5 July 2025 The Future is the Product of the Past

A unique golden sun bowl was discovered during an archaeological survey in Ebreichsdorf, Austria

A golden sun bowl and several hundred bronze objects were discovered during archaeological excavations in a prehistoric settlement in today’s Ebreichsdorf in Austria.

Since September 2019, archaeologists have been excavating at Ebreichsdorf, where they discovered an ancient settlement dating from 1300-1000 BC, which experts have linked to the urn field culture (related to the cremation type of funeral rites).

The bowl was discovered next to the wall of one of the settlement’s prehistoric homes. The former craftsman even put an image of the sun’s rays to the bowl, which is adorned with a sun pattern. It has a diameter of 20 centimeters and a height of five centimeters. It is constructed of very thin sheet metal. 90% of it is gold, with the rest being silver and copper. Researchers are now trying to figure out where the basic ingredients used to smelt it came from.

Inside the bowl was coiled golden wire wrapped in organic material clumps that had been stitched with gold thread. The cloth might have been decorative scarves worn during religious rites to honor the sun, according to the research team.

golden sun bowl
Photo: Andreas Rausch

– This is the discovery of life for me – said the head of the excavations in Ebreichsdorf, Polish archaeologist Dr. Michał Sip from the Novetus company, commenting on the discovery of a golden treasure from thousands of years ago. – I have worked on several continents, including Egypt and Guatemala, but so far I have not been able to find anything similar – he added.

The bowl is the first of its kind found in Austria and the second to the east of the Alpine line. That single vessels of this type have so far been discovered in Spain, France, and Switzerland.

– Much more is known from the area of ​​northern Germany, Scandinavia and Denmark – because they were produced there – said the archaeologist Dr. Michał Sip. According to his estimates, more than thirty such bowls are known throughout Europe.

These are not the only remarkable finds in a prehistoric settlement. Up to 500 bronze artifacts, including pins, daggers, and knives, as well as different ceramic clay containers, shells, and animal bones, have been unearthed near the village since excavations began in 2019.

Photo: Andreas Rausch

The settlement unearthed in the region of today’s Ebreichsdorf was occupied by an archaeologist-defined society known as the ash field culture about 1300-1000 BC (this name is related to the cremation type of the funeral rite). It belonged to the Middle and Late Bronze Ages. The population had a sedentary existence and was involved in agriculture and animal husbandry, especially sheep.

This culture is also recognized for its remnants in modern Polish territories, and its unique, local variation is known as the Lusatian culture.

The bowl will be placed on display at the Kunsthistorisches Museum in Vienna, with excavations of the settlement site to continue for the next six months.

PAP

Cover Photo: Andreas Rausch

Related Articles

3,000-Year-Old Iron Age Statuette Discovered in Italian Lake, With Fingerprints of Maker

17 August 2024

17 August 2024

During work in Lake Bolsena, a volcanic lake in central Italy, at the submerged archaeological site of Gran Carro, a ...

Polish archaeologists discover papyruses containing a list of Roman centurions at Berenike

23 May 2024

23 May 2024

Papyruses with lists of Roman centurions stationed in Egypt were found by Polish archaeologists in Berenike. These unique documents were...

Bronze Age artifacts discovered near the residence of ‘Iran’s Napoleon’

6 July 2021

6 July 2021

Archaeologists in Iran have discovered a plethora of artifacts and damaged structures near a former residence of Nader Shah, dubbed...

The Oldest Odin Inscription in the World Found in the Vindelev treasure

8 March 2023

8 March 2023

Scientists have identified the earliest known inscription referring to the Norse god Odin on part of a gold disc unearthed...

Near Prague, a Mysterious 7,000-Year-Old Circular Structure

15 September 2022

15 September 2022

Archaeologists are investigating a 7,000-year-old so-called roundel (known as ‘rondely’ in Czech), and monumental structure located in the Vinoř district...

Visit Baalbek’s Famous Temples with a Free 3d Virtual Tour

10 April 2021

10 April 2021

Baalbek, which has traces of settlement since 9000 BC, was one of the cornerstones of ancient civilizations. The famous Baalbek temple...

Study Reveals Córdoba’s Advanced Sanitation System: A Medieval Model Unmatched in Europe for Centuries

25 April 2025

25 April 2025

Recent research has unveiled the impressive sanitation systems of medieval Córdoba, revealing that the city’s infrastructure was so advanced that...

Archaeologists have discovered another exceptional find in Mérida

12 August 2023

12 August 2023

In Mérida, Spain, archaeologists recently discovered an “enormous” Roman bath. But it is that inside these baths, in the area...

Drone photos reveal Venice of the Fertile Crescent

16 October 2022

16 October 2022

A drone survey of Lagash, a site located between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers, revealed that the 4,900-year-old settlement was...

Remarkable Discovery: Roman-British Coins Hoard Unearthed Near Utrecht, Netherlands

29 January 2025

29 January 2025

In 2023, a unique collection of 404 silver and gold coins dating back to 46 A.D. has been discovered by...

In the city of Gods and Goddesses Magnesia, Zeus Temple’s entrance gate found

26 September 2021

26 September 2021

During an excavation in the ancient city of Magnesia, located in the Ortaklar district of Germencik in Turkey’s Aegean province...

Researchers Suggest That the 5,000-Year-Old Boat-Shaped Mound May Be Fossilized Remains of Noah’s Ark

16 March 2025

16 March 2025

A recent discovery in Türkiye has ignited interest among experts who believe they may have found the fossilized remains of...

Habib-i Neccar Mosque, one of the first mosques in Anatolia, was destroyed in the earthquake

12 February 2023

12 February 2023

Antakya Habib-i Neccar Mosque, one of the first mosques built in Anatolia, was destroyed in the earthquake that killed tens...

An architectural gem from the medieval monastery of Posa, Germany

26 July 2023

26 July 2023

Archaeological excavations have been taking place on the Posaer Berg (Posa Hill) near Zeitz (Burgenland) every year since 2017. They...

According to researchers, the bones discovered underneath St. Peter’s Basilica may not be his

5 June 2021

5 June 2021

Three Italian researchers have voiced doubts about whether St. Peter’s bones are buried underneath the Rome basilica that bears his...