27 September 2023 The Future is the Product of the Past

Early Iron Age cremation burial containing bronze jewelry and rare textile fragments found in Austria

Archeologists from the Vienna Natural History Museum (NHM), a cremation burial containing bronze jewelry and rare surviving textile fragments have unearthed from the Early Iron Age (800-550 B.C.) burial ground at Hallstatt, Austria.

In the course of the NHM’s current excavation campaign at the Hallstatt Salzberg, archaeologists have unearthed many new finds. The most remarkable among them is a cremation grave with very well-preserved bronze burial gifts. During the expert recovery of the metal finds, the researchers discovered amazingly well-preserved fabric remains.

Hallstatt is known for its production of salt dating back to prehistoric times and gave its name to the Hallstatt culture, a people that emerged during the Late Bronze.

The burial is situated in an Iron Age cemetery first discovered in 1846, where archaeologists excavating the site in 1863 found over 1,000 graves and numerous grave goods.

The bronze spiral from the grave, with textile remnants (marked).Photo:
NHM VIENNA, ANDREAS W. RAUSCH
The bronze spiral from the grave, with textile remnants (marked).Photo:
NHM VIENNA, ANDREAS W. RAUSCH

“It is not only the good state of preservation of the costumes and pieces of jewelry that were placed in the grave that is remarkable,” Johann Rudorfer, a research associate in the Prehistoric Department of the Natural History Museum Vienna said in a statement. “But also the fact that we were able to identify a clearly recognizable burial pit inspires us. The area was extensively archaeologically investigated in the 19th century, but little attention was paid to certain details, such as the grave construction.”

Finds include a ribbed arm ring, spirals of thin wire (possibly from a fibula brooch), a bronze blade with traces of the wooden handle, and a piece of iron lead that has been identified as a belt fitting.

The finds were densely packed into the grave, and it was only when the objects were detached and examined closely that archaeologists recognized the surviving traces of fabric on the undersides of the spiral discs. These might be the first archaeological evidence that textile pouches were used to contain cremated remains for burial.

The grave's contents are seen. Photo: NHM VIENNA, ANDREAS W. RAUSCH
The grave’s contents are seen. Photo: NHM VIENNA, ANDREAS W. RAUSCH

The researchers believe the burial was placed in a textile bag and the spiral discs were placed on top, revealing for the first time a new distinct Hallstatt culture burial practice from the Iron Age.

Archaeologists also found animal bones, thought to be food for the afterlife, a bronze knife blade, and a piece of sheet iron, possibly from a belt fitting. All of the items appeared to have been deliberately bent or broken. According to the researchers, the intentional damage of metalwork was a ritual offering and may have been an expression of the death of the buried individual.

The exploration of the Iron Age cemetery is far from over. With modern excavation and documentation methods, further research questions that have not yet been answered can also be clarified by the excavation campaign at the Hallstatt Salzberg.

NHM

Cover Photo: The bronze arm ring in situ. Photo: NHM VIENNA, STEFAN KROJER

Banner
Related Post

Salt May Have Been Used as Money in Exchanges

24 March 2021

24 March 2021

Salt has always been a precious metal. Salt was needed in many areas, from the preservation of food to the...

A new temple was discovered in the ancient Thracian city of Perperikon

17 August 2022

17 August 2022

Bulgarian News Agency (BTA) reports that archaeologists have discovered a new temple at Perperikon. Perperikon, an archaeological complex located at...

Archaeologists have unearthed a trove of artifacts at the necropolis of Saqqara

9 June 2022

9 June 2022

Archaeologists at the necropolis of Saqqara, near Cairo, have discovered a cache of 250 complete mummies in painted wooden sarcophagi...

Archaeologists in Israel are restoring the largest Roman Basilica in the country

6 June 2021

6 June 2021

Archaeologists in Israel are trying to rebuild a 2,000-year-old Roman-era basilica that is thought to be the country’s biggest. A...

Maya Farmers May Have Planned Population Growth Contrary to Thought

19 November 2021

19 November 2021

Contrary to what was thought, Maya farmers may have planned for population growth, says a new study. According to a...

The Big Universe Coming Out from the Dust “in Esna Temple”

7 February 2021

7 February 2021

While the Esna Temple has been waiting to renew and breathe again for a long time, it has recently experienced...

Scientists reconstruct Late Bronze and Iron Age Mediterranean silver trade

11 July 2021

11 July 2021

Scientists have recreated the Eastern Mediterranean silver trade across a time span that includes the conventional dates of the Trojan...

Two Archaic Sculptures was Unearthed in Milas Euromos 2021 Excavations

2 July 2021

2 July 2021

Milas Euromos 2021 archaeological excavations continue. During the excavations of Milas Euromos 2021, archaeologists unearthed two archaic period statues (kuros)...

The Half of the Rare Oil Lamp Found in Jerusalem May be in Budapest

9 May 2021

9 May 2021

We had recently reported on a grotesque lamp found in Jerusalem. The other half of the oil lamp, which is...

The largest embalming cache ever found in Egypt unearthed at Abusir

10 February 2022

10 February 2022

Archaeologists from the Czech Institute for Egyptian Science have discovered a cache of artifacts related to the practice of Egyptian...

Restoration works for ancient Arch de Triumph in Palmyra to begin

22 March 2022

22 March 2022

Restoration works of the Arch of Triumph of the Ancient City of Palmyra, which was destroyed by the terrorist organization...

Archaeologists have discovered a treasure trove of sixth-century coins in ancient Phanagoria in Russia

27 July 2021

27 July 2021

Archaeologists have discovered 80 coins known as Copper staters dating back to the sixth century at Phanagoria on the Black...

In the backstage of Smyrna Ancient Theater Latrina found

3 November 2021

3 November 2021

Interesting finds unearthed during the excavations of the 2400-year-old Ancient City of Smyrna in the Aegean region of Turkey continue...

Angkor Wat Reopens

26 April 2021

26 April 2021

After being temporarily closed on April 7 to prevent the spread of Covid-19 to locals, Apsara National Authority and Angkor...

World’s first deepwater archaeological park inaugurated off Xlendi, Malta

10 August 2023

10 August 2023

The world’s first deepwater archaeological park has been inaugurated for divers off the coast of Xlendi in Gozo. This unique...

Comments
Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *