Recent or Roman enamel? Resolution of dating of the unique find from Mušov - Burgstall using techniques of X-ray fluorescence analysis

The study concerns the unique archaeological find of a silver jar lid, decorated using enamel technique. The find was made in South Moravia at Hradisko u Mušova, also known as Mušov-Burgstall, which is connected to the period of Marcomannic Wars (172-180 AD). At the moment of discovery, on the basis of art historical analysis, this unique artefact was dated into the reign of Emperor Augustus (27 BC – 14 AD). However, the used technique of enamel would be completely unique in Roman context for this period, and we have even discovered analogies in modern enamels recently. This item might have been lost in the Mušov-Burgstall region at the beginning of 20th century, when the first archaeological activities have started in this region. The artefact might also have been lost by a German or a Russian soldier, because some military operations of the end of the Second World War took place in this region. On the basis of the uniqueness of this item, we have started to deal with some questions concerning dating and manufacturing technology in a non-destructive manner using various X-ray fluorescence techniques. •Advantages of X-ray fluorescence scanning of an enameled artefact were demonstrated.•Presence of gold foil under the red enamel was confirmed with confocal XRF.•The dating into the Roman period was excluded by the discovery of minor fragments of purple enamel coloured with manganese.