Overview

The European Bronze Age (ca. 2200 to 800 BC) is characterised by the deposition of metal artefacts in very different compositions and conditions. They were usually deliberately abandoned in conspicuous places, especially near bodies of water. The purposes of these actions continue to be controversially interpreted in archaeological research, with the spectrum of suggestions ranging from hidden treasures in times of crisis, to concealed caches of craftsmen and traders, to ritual offerings to superhuman beings. Tobias Mörtz systematically presents a specific group of these so-called hoards and discusses their interpretation in a wider cultural-scientific context. Based on his own investigations of the original artefacts, traces of wear and damage are identified on spearheads and swords from Britain, France and Ireland, indicating their use during violent conflicts and subsequent deliberate destruction by bending, breaking, crushing, and burning. The final concealment in wetlands and rivers ruled out a potential retrieval. So, were they sacrifices after warlike events? What role did violence play in the Late Bronze Age? Were the rituals also intended to contain it?

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