One of the biggest Iron Age weapon hoards in western ...
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One of the biggest Iron Age weapon hoards in western Germany unearthed 26 April 2021, by Bob Yirka Credit: LWL-Archäologie für Westfalen/Hermann Menne A team of researchers with the Westfalen-Lippe Landscape Association revealed during a presentation in the city of Schmallenberg that one of the largest hoards of Iron Age weapons in western Germany had been unearthed at a nearby dig site on a small mountain in Wilzenberg. In their press release, the researchers note that they found approximately 100 Celtic Iron Age artifacts—primarily through the use of a metal detector. The Iron Age in Germany and the rest of Europe arose at the end of the Bronze Age as the new metal became the material of choice for making weapons, farming implements and other utensils. The early Iron Age in Germany ran from approximately 800 to 45 BC. It was followed by the late Iron Age, which lasted until approximately 1 BC, when the Romans conquered the area. The dig site was believed to be a hill fort, which, as its name implies, was a type of elevated fort made of stone, clay or other local materials—they served as small fortifications against invading enemies, which is why most were constructed with ramparts. Prior digs had revealed the ramparts and some artifacts—the site has been active since the 1950s. In this new effort, the researchers took a new approach to locate iron artifacts hiding beneath the dirt floor—using metal detectors. Using them, the researchers found approximately 100 iron artifacts—they included swords, spears, lance tips, shields, belt hooks and harness parts. Precise dating was not possible, but the surrounding material suggested the artifacts were from 300–1 BC. Credit: LWL-Archäologie für Westfalen/Hermann Menne 1 / 3
Transcript of One of the biggest Iron Age weapon hoards in western ...
One of the biggest Iron Age weapon hoardsin western Germany unearthed26 April 2021, by Bob Yirka
Credit: LWL-Archäologie für Westfalen/Hermann Menne
A team of researchers with the Westfalen-LippeLandscape Association revealed during apresentation in the city of Schmallenberg that oneof the largest hoards of Iron Age weapons inwestern Germany had been unearthed at a nearbydig site on a small mountain in Wilzenberg. In theirpress release, the researchers note that they foundapproximately 100 Celtic Iron Ageartifacts—primarily through the use of a metaldetector.
The Iron Age in Germany and the rest of Europearose at the end of the Bronze Age as the newmetal became the material of choice for makingweapons, farming implements and other utensils.The early Iron Age in Germany ran from
approximately 800 to 45 BC. It was followed by thelate Iron Age, which lasted until approximately 1BC, when the Romans conquered the area. The digsite was believed to be a hill fort, which, as itsname implies, was a type of elevated fort made ofstone, clay or other local materials—they served assmall fortifications against invading enemies, whichis why most were constructed with ramparts. Priordigs had revealed the ramparts and someartifacts—the site has been active since the 1950s.In this new effort, the researchers took a newapproach to locate iron artifacts hiding beneath thedirt floor—using metal detectors. Using them, theresearchers found approximately 100 ironartifacts—they included swords, spears, lance tips,shields, belt hooks and harness parts. Precisedating was not possible, but the surroundingmaterial suggested the artifacts were from 300–1BC.
Credit: LWL-Archäologie für Westfalen/Hermann Menne
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Credit: LWL-Archäologie für Westfalen/Hermann Menne
Notably, most of the swords, spears and lanceshad been severely damaged. The swords werebent into halves or thirds and the spears and lancetips had been blunted. The severity of the damage,the researchers suggested, indicates that it wasdone intentionally after a battle had concluded.That meant the artifacts had likely been taken froma defeated enemy. They also note that becausethey were piled up in the hill fort, it was unlikely thebattle had taken place at the same site. Theysuggest that instead, it most likely played outaround what is now the city of Wilzenberg with thevictors carrying the arms back to the hill fort astrophies representing their triumph.
Credit: LWL-Archäologie für Westfalen/Hermann Menne
Credit: LWL-Archäologie für Westfalen/Hermann Menne
More information: LWL press release (German): www.lwl.org/pressemitteilungen …lung.php?urlID=52158
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© 2021 Science X NetworkAPA citation: One of the biggest Iron Age weapon hoards in western Germany unearthed (2021, April26) retrieved 22 March 2022 from https://phys.org/news/2021-04-biggest-iron-age-weapon-hoards.html
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