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  photo: Institute of Nuclear Chemistry

  One of the glass beads found in Bavaria: The blue color indicates a admixture of cobalt.

Antique jewelry found in Bavaria – believed to be the origin region with Natron

Mainz – Colorful glass beads were in the Roman Empire – and not only there – a popular jewelry. German researchers have now investigated the origin of some of these beads and can draw conclusions about ancient commodities and trade routes, such as the University of Mainz reported.

Overall, the researchers studied 42 glass beads that had been excavated at four different sites of ancient settlements in present-day Bavaria. The region was then inhabited by Rhaetians, a people of unknown origin, which had been incorporated in the first century BC the Roman Empire. 38 of the beads are from the early imperial period, four from late Roman times, the fourth century.

The majority of the investigated glass beads comes from excavations near Oberammergau. For the archaeological site, it was a place of sacrifice of Rhaetians settled there. The glass beads, which served the population as jewelry, show traces of burning a sacrificial fire. Other found objects seem to have been deliberately placed for specific patterns.

Once across the empire through

With the help of the research reactor TRIGA the Institute of Nuclear Chemistry of the University of Mainz neutron activation analysis could be used to establish that thematerials did not come to this Pearls from the area. The analyzes showed that all the beads are made ​​of soda glass with a sodium content of up to 20 percent and, therefore, at least in raw material sodium, and possibly even the finished lens blank, must come from the vicinity of Lake Natron in Egypt such as the Wadi Natrun.

In antiquity, a melting temperature of 1,800 degrees Celsius for pure sand could not be reached. Therefore, a flow agent to lower the melting point had to be added, usually vegetable ash or natural soda. Plant ash was freely available in all regions and was used depending on the position of the glass workshops. Plant ash from sea or shore plants contain more saline soil by sodium, while inland outweighs the potassium content of the plants. Since the extraction of sodium is very complex from plant ash was used for frequent natural soda ash from Egypt. 

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Germany – Land of tales that gave the world such as Wilhelm Hauff and the Brothers Grimm. And in Germany is the most fabulous castle on the planet: Neuschwanstein, whose name translates as “New swan cliff.” In the second half of the XIX century, it was built by Ludwig II of Bavaria, or, as it was also called “Fairy King”.

In a series of German rulers Ludwig II occupies a special place. From severe and warlike ancestors and descendants of his distinguished romantic and dreamy. Distinguished so that your entire state ardor (along with the state treasury), he directed only to implement his dream of wondrous countries inhabited by mysterious creatures.

Frustrated gritty bustle of Munich, Ludwig II was not interested in his problems day by day more and more immersed in his own world of dreams.And were born a few locks – Herrenchiemsee, Linderhof and Neuschwanstein. Each one of them – a masterpiece of world architecture, charming with its weightlessness and fabulous silhouettes of majestic mountains.

The model was selected for the Neuschwanstein castle Wartburg – the only surviving feudal castle of Bavaria. But the brainchild of Ludwig II strongly surpassed the original. At the time, a great influence on the king had the opera “Lohengrin” by Richard Wagner, in a noble knight white swan – the fabulous hero of ancient legends – Ludwig saw himself. And with the help of architects, and he has created his own “Swan Castle.”

Within its walls reflected the magical world of “Song of the Nibelungs,” medieval legends about Parsifal, Lohengrin and Tannhäuser, the Holy Grail, Tristan and Isolde … Above each room, each panel masters worked long and hard. Every detail here – a work of art. But it is precisely for this reason, construction proceeded very slowly and was not even finished at Ludwig’s life. For example, just over a wood carving in one bedroom, 14 carpenters worked 4.5 years.

In this case, the King was able to combine surprisingly subtle fantasy with reality: for all its ethereal form, the castle was equipped with the latest technology the way of his time. Rooms royal apartments are equipped with hot air central heating, toilets have an automatic drain system, used to call the servants of the electrical system call, and on a couple of floors were not even phones!

Still, Neuschwanstein – is, first of all, carved in stone fairy tale. He was the prototype of Sleeping Beauty Castle at Disneyland Paris and a source of inspiration for Tchaikovsky’s ballet “Swan Lake.” The very same king, he finally brought to mind. Instead of solving the urgent problems of the governor laid he went on an expedition in the footsteps of William Tell or having dinner with the spirit of Louis XIV. Day and night swapped places with Ludwig II, for which he became known as “King of the Moon.” According to the laws of Bavaria, the King may be removed from office if found unfit to management. Not surprisingly, once (in 1886) Ludwig II was overthrown. He was taken to the castle of Berg, and the next day the king died in the lake under mysterious circumstances, along with a psychiatrist diagnosed him … These mysterious events and set up an intriguing aura of the castle. Just two months after the death of the King of the unfinished Neuschwanstein was opened to tourists!