Late Bronze Age hair rings of the Sântana-Șărmășag type

The main categories of prehistoric gold artefacts discovered in the eastern part of the Carpathian Basin are represented by jewellery and ornaments. The present study aims to provide a comprehensive analysis of the Late Bronze Age hair rings, which are characterised by their unique design comprising two leaf-shaped sections connected by a circular gold wire with a circular cross-section. Despite being referenced in specialized literature, these artefacts have not been precisely typologically classified, and their geographical distribution has not been examined. For this category of ornaments, we have proposed the name “Sântana-Șărmășag type hair rings”. This group includes a series of typologically similar artefacts made of both gold and bronze. Consequently, following a thorough analysis of the artefacts, their archaeological contexts of discovery have been identified, the typological classification has been clarified, and the distribution area of these hair rings has been established.