Title

Zoomorphic fibula. Possible provenance: Herrera de Pisuerga

Generic classification

Object

Date

Century

Cultural context / style

Dimensions

Material

Technique

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Provenance

Current location

Inventory Number in Current Collection

Object history

Although it is difficult to determine the origin of this piece, it is most likely that it comes from the site of Herrera de Pisuerga (Palencia). At the beginning of the 20th century, Herrera de Pisuerga (Palencia) began to cultivate its fertile plain and transform it into an orchard. As a result of the works carried out in the lands surrounding the village, a Visigoth necropolis was discovered, which, however, could not be officially excavated until 1931, when the Junta Superior de Excavaciones y Antigüedades decided to start the works. The task was entrusted to Julio Martínez Santa-Olalla (1905-1972), an archaeologist from Burgos who had been trained in Madrid, Barcelona and Valladolid. In the late 1920s he moved to the University of Bonn (Germany), where he was able to learn first-hand about German excavation methods (Mederos, 2003).

When Martínez Santa-Olalla arrived at the site of Herrera de Pisuerga he realized that it had been the object of multiple plundering: "Soon the discoveries of Herrera reached the ears of antique dealers, especially one from Burgos, who became the exploited of that cemetery. The antiquarian was careful to leave a representative in the town to collect the finds, since he had given instructions to the gardener on how to plunder the graves in an expeditious manner" (Martínez Santa-Olalla, 1933). In total, more than two sacks full of objects left the necropolis of Herrera de Pisuerga.

From 1908, with the discovery of the necropolis, there were antiquarians and dealers interested in the pieces. These, after looting the site, dedicated themselves to selling the objects. Martínez Santa-Olalla (1933) pointed out that there was an antiquarian from Burgos who was very interested in them, however, he did not give any clues about his identity. At this time Evencio López González had an antique store on Paseo del Espolón (Burgos). Zeiss (1934) in his book dedicated to the Visigoth funerary finds in Spain affirms that Evencio Lopez had pieces from this site. So, perhaps, it was about him.

Martínez Santa-Olalla (1933) published a work where he compiled the different objects found in the necropolis of Herrera de Pisuerga. This fibula coincides stylistically and morphologically with those found at the site. Therefore, it is possible that it comes from there. It is not known when and how it left the country, but it is probable that the same thing happened as with other pieces from the necropolis and the person responsible was Evencio López. Julia Schottlander offered the fibula for sale in her antique store (Tetragon) in 1991 and, shortly after, it was acquired by the British Museum in London, where it is kept today.

Description

This deer-shaped fibula originally had a clasp to attach it to the garment. However, it has lost it. Also, one of the antlers of the mammal is broken. Regarding its decoration, it has an incised decoration with engraved circles. Fibulas similar to this piece were found in grave 29 of the necropolis of Herrera de Pisuerga (Martínez Santa-Olalla, 1933). This type of fibula is also found in other sites, such as Castiltierra (Sepúlveda, Segovia), although with slight stylistic variations.

Locations

• VI^th c. - Early XX^th c.

  archeological site

  Herrera de Pisuerga site, Herrera de Pisuerga (Spain)

• ca. 1908

  dealer/antiquarian

  Evencio López González, Burgos (Spain) *

• ca. 1991

  dealer/antiquarian

  Julia Schottlander: Tetragon, London (United Kingdom) *

• ca. 1991 - present

  museum

  The British Museum, London (United Kingdom)