Archaeologists believe they may have finally understood the significance of a discovery, that has puzzled them for years.
Eight years ago, a German team of archaeologists discovered a 1,500-year-old burial site in Pförring, Bavaria.
To their amazement they found a treasure grove of artefacts belonging to a young woman.
Among the items found were two bronze keys, a bone needle case, several bronze rings, three perforated Roman coins, a decorative disc with a glass inlay, the shell of a sea snail, and a walnut pendant, which was adorned with bronze bands.
The objects were connected by leather straps, suggesting they might have been worn as a belt pendant.
Initially, the archaeologists thought the objects were a fashion accessory and had no further meaning.
However, this interpretation never completely satisfied the team of experts.
Now, thanks to a combination of modern restoration and analysis techniques, the archaeologists believe they have gained a much better insight into their find.
They think the items had a deeper symbolic and possibly spiritual significance for the deceased.
The walnut pendant in particular drew the attention of the archaeologists and helped them unlock the mystery.
Walnuts were often associated with fertility, abundance and protection in ancient times.
It is rare to find a walnut used as a decorative item. This fact combined with the symbolic nature of the other artefacts, has led the scientists to believe the ensemble held personal and spiritual meaning.
The pendant, encased in broad bands, may have served as a talisman to protect the woman in the afterlife.
Professor Mathias Pfeil, General Conservator of the Bavarian State Office for the Preservation of Monuments, said: “[The find} offers a unique glimpse into the culture along the Danube Limes and the significance attributed to certain objects, which were transformed into powerful symbols and talismans.”
The Danube Limes, which stretched from the source of the Danube in present-day Germany to the Black Sea, was part of the wider frontier of the Roman Empire.
It consisted of a network of forts, legionary camps and watchtowers positioned along the southern bank of the Danube at intervals of 10 to 30 kilometres.
In times of peace, these fortifications facilitated trade with neighbouring Germanic populations on the other side of the Danube and enabled a continuous cultural and economic exchange.
