3 July 2025 The Future is the Product of the Past

Earliest glass workshop north of the Alps unearthed in Němčice

Archaeologists excavated the famous Iron Age site Němčice and uncovered the earliest glass workshop north of the Alps.

Numerous beautiful glass bracelets and beads have also been found at the site. As a result, it was thought that Němčice was a center of glass production, but only these excavations have confirmed this fact.

The central agglomeration of Němčice in Moravia was one of the most important archaeological sites of the La Tène period (MÖ 3. – 2. yüzyıl) in Central Europe. Němčice is also famous for its unprecedented amount of gold and silver coins which number over 2,000.

According to a study published on June 29 in the journal Antiquity, the team also discovered a possible sanctuary, suggesting that Iron Age people performed rituals there.

While conducting excavations in 2002, researchers made the discovery of Němčice. Subsequent surveys led to the discovery of sunken huts, bronze amulets, and coins dispersed throughout the site. The coins are clues that Němčice was likely part of the “Amber Road,” a large central European network that linked the Baltic coast to the Mediterranean region.

Photo: Antiquity (2023). DOI: 10.15184/aqy.2023.80
Photo: Antiquity (2023). DOI: 10.15184/aqy.2023.80

While glassmaking tools were not found on site, a mixture of complete and partially complete glass products was discovered. This indicates that glass was produced at Němčice.

“No one yet knows how exactly the Celts made glass bracelets,” lead author Ivan Čižmář, an archaeologist at the Institute of Archaeological Heritage Brno in the Czech Republic, said in the statement. “Therefore, we were interested in anything that tells us something about the technology of production.”

During the excavation, pieces of amber that were also in various stages of completion were discovered in addition to glass beads and bracelets. This confirms that the complex was associated with multiple manufacturing materials, making it even more regionally significant.

An aerial image of the an uncovered sanctuary that may have been used for rituals. Photo: Ivan Čižmář, Antiquity (2023). DOI: 10.15184/aqy.2023.80

Also at the site’s highest point, a square area of Němčice that had been geophysically surveyed was excavated. It has many similarities with possible ritual structures from Austria, implying shared beliefs in Central Europe.

“The presence of these likely sacred features at Němčice indicates the character of the site not only as a trade and production center,” Dr. Čižmář said, “but also as a seat of an elite and ritual center.”

The study is published in the journal Antiquity.

DOI: 10.15184/aqy.2023.80

Antiquity

Related Articles

The sensational second discovery in Croatia: Greek-Illyrian Helmet 2500 years old

16 April 2024

16 April 2024

Archaeologists found a 2500-year-old Greek-Ilyrian helmet during excavations in the Gomila area in the town of Zakotorac on Croatia’s Pelješac...

Radiocarbon dating shows that the Roman settlement of Karanis survived in Egypt until the Arab Conquest in the 7th century AD

13 May 2024

13 May 2024

New research results are rewriting the history of Karanis, an ancient Greco-Roman agricultural settlement in the Fayum oasis in Egypt....

Underwater Archaeologists discovered World’s Largest and Oldest ancient shipyard on Dana Island, Türkiye

31 October 2023

31 October 2023

The ruins of the world’s largest and oldest ancient shipyard were found in the north of the island of Dana,...

‘Dinosaur dance floor’ dating back 80 million years found in China

20 April 2021

20 April 2021

In China, researchers have found many dinosaur footprints in an area of 1,600 square meters described in the literature as...

The Earliest Evidence of a Domesticated Dog in the Arabian Peninsula

9 April 2021

9 April 2021

Dogs have been the best friend of humans since ancient times. Although it is not known exactly when dogs were...

The free online course from the Colchester Museums and University of Reading Department of Archeology

12 July 2021

12 July 2021

The opportunity to be among the first to examine 2,000-year-old cremated remains from Roman Britain and learn about the origins...

Recent excavations at Girsu uncovered innovative civilization-saving technology of Ancient Sumerians

19 November 2023

19 November 2023

In ancient city Girsu, located near the modern city of Nasiriyah in southern Iraq, revealed through a recent excavation by...

Excavations in Haldensleben, Germany Reveal A Lost Settlement

9 November 2024

9 November 2024

Excavations at Haldensleben in the German state of Saxony-Anhalt provide important information about a lost settlement. Since May 2024, the...

Archaeologists Discover Assyrian-Style Leather Armor 2,700 Years Old in China

11 December 2021

11 December 2021

The new research shows that the unique leather armor found in a horse rider’s tomb in Northwest China was made...

A marble slab with an inscription from the 2nd century was discovered during excavations in Bulgaria

18 October 2023

18 October 2023 3

Archaeologists discovered a 1,900-year-old marble slab bearing an ancient Greek inscription in the Roman Baths of Hisarya, a small resort...

Oldest Direct Evidence for Honey Collecting in Africa

18 April 2021

18 April 2021

Honey is an important food source that has been considered a very important healing source in the history of civilizations....

Ancient Hippodrome, Subject of Ben-Hur Movie, Will Become “Arkeo Sports Park”

8 August 2021

8 August 2021

Ben-Hur, a wealthy prince living in Jerusalem, is a historical figure who struggled for the freedom of the Jews during...

Excavation in Larissa finds a Hellenistic era sanctuary

27 November 2021

27 November 2021

The Hellenic Ministry of Culture and Sport reported on Friday the discovery of ancient Greek and Hellenistic era structures at...

2,500-Year-Old Phoenician Shipwreck Being Rescued By Spanish Archaeologists

6 July 2023

6 July 2023

A 2,500-year-old Phoenician shipwreck has been found underwater in the southeastern Spanish region of Murcia. An extraordinary Phoenician shipwreck dating...

Iznik Archaeology Museum reveals 2,500-year-old love letter

16 January 2023

16 January 2023

İznik is an ancient habitation that hosts various civilizations due to its fertile lands, trade routes, and many other reasons....