The coffin-reliquary of the holy Serbian king Stefan of Dečani (fourteenth century): wood, pigments and metal surfaces

Abstract

The coffin-reliquary for the relics of the holy Serbian king Stefan Uroš III of Dečani has been made around 1343 as a rectangular chest with a gable cover. The present study aimed to identify the wood this coffin-reliquary was made, as well as the pigments and metals found on its surface. The combination of anatomical traits (diffuse-porosity, distinct helical thickenings in vessels, simple perforation plates, 3- to 4-seriate noded rays and diffuse-in-aggregates axial parenchyma) showed that the wood belongs to linden, i.e., to the botanical genus Tilia L. (Malvaceae). The linden is one of the sacred trees in Serbian culture, and its wood could also be used due to its ease for joinery. X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy (XRF analyzer) was used for in situ determination of the material chemistry of the pigments, as well as the metals on the wooden surfaces of the coffin. Their elemental composition showed that wooden coffin-reliquary was painted with vermilion, malachite or copper resinate, orpiment, and lead white, while metal surfaces were shown to be gold and silver. Unlike a commonly used palette of earthy pigments, these coloring matters belong to precious noble pigments.