A pair of gold-plated spurs from Zítkov Castle near Choceň in east Bohemia

Abstract

Fragments of a pair of heavily gold-plated spurs made from a copper alloy were discovered during a metal detector survey on the grounds of a castle known today as Zítkov (cadastral territory of Choceň in the Pardubice Region). Even though it is not clear how the spurs reached their findspot, these products are extraordinary evidence of work with non-ferrous metal in the 14th century or at the beginning of the 15th century. Their connection with the knightly milieu is evident from the craftsmanship of the artefacts and
the gold-plating of their surface.