A new interpretation of prince Lazar’s “tipar” from the Rudnik mountain

Abstract

This paper offers a new interpretation of an object found on the Rudnik
mountain in 2015. On its first public presentation, it was defined as a
tipar (seal die) of the Serbian prince Lazar. However, a new reading of its
inscription revealed a detail that demonstrates that it is not a seal die
but an object with a different purpose. It is a mould (matrix) which would
have been used for the fabrication of a medallion (plaquette) on the bottom
of a goblet destined for the prince. This identification is also
corroborated by examples of similar medallions known in the region of
medieval Serbia and its surroundings. This find from the Rudnik mountain
remains unique in our region while the new interpretation raises a series of
questions about the development of artistic crafts and the fabrication of
luxurious receptacles in medieval Serbia.

Full text

253 Manuscript received 10th January 2021, accepted 25th July 2021
T
he 2016 issue of Starinar presented an object
found in 2015 during archaeological excava-
tions of the remnants of a medieval settlements
on the Rudnik mountain. On the basis of the representa-
tion in its central field as well as on the basis of the inscrip-
tion surrounding it, it was interpreted as a tipar (seal
die) of the Serbian prince Lazar (around 1329–1389).
Its purpose was identified mostly on the basis of the
content of the inscription that was read as + SI
ÈŠSTݹ HARÝ GŠOSPO¹DŠI¹NA KNEZA LAZARA
SVE SRÝSKE ZEMLE (+ This is a grace of lord
prince Lazar of all Serbian land). It was ascribed to the
time of Lazar’s reign over the Rudnik mountain be-
tween 1373 and 1389 or, more precisely, to the last dec-
ade of the prince’s life when he had the rank of an
all-Serbian ruler.1
The find attracted considerable public attention and
found its way into the professional and popular scien-
tific literature,2 as well as being permanently displayed
in the National Museum in Belgrade. It was interpreted
as a seal die although some questions remained open.
The first one related to the fact that the object does not
resemble the usual shapes of seal dies
used for the fab-
rication of seals, while the second one related to the fact
that the expression milost [grace], otherwise known in
Serbian charters as a designation of a particular legal
action of a specific content and meaning, had never be-
fore been seen on a seal.3
Our new interpretation starts precisely with the
content of the inscription, which offers the possibility
of a different understanding of the original purpose of
this object. Namely, a new reading revealed a detail that
had hitherto remained unnoticed. It is the ligature in the
inscription’s initial part in which the second and third
letters are connected and which now read as I and P
(Fig. 1).4 Read in this way, the inscription gives: + SI
A NEW INTERPRETATION OF PRINCE LAZAR’S “TIPAR”
FROM THE RUDNIK MOUNTAIN
DEJAN RADIČEVIĆ, The University of Belgrade, Faculty of Philosophy, Department of Archaeology
ANA CICOVIĆ, The Museum of Rudnik and Takovo Region, Gornji Milanovac
e-mail: dradicev@f.bg.ac.rs
Abstract. – This paper offers a new interpretation of an object found on the Rudnik mountain in 2015. On its first public
presentation, it was defined as a tipar (seal die) of the Serbian prince Lazar. However, a new reading of its inscription revealed
a detail that demonstrates that it is not a seal die but an object with a different purpose. It is a mould (matrix) which would have
been used for the fabrication of a medallion (plaquette) on the bottom of a goblet destined for the prince. This identification is
also corroborated by examples of similar medallions known in the region of medieval Serbia and its surroundings. This find
from the Rudnik mountain remains unique in our region while the new interpretation raises a series of questions about the
development of artistic crafts and the fabrication of luxurious receptacles in medieval Serbia.
Key words. – Rudnik mountain, prince Lazar, goblet, medallion, plaquette.
1 Радичевић, Цицовић 2016, 161–171.
2 Радичевић, Јечменица 2016, 9–19; Радичевић 2017, 153;
Цицовић, Марјановић 2018, 159–176.
3 Радичевић, Цицовић 2016, 167.
UDC: 904:739(497.11)"13"
930.2:003.071=163.41"13"
https://doi.org/10.2298/STA2171253R
Original research article

254 СТАРИНАР LXXI/2021
Dejan RADIČEVIĆ, Ana CICOVIĆ
A New Interpretation of Prince Lazar’s “Tipar” from the Rudnik Mountain (253–265)
PEHARÝ GŠOSPO¹DŠI¹NA KNEZA LAZARA SVE
SRÝSKE ZEMLE (+ This is a goblet of lord prince
Lazar of all Serbian land).
The mention of a goblet (PEHARÝ) in the inscrip-
tion, and not of mercy (HARÝ), indicates that the object
in question is not a prince’s seal die but a different ob-
ject with a different purpose. Taking into account the
appearance and the mode of fabrication of the object’s
front side, we can conclude that it is a mould (matrix)
that could have been used for the fabrication of a gob-
let destined for Prince Lazar.
As for goblets as a kind of medieval vessel, they
are usually described as drinking vessels on high stems,
similar to chalices. It is generally held that they used to
be made of gold and silver, decorated with precious
stones and enamel, and that they could also bear heral-
dic signs. Aside from these goblets, there were also
smaller goblets on low stems that could have two han-
dles on the sides to facilitate drinking.5
Vessels made of silver, gilded silver or gold, deco-
rated with precious and semi-precious stones, moun-
tain crystal, pearl or enamel, embossed, engraved, cast
or produced using some other technique were highly
prized in the Middle Ages. As an indicator of wealth
and social status they presented a representative image
of the owner’s family and home.
6
They were usually
obtained on special order and were produced in various
materials and shapes, in accordance with the customer’s
wishes and needs. Their special names reveal that they
were classified according to their appearance and use.7
They were particularly precious because of the materi-
als they were made of, while their stylistic details rep-
resented a secondary, although also very important, cri-
terion of their value as well as a proof of the customer’s
sophisticated taste.8
The luxury of the table of Serbian medieval rulers
was also enhanced by the vessels used. Theodore Meto-
chites who, in 1299, led a Byzantine delegation to King
Milutin (1282–1321) noted that he was served every
day many tasty meals and delicacies in gold and silver
dishes and vessels „not only for the need but more as a
sign of honour”.9 As proof of the generosity of Serbian
rulers regarding their endowments, medieval writers
4
Dr. Gordana Tomović drew our attention to this detail and
we feel sincerely indebted to her. We also have to note that it is not
the only ligature in the inscription, since one exists in the word
knez as well, between N and E. As this detail was not noted during
the making of a drawing of the object for the first publication, we
present now a rectified version of the drawing (Fig. 2).
5 Радојковић 1977, 90; Радојковић 1999, 564.
6 Ивановић, Војводић 2016, 163–164; Зечевић, Гајић 2016,
180.
7 Радојковић 1999, 562–564.
8 Бикић 2004, 153–154.
9 Метохит 1986, 113–114.
Fig. 1. Find from Rudnik,
Museum of Rudnik–Takovo Region of Gornji Milanova
(photo: Museum of Rudnik–Takovo Region of Gornji Milanovac)
Сл. 1. Налаз са Рудника,
Музеј рудничко-таковског краја Горњи Милановац
(фото: Музеј рудничко-таковског краја Горњи Милановац)
b
a

255 СТАРИНАР LXXI/2021
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A New Interpretation of Prince Lazar’s “Tipar” from the Rudnik Mountain (253–265)
especially mentioned gold and silver vessels decorated
with expensive pearls and precious stones.10
Luxurious vessels were mentioned in other sourc-
es as well, including medieval fresco painting, although
they were often presented in a rather stereotypical and
simplified fashion.11 They were most frequently record
-
ed in deposit lists, receipts of the objects deposited in
Dubrovnik. Aside from a mere mention, a list could also
contain a brief description of a vessel with an indication
of the material of construction as well as information
about the quantity of vessels that a ruling or aristocratic
family had. Among other vessels, the lists also mention
goblets. Thus, the list of the objects that Vuk Branković
(around 1345–1397) sent to Dubrovnik from January
1395 to January 1396 also mentions a gold goblet.
12
Two
goblets with braids and lids are mentioned in the de-
posit of the grand duke Sandalj Hranić (1392–1435).
13
Some goblets are also mentioned in the testaments of
Jelena Sandaljeva Balšić (1366/1371–1443) and of Ste-
fan Vukčić Kosača (1435–1466), Herzog of Saint Sava.14
Unfortunately, we can only imagine the appearance
of medieval goblets, on the basis of indications in writ-
ten documents and simplified pictorial representations.
To date, no material proof of their existence in our re-
gion has been found. In general, the wealth of data from
the 14th and 15th centuries about the valuables in royal
and aristocratic deposits is contrasted by a rather mod-
est number of vessels that have survived pillage, sell-
ing or remelting. Examples of vessels that belonged to
Serbian medieval rulers are extremely rare. Emperor
Dušan’s gilded plate (cup) from the collection of the
National Museum in Belgrade (Fig. 6) is the only pre-
served example of a vessel belonging to a ruler from
the Nemanjić dynasty.15
Although those objects offer only a vague idea of
the variety of medieval tableware, the preserved exam-
ples nevertheless corroborate the written sources. The
most frequently preserved vessel type is what in medi-
eval Serbia was referred to as a „cup”. Created within the
framework of Byzantine goldsmithing and enriched with
elements of Gothic decoration, these vessels were used
in our region in later centuries of the Middle Ages and
even later, on the eve of the Modern Age. The pieces that
10 Данило Други 1988, 67, 95, 133.
11 Бикић 2004, 152–153.
12 Стојановић 1929, 145–146.
13 Стојановић 1929, 366, 369, 371.
14 Стојановић 1929, 395; 1934, 88.
15
Јовановић 1995, 272, Fig. 7; Гајић 2010, 25–26, 80, cat.
No. 1.
Fig. 2. Find from Rudnik (drawing: S. Marković, correction: D. Ćirković)
Сл. 2. Налаз са Рудника (цртеж: С. Марковић, исправка: Д. Ћирковић)

256 СТАРИНАР LXXI/2021
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A New Interpretation of Prince Lazar’s “Tipar” from the Rudnik Mountain (253–265)
have been preserved so far captivate our attention by
their representativeness, beauty and luxury. They came
in various shapes: shallow, round or oblong ones, most
often without stems or on quite low ones and usually
without handles. They were made of gilded silver, per-
fectly crafted and stylistically contemporary to the ones
used in princely and aristocratic courts of Western and
Central Europe.16
When thinking of a possible appearance of the gob-
lets used by Serbian rulers and aristocracy, B. Radojk-
ović pointed out the goblet of „Michael Paleologos kept
in the Athos treasury (Vatoped monastery)”.17 It is not
clear what this remark – stated without a clear source
indication – refers to. We are not familiar with that par-
ticular goblet, but we assume that the author refers to
an other object from that Athos monastery, namely a
magnificent goblet/chalice made of a single piece of
jasper (aperture diameter 20.5 cm), set on a high stem
made of gilded silver (height 19.5 cm), and provided
with handles in the form of dragons (Fig. 3). It belonged
to Manuel Kantakouzenos Paleologos (1349–1380),
despot of Mistra and son of Emperor John VI Kantak-
ouzenos (1347–1354). The inscription on the subse-
quently added layer on the rim demonstrates that it was
secondarily used as a liturgical vessel, but we cannot
exclude the possibility that its original purpose was of
a secular nature. This vessel is often mentioned in the
relevant literature as a masterpiece of late Byzantine
art and one of the most beautiful examples of Gothic
influences in the work of Byzantine masters.18
Our idea of the appearance of medieval goblets
seems quite similar to the vessel accidentally found in
Northern Macedonia, at the site of Krušarski Rid, in the
16 Радојковић 1966, 28–34; Шакота 1981, 75–76; Гајић 2010,
14–16.
17 Радојковић 1977, 90.
18 Loverdou-Tsigaridou 1997, 334–335, no. 9.14; Durand
2004, 338–339, Fig. 5; Bosselmann-Ruickbie 2018, 90, Fig. 24. In
the past, this vessel was wrongly ascribed to Emperor Manuel
Paleologos (1391–1452), and we think that the remark made by B.
Radojković might refer to the same thing.
19 Поленаковиќ-Стеиќ 1965, 5–17.
20 Гајић 2010, 24–43.
21 Тошић 2008, 149–151, Fig. 4: Гаврић 2015, 29–32. As
they were produced separately and applied later to already finished
objects, they could come off, which means that preserved cups of-
ten do not have medallions. On the other hand, and for the same
reason, they found their way to museum collections as separate ob-
jects (Хан 1960–1961, 45–55; Гајић 2010, 82, cat. No. 2), or were
found as such during archaeological excavations. (Миловановић
1981, 27, cat. No. 48; Поповић, Бикић 2017, 396–397, Fig. 5).
Fig. 3. Chalice of Manuel Kantakouzenos
Palaiologos, the treasury of Vatopedi Monastery
(after: Loverdou-Tsigaridou 1997, no. 9.14)
Сл. 3. Пехар Манојла Кантакузина Палеолога,
ризнице манастира Ватопеда
(према: Loverdou-Tsigaridou 1997, no. 9.14)

257 СТАРИНАР LXXI/2021
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A New Interpretation of Prince Lazar’s “Tipar” from the Rudnik Mountain (253–265)
Fig. 4. Vessel from the village of Gorno Orizari near Kočani, Archaeological Museum of the Republic
of North Macedonia, Skopje (after: Поленаковиќ-Стеиќ 1965, figs. 9 and 10)
Сл. 4. Посуда из села Горно Оризари код Кочана, Археолошки музеј Републике Северне Македоније,
Скопље (према: Поленаковиќ-Стеиќ 1965, сл. 9 и 10)
village of Gorno Orizari, near Kočane (Fig. 4). It is
made of gilded silver, shaped as a shallow plate/cup
(aperture diameter 15.5 cm), set on a high stem with a
knot (height 27 cm) and richly decorated both inside
and out. This vessel was a part of a hoard buried in the
14th century in its vicinity was also excavated a ceramic
vessel („grne”) that contained a gilded diptych reliquary
and three pairs of massive gold earrings executed with
supreme craftsmanship. It is a very luxurious find, per-
haps the most luxurious one in the entire territory of the
present-day Northern Macedonia and even beyond. The
objects had undoubtedly belonged to someone from the
uppermost social stratum and some scientist even hy-
pothesized that the owner had belonged to the Dejano-
vićs, the aristocratic family that ruled over those parts
of medieval Serbia.19
Medieval cups were called as such, „cups”, which
is confirmed by the original inscriptions preserved on
some of them. The inscriptions usually began by the
expression „this cup”, followed by the owner’s name
and sometimes accompanied by a formula blessing the
one who drinks from the cup. As for goblets, inscrip-
tions of that type are not formerly known to us, which
means that the Rudnik find represents the first materi-
al proof that they existed on that kind of medieval ves-
sel as well. Moreover, the Rudnik find is also precious
because it highlights yet another common element that
binds together cups and goblets. It was intended for the
fabrication of a single but very important part of the
goblet: the central medallion that stood on the vessel’s
bottom. Similar medallions-plaquettes represent one of
the frequent and particular details of cups.
20
A medal-
lion of that type, with a representation of a lion, exists on
the aforementioned type of vessel from the vicinity of
Kočani as well (Fig. 4). They are usually engraved and
filled with niello, most often round, although, depending
on the shape of the object for which they are made, they
can also be rectangular with rounded angles or even
rhomboid, like the plaquette found in Manastirak near
Rekovac (dimensions 2.8 x 4.7 cm.). Its inscription re-
veals that it stood on a cup that once belonged to Chief
Hrebeljan (Fig. 5).21
b
a

258 СТАРИНАР LXXI/2021
Dejan RADIČEVIĆ, Ana CICOVIĆ
A New Interpretation of Prince Lazar’s “Tipar” from the Rudnik Mountain (253–265)
As separate elements of vessels, medallions began
to appear in the 14
th
century and are seen as a borrowed
element from Western, Gothic art.22 They can contain
inscriptions that reveal the owner, but also representa-
tions, and even entire compositions, Christian or secular
ones, depending on whether a vessel was destined for
religious or secular use. In the spirit of Western herald-
ry, they often contained coats of arms, i.e. the owner’s
heraldic symbols. The bottom of the plate/cup of Em-
peror Dušan (1346–1355) contains a gilded plaquette
with a representation of a two-headed eagle with spread
wings, surrounded by an inscription containing the em-
peror’s name (Fig. 6).23 The collection of the Museum
of Applied Arts in Belgrade contains a round medallion
(diameter 5 cm) with a complete coat of arms compris-
ing a shield surmounted by a helmet bearing a wolf with
raised paws (Fig. 7). It originates from Kosovo and was
ascribed to the second half of the 14
th
century on ac-
count of its style.24
All those characteristic elements exist on the Rud-
nik find as well. The circular inscription around the cen-
tral field contains the prince’s name, while the centre
itself contains a representation of a helmet with horns,
which is considered to be Prince Lazar’s heraldic sign.
25
We cannot imagine the appearance of the rest of the
goblet, its shape and decoration, because we have not
even the slightest indication of it. Bearing in mind the
medallion’s shape and size (diameter 7.2 cm), we can
assume that the receptacle was of a circular or oval
shape, broadly open and of considerable dimensions.
For the sake of comparison, the diameter of the medal-
lion on the so-called Dušan’s plate is somewhat larger
(around 8 cm), while the vessel’s aperture diameter is
18.6 cm.
Aside from belonging to the group of extremely
rare objects that bear clear marks or inscriptions that
relate them to some of the Serbian rulers, the Rudnik
find raises some other important questions as well, in-
cluding the one of the master and the place of fabrica-
tion. Namely, it was made for a goblet commissioned
by Prince Lazar or commissioned for him. Rulers and
aristocrats exchanged such objects as gifts. They could
have been offered as a token of gratitude for loyal ser-
vice, a prize for special favours or a sign of good inter-
state or personal relationships.
We cannot say who the master of Lazars’s goblet
was, but we can rather confidently state that he had de-
veloped his practice in the Rudnik mountain. In general,
the places of fabrication of precious vessels most often
cannot be precisely ascertained. Scientists usually state
that these objects were produced either in domestic
workshops (where masters, mainly from Kotor and
Dubrovnik, worked) or that they were commissions re-
alised in coastal cities.26
The development of goldsmithing is usually seen as
intimately related to the exploitation of precious metals,
which intensified in medieval Serbia from the mid-13th
century on. The opening of new mines and the acceler-
ated development that followed represented a big turn-
ing point in the whole economy of the country, while
the rise of mining was of crucial importance for the de-
velopment of other activities as well, especially trade and
handicrafts. The intense economic development also
enabled a larger mass production and trade of objects
made of precious metals. That was a time characterised
22 Радојковић 1966, 32–33.
23 Гајић 2010, 25–26, 80, cat. No. 1, with older literature.
24 Гајић 2010, 26–27, cat. No. 2.
25 Иванишевић 2004, 225; Ацовић 2008, 200–202.
26 Радојковић 1977, 89–90; Гајић 2010, 20–21.
Fig. 5. Medallion from Manastirak,
Regional Museum of Jagodina
(photo: Regional Museum of Jagodina)
Сл. 5. Медаљон из Манастирка, Завичајни музеј Јагодина
(фото: Завичајни музеј Јагодина)

259 СТАРИНАР LXXI/2021
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A New Interpretation of Prince Lazar’s “Tipar” from the Rudnik Mountain (253–265)
by the enrichment of rulers and aristocrats, quicker
commodity circulation and an influx of masters into an
economically developed region. Courts became places
of luxurious and comfortable living, which implied jew-
ellery, expensive vessels and other precious objects.
It is very hard to precisely locate the centres of pro-
duction of luxurious vessels, but, generally speaking,
workshops for metal processing and the production of
metal objects were set up in or around mining centres,
which was also the case with smelting plants, mints and
marketplaces. Some data on goldsmiths’ places of living
and working can be found in the emperor Dušan’s co-
dex, which stipulates that, within the emperor’s coun-
try and counties, they must only be in marketplaces,
just like mints (Article 168), or in royal cities, to pro-
duce other useful objects as well (Article 170).27 The
development of goldsmithing was followed by profes-
sional specialisation and its high degree of development
is proven by data on a wide spectrum of goldsmiths’
activities, from the purification of gold and silver in
smelting plants, through the fabrication of jewellery,
church items and objects of everyday life, to the pro-
duction of gold threads necessary for decoration (espe-
cially of textiles).28
Decorative motifs can reveal the style that was dom-
inant in a particular region and can thus facilitate identi-
fication of the location of a particular workshop. Accord-
ingly, the cups produced in the region of Novo Brdo,
Priština and Janjevo mixed old Byzantine motifs with
Gothic elements. A similarity of decorative motifs, not
only on vessels but on jewellery as well, testifies to a
common style that was dominant in the workshops of
this region. This is further confirmed by a document
from Dubrovnik wherein a master Andrija from Novi,
who had previously had a workshop in Novo Brdo, took
to producing cups in his own fashion. It is assumed that
„his fashion” actually represented the style of the en-
vironment in which he lived and which can be defined
as Serbian.29
Individual mentions are mainly to be found in the
archives of coastal cities and specifically in the docu-
ments relating to the business dealings of domestic and
foreign goldsmiths working in Serbian or outside of it.
According to those sources, goldsmiths and smiths were
the most common artisans in medieval Serbia. The re-
putation of some very famous goldsmiths is revealed
by the data on the masters who continued their careers
27 Законик цара Стефана Душана 1960, 77, 134–135.
28 Фостиков 2019, 65.
29 Радојковић 1977, 89–90.
Fig. 6. Plate/cup of Emperor Dušan, National Museum in Belgrade (after: Gajić 2010, cat. no. 1)
Сл. 6. Тањир/чаша цара Душана, Народни музеј у Београду (према: Гајић 2010, кат. бр. 1)

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in the coastal cities, either because of their work or as
a result of fleeing the Turks.30 The most famous gold-
smith from Novo Brdo, Jovan Progonović, who moved
to Dubrovnik after the fall of Novo Brdo in 1455, was
obviously very appreciated precisely because of his art
of the production of precious vessels. It was he whom
the archbishop of Dubrovnik commissioned in 1470 to
produce a silver pitcher and a washing basin intended
as gifts to the Hungarian king Matthias Corvinus. Three
years later, the same master was commissioned by an-
other archbishop to fabricate numerous silver vessels,
cups and plates.31
Similarly to other mining centres, the dynamic de-
velopment of mining in Rudnik, together with the fact
that a mint began working early on,
32
implies the de-
velopment of crafts, especially those related to the pro
-
cessing of precious metals. Unfortunately, we know
very little of those crafts. Among the members of the
Dubrovnik community on Rudnik mountain, the pres-
ence of craftsmen was only sporadically recorded,33
which surely does not offer the real picture because
their number must have been much bigger. Pieces of
medieval jewellery, mostly signet rings (that, by their
quality, can be considered luxurious jewellery of their
time),34 were found in several localities on Rudnik
mountain and its immediate vicinity. By their high ar-
tistic value, these objects testify to the economic pos-
sibilities, prosperity and wealth of a social milieu that
sought refinement and artistic beauty. However, the
present state of research does not allow us to ascertain
whether these were produced by local masters or by
outsiders who came to Rudnik.
The find that this paper deals with comes from the
area of the medieval marketplace which was normally
related to the activities of merchants and craftsmen,
both local and foreign.
35
Thus, the object in which it
was found could also have had a special function, which
is indicated by yet another particular item found in it –
a set of weights for precise measurement.
36
It is quite
unforgivable that the central part of the object has, thus
far, remained inaccessible for research.
The method of execution of the central representa-
tion on the Rudnik mould reveals the hand of a skilful
master possessing an art of representation where no de-
tail was neglected. This precision resembles some sim-
ilarly cut representations on seals and coins. The pres-
ence of skilful mould cutters on Rudnik mountain is
confirmed by Rudnik dinars minted from the time of
King Dragutin until the fall of the Serbian despotate.
They are characterised by various representations –
from the earliest ones (Christ on a throne on one side
and the ruler, with the saint or alone, on the other) un-
til the dinars of despot Đurađ Branković with Rudnik’s
30 Фостиков 2019, 71–73.
31 Јовановић 2004, 50.
32 Иванишевић 2001, 63–64.
33 Храбак 1984, 6–15.
34 Гај-Поповић 1967, 309–316; Милошевић 1990, 108–
109, cat. No. 136, 162, cat. No. 262; Мадас 1990–1991, 177–181;
Тешић-Вулећ 2016, 28; Радичевић, Цицовић 2019, 34, Fig. 25.
35 Радичевић 2019, 63–88.
36 Цицовић, Марјановић 2018, 167–168, Fig. 6.
Fig. 7. Medallion from Kosovo, Museum of Applied Arts, Belgrade
(after: Gajić 2010, cat. no. 2)
Сл. 7. Медаљон са Косова, Музеј примењене уметности, Београд
(према: Гајић 2010, кат. бр. 2)

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Dejan RADIČEVIĆ, Ana CICOVIĆ
A New Interpretation of Prince Lazar’s “Tipar” from the Rudnik Mountain (253–265)
name on the reverse.
37
Among the issues ascribed to
the Rudnik mint in the time of Prince Lazar there is also
one that displays a new heraldic motif: a helmet with a
pair of bovine horns.38
If we bear in mind that Rudnik masters could make
moulds and mint money, then we should not be sur-
prised if they could also produce plaquettes with heral-
dic signs and place them as decorations onto already
finished objects. Of course, we still do not know if the
same master executed both the medallion and the ves-
sel itself. It is quite possible that the goblet was pro-
duced by several masters within the same goldsmith
workshop, where specially commissioned objects were
made along with those intended for everyday use. It is
a known fact that, depending on the need and agree-
ment, the same goldsmiths used to produce various
kinds of objects.39
It is a different situation with the inscription be-
cause it does not reflect the same quality of execution
as the representation in the central field. The majority
of the letters are of the same height, regular and legi-
ble, but they nevertheless contain several errors. The
letter „H” is half the size of the remaining ones and is
thus „squeezed” into the inscription. Within the abbre-
viation GŠOSPO¹DŠI¹NA, the letter N’s slanted line is
reversed. The word SRÝSKE lacks a letter, while the
bent line in the letter K is wrongly turned to the left. Fi-
nally, the syntax is wrong and it should have been as
follows: „This is a goblet of prince Lazar lord of all
Serbian land” (in accordance with the prince’s title af-
ter 1378/1379, when he had the rank of an all-Serbian
ruler, valid for his office as well as for the Serbian
church.40
On the basis of the inscription with „Serbian” let-
ters, one could initially say that it is the work of Serbi-
an masters, but one cannot be absolutely certain. The
lettering errors suggest that the master who engraved
the letters was not overly familiar with them, which im-
plies that he was probably a stranger. The errors could
also have been the reason for which the object was dis
-
carded. Namely, it does not bear any trace of use and it
is not clear if it was ever used. Its exact purpose – a
casting mould or a matrix for medallion impression? –
remains a mystery. The lack of the usual casting chan-
nels precludes its definition as a mould, although we
cannot completely exclude the possibility that they ex-
isted on the object’s second part, which certainly exist-
ed. This is corroborated by the small cavities in the low-
er angles of the front side, which served as a connection
with the second part. The letter „a”, carved in the back,
can be interpreted in a similar fashion. We have already
said that it was the master’s way of marking his prod-
uct or perhaps a series mark or even a mark of the
mould’s part that would fit in with the other.41 In the
latter case, „a” did not denote a letter but number one,
as the first part of the mould. In any case, it is not the
only mystery of this find, which remains unique in our
region. The mystery is certainly reinforced by a lack of
comparable objects and it is quite understandable that
some questions remain open until further discoveries.
37
Иванишевић 2001, 96 (2.5), 102–103 (3.9, 4.1 and 4.2),
192 (45.29).
38 Иванишевић 2001, 163–164 (24.24).
39 Фостиков 2019, 65–67.
40 Мишић 2014, 13–17.
41 Радичевић, Цицовић 2016, 168.
Starinar is an Open Access Journal. All articles can be downloaded free of charge and used in accordance with the licence
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Цицовић, Марјановић 2018 – А. Цицовић, Ј. Марјано-
вић, Археолошка истраживања на Руднику 2015–2017.
године, у: Рудник и Венчац са околином у средњем веку и
раној модери, Тематски зборник радова са научног скупа
одржаног 21. октобра 2017. године у Народном музеју у
Аранђеловцу, (ур.) С. Мишић, Д. Радичевић и М. Шуица,
Аранђеловац 2018, 159–176. (A. Cicović, J. Marjanović,
Arheološka istraživanja na Rudniku 2015–2017. godine, u:
Rudnik i Venčac sa okolinom u srednjem veku i ranoj mode-
ri, Tematski zbornik radova sa naučnog skupa održanog 21.
oktobra 2017. godine u Narodnom muzeju u Aranđelovcu,
(ur.) S. Mišić, D. Radičević i M. Šuica, Aranđelovac 2018,
159–176)
Шакота 1981 – М. Шакота, Ризница манастира Бање,
Београд 1981. (M. Šakota, Riznica manastira Banje, Beo-
grad 1981)

265
СТАРИНАР LXXI/2021
Dejan RADIČEVIĆ, Ana CICOVIĆ
A New Interpretation of Prince Lazar’s “Tipar” from the Rudnik Mountain (253–265)
Резиме: ДЕЈАН РАДИЧЕВИЋ, Филозофски факултет Универзитета у Београду,
Одељење за археологију, Београд
АНА ЦИЦОВИЋ, Музеј рудничко-таковског краја, Горњи Милановац
НОВО ТУМАЧЕЊЕ РУДНИЧКОГ „ТИПАРА“ КНЕЗА ЛАЗАРА
Кључне речи. – Рудник, кнез Лазар, пехар, медаљон, плакета
На страницама Старинара за 2016. годину публикован је
предмет пронађен годину дана раније приликом архе оло-
шких истраживања остатака средњовековног насеља на
пла нини Руднику. На основу представе на централном пољу
и натписа око њега, протумачен је као типар (печатњак) срп-
ског кнеза Лазара (око 1329–1389). За одређивање његове
намене пресудан је био садржај натписа који је прочитан
као: + SI ÈŠSTݹ HARÝ GŠOSPO¹DŠI¹NA KNEZA LAZARA
SVE SRÝSKE ZEMLE (+ Ово је милост господина кнеза
Лазара све српске земље).
Нова интерпретација управо полази од садржајa натпи-
са који нуди могућност за другачије одређење првобитне
намене овог предмета. Наиме, поновним читањем уочен је
детаљ који је раније остао непримећен. Ради се о лигатури
у почетном делу натписа у којој је повезано друго и треће
слово, која се сад читају као I и P (сл. 1). Прочитан на овај
начин, натпис гласи: + SI PEHARÝ GŠOSPO¹DŠI¹NA
KNEZA LAZARA SVE SRÝSKE ZEMLE (+ Ово је пехар го-
сподина кнеза Лазара све српске земље).
Помен пехара у натпису, а не милости, показује да се не
ради о кнежевом печатњаку, већ да је предмет направљен за
нешто друго. Узимајући у обзир како је обликована и на који
начин обрађена предња страна, може се закључити да се
ради о калупу (матрици) који је требало да буде употребљен
приликом израде посуде – пехара намењеног кнезу Лазару.
Кад је реч о пехарима као врсти средњовековних посу-
да, обично се описују као посуде за пиће на високој стопи,
сличне путирима. Нажалост, изглед средњовековних пехара
можемо само замишљати на основу назнака у писаним доку-
ментима и поједностављених ликовних представа. Уопште
узев, насупрот обиљу података из XIV и XV века о драгоце-
ностима владарских и племићких депозита, стоји прилично
скроман број посуда које су, након пљачки, продаја и прета-
пања, до данас преостале. Највише је сачуван тип посуде
који је у средњовековној Србији одређен термином – чаша.
Примерци који су до данас очувани плене својом репрезен-
тативношћу, лепотом и луксузом. Да су чаше у средњем
веку баш тако и називане, потврђују оригинални натписи
сачувани на некима од њих. Обично почињу речима „сиа
чаша“ да би потом уследило име власника, понекад и уз
формулу којом се благослови онај ко из чаше пије. Кад је
реч о пехарима, натписи тог типа раније нам нису били по-
знати, па је налаз са Рудника први материјални доказ да су
постојали и на тој врсти средњовековних посуда. Руднички
налаз је драгоцен и због тога што указује на још један зајед-
нички елемент који повезује чаше и пехаре. Он је био наме-
њен за израду само једног, али веома значајног дела пехара.
Ради се о централном медаљону који се налазио на дну посу-
де. Такви медаљони се као самостални елемент на посуда-
ма јављују од XIV века, а сматрају се позајмицом из западне,
готичке уметности. На њима се могу налазити натписи који
откривају власника, али и представе, па и читаве компози-
ције, хришћанске или лаичке садржине, зависно од тога да
ли је посуда била намењена у профане сврхе или за култне
потребе.
Осим тога што припада групи изузетно ретких предме-
та који на себи имају јасне ознаке или натписе који их пове-
зују са неким од српских владара, руднички налаз отвара и
друга важна питања. Међу њима је и питање мајстора и ме-
ста израде. Наиме, он је направљен за пехар чију је израду
поручио кнез Лазар или који је поручен за кнеза. Посуде тог
типа владари и властела су поклањали једни другима. Мо-
гле су бити даване у знак захвалности за верну службу, као
награда за посебне услуге или као знак добрих међудржав-
них или личних односа. Не можемо рећи ко је био мајстор
Лазаревог пехара, али са великом вероватноћом можемо
констатовати да је своју делатност развио на Руднику. На-
чин на који је израђена централна представа одаје руку ве-
штог мајстора који располаже вештином минуциозног при-
казивања. Са натписом је другачија слика и он не одражава
исти квалитет израде. Већина слова је уједначене висине,
правилна и читка, али на њима има више погрешака. На
основу натписа са „српским“ словима, на први поглед би се
могло закључити да је у питању рад српских мајстора, али то
се не може прихватити са сигурношћу. Грешаке са словима
указују да им мајстор није био сасвим близак, што би пре
указивало на странца који их је урезивао. Оне су могле бити
и разлог за одбацивање предмета, будући да се на њему не
уочавају трагови употребе, па је питање да ли је икада и био
коришћен.