield-shaped pin base and punch-mark decoration fastened his clothing on the front. While buckles of this type were widely used at that time, the closest analogies to the punch-mark decoration could be collected from the Carpathian Basin. Based on those, the burial could be dated to the mid or late 6th century AD. Another outstanding feature of the cemetery was the four burials (including Grave 301) where the deceased were laid to rest in coffins made from or imitating log boats.Grave 301 also contained a rounded conical ivory object. The optical microscope and vibration spectroscopy analyses confirmed the initial hypotheses of the finders about the raw material of the artefact. Despite carrying out a comprehensive survey for analogies and an analysis of production and use-related marks, we could not determine what the object could have been used for; it may be a semi-finished product, but it could also be a toy or amulet. At any rate, it was made from a raw material which was extremely rare in the eastern part of the Carpathian Basin in the period in question. Grave 301 was positioned in a cluster comprising more child burials, with the graves of two adult women at the fringes; the ongoing archaeogenetical investigations may shed light on the connections between them.

Design of The Mechanism for Auto Release Seat Belt in End-Button Release Buckle

This project revolves around the buckle of a seat belt, mainly push end release button type, where a feature was created to make it into an auto release seat belt through designing the mechanism within the buckle. The aim of the project is to design the mechanism part of a convertible end button release seat belt buckle, to simulate the designed mechanism part of the convertible auto release seat belt for vehicle cars and to analyze the designed mechanism regarding the effectiveness when installed. 3 different models of solenoid-triggered-parts were designed where Model 1 has no support on its side, presence of fillet and smallest surface area for the base. As for Model 2 and 3, there were no fillet used, presence of support of the side and Model 2 has larger surface area for the base, but Model 3 has the largest amongst the three models. The parameter of this project was the material used when running the simulation which is Polyphenylene Ether (PPE). Through the simulation results, a final model was designed consists of features such as, having support on the side, largest surface area for the base and presence of fillet as these features has shown the best results through the simulation. As for the conclusion, the study managed to achieve all of the objectives which are, the auto release mechanism was designed and simulated successfully using SolidWorks, and it was simulated through simulation within the software.

Clinical study of profile of retinal detachment in vasculitis and its management at tertiary eye care hospital.

The aim of the study was to understand the clinical profile and anatomical and visual outcome in Tractional/Combined (Tractional + Rhegmatogenous) Retinal Detachment due to vasculitis after surgical intervention. It was an interventional retrospective study of all cases who underwent surgery for RD with vasculitis at a single tertiary eye care center for over a period of 6 years. Patients with retinal detachment due to vasculitis were included in the study. All patients underwent the following surgical procedures: 240 belt buckle with three-port pars plana vitrectomy with membrane dissection and peeling with fluid gas exchange/with endolaser with silicon oil/C3 F8 gas injection. In our study, 83.33% had preoperative vision of less than 6/60, whereas postoperatively 66.66% had vision of less than 6/60. Postoperatively 33.33% patients had vision better than 6/36. Of the six eyes operated for vasculitis with RD, retina was attached in five eyes following surgery. One patient had recurrent retinal detachment due to extensive proliferative vitreoretinopathy changes, and he was advised re-procedure but was lost for follow-up. The anatomical success was 83.33% on the first surgery. The overall anatomic success rate of retina reattachment surgery in vasculitis patient was good, and the visual outcome following the surgery can improve in majority of the cases. Hence, timely intervention is advocated.

A courtly brocade belt belonging to Qajar period (1789–1925), Iran

This paper identifies the materials used to make a brocade belt belonging to the Qajar courtiers in Iran. This belt consists of two fabric types: red support and golden brocade. Accordingly, this paper examined the skin and tannin type, fiber types, dyeing agents, mordant, and metal wrapping of brocade yarns and metal buckle. Technical imaging, ESI–MS, FORS, FTIR and SEM–EDS were used to identify the materials. Multi-band imaging methods included Vis, UVL, IRR, and UVR, in which UVFC and IRFC images were obtained after processing. The results showed that cotton yarn was used in both fabrics. The red fabric yarns were dyed using cochineal and alum mordant. Also, the yellow brocade yarns were dyed using catechins-rich plants, and in this dyeing process, polyphenols and alum have been as mordant. Madder-dyed yarns are also found in parts of the belt. Examination of the metal wrapping of brocade yarns suggests using strips of copper-nickel alloy with a thin layer of gold-silver alloy. This secondary coating protects the copper-nickel strips and increases their golden luster. The leather analysis of the leather parts also indicated the using cattle/calfskin tanned with gallotannins. Belt buckle analysis also shows the use of brass alloy with a high percentage of zinc, leading to a golden sheen and the buckle desired strength. The results show the use of low-cost materials in the manufacture of clothing for the lower levels of the Qajar court.

An Unknown Belt Buckle (1732) of Hieromonk Isaiah from Ioannina from a Private Collection in Greece

An Unknown Belt Buckle (1732) of Hieromonk Isaiah from Ioannina from a Private Collection in Greece

Association of Accelerometer-Measured Sedentary Time and Physical Activity With Risk of Stroke Among US Adults

The amount and intensity of physical activity required to prevent stroke are yet to be fully determined because of previous reliance on self-reporting measures. Furthermore, the association between objectively measured time spent being sedentary as an independent risk factor for stroke is unknown. To investigate the associations of accelerometer-measured sedentary time and physical activity of varying intensity and duration with the risk of incident stroke. This cohort study involved participants who were enrolled in the Reasons for Geographic and Racial Differences in Stroke (REGARDS) study from February 5, 2003, to October 30, 2007. Accelerometer data were collected from 7607 Black and White adults 45 years or older in the contiguous US between May 12, 2009, and January 5, 2013. Data on other races and ethnicities were not collected for scientific and clinical reasons. By design, Black adults and residents of the southeastern US stroke belt and stroke buckle were oversampled. Data were analyzed from May 5, 2020, to November 11, 2021. Sedentary time, light-intensity physical activity (LIPA), and moderate- to vigorous-intensity physical activity (MVPA) were measured using a hip-mounted accelerometer worn for 7 consecutive days and stratified by tertile for the analyses. Incident stroke. Among 7607 participants, the mean (SD) age was 63.4 (8.5) years; 4145 participants (54.5%) were female, 2407 (31.6%) were Black, and 5200 (68.4%) were White. A total of 2523 participants (33.2%) resided in the stroke belt, and 1638 (21.5%) resided in the stroke buckle. Over a mean (SD) of 7.4 (2.5) years of follow-up, 286 incident stroke cases (244 ischemic [85.3%]) occurred. The fully adjusted hazard ratios (HRs) for incident stroke in the highest tertile compared with the lowest tertile were 0.74 (95% CI, 0.53-1.04; P = .08) for LIPA and 0.57 (95% CI, 0.38-0.84; P = .004) for MVPA. Higher sedentary time was associated with a 44% greater risk of incident stroke (HR, 1.44; 95% CI, 0.99-2.07; P = .04). When comparing the highest with the lowest tertile, mean sedentary bout duration was associated with a significantly greater risk of incident stroke (HR, 1.53; 95% CI, 1.10-2.12; P = .008). After adjustment for sedentary time, the highest tertile of unbouted MVPA (shorter bouts [1-9 minutes]) was associated with a significantly lower risk of incident stroke compared with the lowest tertile (HR, 0.62; 95% CI, 0.41-0.94; P = .02); however, bouted MVPA (longer bouts [at least 10 minutes]) was not (HR, 0.78; 95% CI, 0.53-1.15; P = .17). When expressed as continuous variables, sedentary time was positively associated with incident stroke risk (HR per 1-hour/day increase in sedentary time: 1.14; 95% CI, 1.02-1.28; P = .02), and LIPA was negatively associated with incident stroke risk (HR per 1-hour/day increase in LIPA: 0.86; 95% CI, 0.77-0.97; P = .02). In this cohort study, objectively measured LIPA, MVPA, and sedentary time were significantly and independently associated with incident stroke risk. Longer sedentary bout duration was also independently associated with an increased risk of incident stroke. These findings suggest that replacing sedentary time with LIPA, or even very short bouts of MVPA, may lower stroke risk, supporting the concept of moving more and sitting less as a beneficial stroke risk reduction strategy among adults.

Elitní jezdec z oblasti przeworské kultury

A new analysis of one of the graves (No. 177) at the burial ground of the Przeworsk culture in Drochlin, Częstochowa District, dated to the C1a phase of the Younger Roman Period, allows us to participate in a discussion about the position of horseman warriors in the milieu of the Przeworsk culture. The preserved grave goods from Drochlin suggest that the buried horseman can be considered a representative of the local elite. The iron spurs decorated with brass, bow arrowheads, and one glass vessel underline his social rank. The spurs have a stylistic association with spurs known from the sphere of Wielbark culture and also to those found on the territory of the Northern European Barbaricum. Similar associations were identified regarding the belt buckle. This paper also examines whether the bow was part of the equipment of the Przeworsk culture warriors or was a hunting weapon.

Heartland (2007–2021 and ongoing)

<i>Heartland</i> (2007–2021 and ongoing)

Westbalkan type of cross shape belthook from Kačanj

Almost six decades after its discovery was initially announced, the Illyrian grave-pit from Kačanj is still one of the most important archaeological sites for the interpretation of the economic, ethnical and culural processes in the adriatic hiterland from the and oh 6th to 5th centuries BC. More the 11 people, women, children and warrior were buried with rich beloningsand offerings, which include illyrian bronze halmets, spears, knives, jewelry from silver, amber and imported drinking vessel sets. Amongst these, for subject of our research, is especially important find of cross shape belt-hook. These type of belt-hooks are distributed mainly in western part of Balkan Peninsula. Some of the earliest buckles known are those used by Iapodian population during the early iron age. In grave 51 at necropolis Otočac near Prozor came first find date at 7th century BC. Buckle from Duga Gora near Ogulin is some decades later then previosly. Finds from Liburnia beloning period from the and of 7th and mostly from 6th century BC, while belt-hooks from Dalmatian site Otišić is from the and of 6th century BC. Only find from central Balkan, area east Herzegovina, is from Kačanj. In this case, we can look cross shape belt-hook as artefact of foreign origin. There are two possibilities regarding the arrival of the artefact: it was either imported from area Dalmatia, or it arrived with the migration of new population from western part of Balkan. In any of these case cross shape belt buckle is buried with one of the first dead at grave-pit in Kačanj and date from the and of 6th or early 5th century BC.

Un mormânt din perioada medievală descoperit la Ip-Dealul Bisericii (județul Sălaj)

The archeological site from Ip – Dealul Bisericii is located in the center of Ip village, on a high terrace on the right side of the Barcău valley. The site was identified during the surface research carried out in 2002. The first archaeological investigation took place in 2009 through a rescue excavation resulting in the identification of a number of 10 archeological features from different epochs: bronze age, roman period, medieval period. The archeological feature that is the object of the present approach is a inhumation grave (feature C. 5/2009) which had as inventory a belt buckle made of bronze. Based on the analogies, considering also the beginnings of the functioning of the medieval church, we can assume that the dating of medieval grave C. 5/2009 can be placed most likely in the XVth century.