Bronze Age warfare

Over the last three decades, use-wear analysis of metal artefacts-or Metalwork Wear Analysis (Dolfini and Crellin 2016)-has become a well-established method in archaeology. By detecting and interpreting the distinctive marks left on the surface of artefacts, this technique has significantly deepened our understanding of their use. It not only offers insights into the functional aspects of tools and weapons, but also sheds light on the life cycle of objects. Furthermore, when combined with other techniques, use-wear analysis allows us to explore objects' biographies and offers a window into the lives and practices of the people who made, used, and discarded them. This session invites researchers from across the globe to present and discuss usewear analyses of copper-based artefacts, including copper alloys such as bronze. We invite a wide variety of contributions, but particularly encourage submissions focused on tools and weapons-such as swords, spears, daggers, and axesfrom different archaeological contexts, allowing for cross-cultural comparisons of wear patterns and interpretations, identifying both similarities and regional variations in the use of these objects, as well as exploring how context influences wear traces.

G uerre, violence opportuniste ou ritualisée, crispa- tion territoriale, expression de la force et du pouvoir sont des notions fréquemment mises en avant pour caractériser l'âge du Bronze, époque marquée par une accélération des processus de hiérarchisation des sociétés. À travers quatre sessions, l'objectif de ce colloque sera de discuter ces considérations à partir de sources relatives à l'organisation, individuelle ou collective, technique ou symbolique, des manifestations de violence et de guerre.

The set of bronze ornaments from Kruchowo (Great Poland) consists of six pieces: neckring, bracelet and four armlets/anklets. Originally the group included two further pieces, at present lost: a spiral bracelet and another armlet/anklet. The set is dated from BA V and HaC. The ornaments of interest were made of tin bronze (Cu 86,64-97,92%; Sn 0,52-10,81%). Results of chemical analysis of bronze ornaments are shown in Table 1. The ornaments presumably were discovered around 1850 but nothing more is known about their find-spot or closer time of discovery.

On March 20, 2023, representatives of the Suska Land Lovers’ Society (Towarzystwo Miłośników Ziemi Suskiej) reported to employees of the Provincial Office for the Protection of Monuments in Olsztyn, Delegation in Elbląg the discovery of a set of three artefacts of bronze – two bronze decorated hollow anklets and a Skandawa axe. The discovery was made on March 19, 2023 as a result of searching using metal detectors at the northern shore of Lake Witoszewo (Witoszewo, Warmian-Masurian Voivodeship). The discovery from Witoszewo broadens the source base regarding the phenomenon of depositing hoards and settlement processes in the south-eastern Baltic zone in the first millennium Bc. The newly discovered hoard is part of the collection of the Museum in Ostróda.
Translated by Łukasz Szczepański

The paper focuses on observations of Late Bronze Age salt production at Tyrawa Solna in southeastern Poland. The discoveries of the evaporation and combustion of brine by means of briquetage from the San area in the Eastern Beskids are put into relation with the current state of knowledge on contemporaneous salt production and the salt trade at this time beyond the ancient world. Furthermore, aspects of social and economic conditions in the first centuries of the last millennium BC relevant to the topic are considered.

This study is centered around local variations in swordsmanship in Bronze Age Denmark. This is studied through Metalwork Wear Analysis (MWA) of eight Early Bronze Age swords and one spearhead from Jutland, three of which were studied in greater detail. The material is primarily from period II and III from Aalborg Amt. Results show high levels of swordsmanship but also demonstrate a remarkable difference in wear mark distribution and clustering. Two contemporary but distinct styles of fencing with swords are therefore suggested through MWA. MWA of the spearhead showed signs of slashing use, which shows that the notion of spears being only thrusting weapons, is too simplistic. Finally, the general results of the MWA have been put into its European context, by comparing the patterns to ones from Italy and Britain. The material studied showed different clustering patterns than seen in Italy in Britain. Furthermore, it is suggested that Northern Jutland fencing style was less focused on the binding of sword blades, as well as being based more on sword versus spear combat, than sword versus sword combat, as is the case in Britain and Italy.

This study is centered around local variations in swordsmanship in Bronze Age Denmark. This is studied through Metalwork Wear Analysis (MWA) of eight Early Bronze Age swords and one spearhead from Jutland, three of which were studied in greater detail. The material is primarily from period II and III from Aalborg Amt. Results show high levels of swordsmanship but also demonstrate a remarkable difference in wear mark distribution and clustering. Two contemporary but distinct styles of fencing with swords are therefore suggested through MWA. MWA of the spearhead showed signs of slashing use, which shows that the notion of spears being only thrusting weapons, is too simplistic. Finally, the general results of the MWA have been put into its European context, by comparing the patterns to ones from Italy and Britain. The material studied showed different clustering patterns than seen in Italy in Britain. Furthermore, it is suggested that Northern Jutland fencing style was less focused on the binding of sword blades, as well as being based more on sword versus spear combat, than sword versus sword combat, as is the case in Britain and Italy.

Przed kilku laty opublikowana została na łamach "Archeologii Polski" pewna próba naszkicowania wizji zróżnicowania chronologicznego skarbów z wczesnej, starszej i środkowej epoki brązu na ziemiach polskich (W. Blajer, A. Szpunar 1982). Artykuł ten -jakkolwiek zawierający wiele kontrowersyjnych sformułowań -nie spotkał się jak dotychczas z odzewem w literaturze przedmiotu. Niżej podpisany -jako jeden ze współautorów tego artykułu -usiłował w tym czasie rozwinąć i bliżej sprecyzować w kilku publikacjach wnioski ze studiów nad wybranymi grupami zabytków i zespołów (W.

Domination through exchange. Two newly-discovered loaf idols from the Únětice Culture in Central Germany

Our honoured colleague always pays particular attention to far-reaching cultural relations. Recently, in connection with the excavations on the Stätteberg near Neuburg a. d. Donau, district of Neuburg-Schrobenhausen (Germany), he referred to the enigmatic find group of bread or loaf idols as evidence of contacts between Bavaria and the Adriatic region. Two new finds from Central Germany can be added to this group.
The 1982 compilation of loaf idols by G. Trnka does not show a single find from Central Germany. D. W. Müller, on the other hand, presented at least one ‘stamp’ from Wandersleben, district of Gotha (Germany) (Fig. 1c), and a small limestone slab with a motif reminiscent of the loaf idols from Gräfentonna, district of Gotha (Germany) (Fig. 1b), in an article published at the same time. In 2009, a clay fragment was excavated near Oechlitz, Saalekreis district (Germany), which is more likely to be a stamp than a genuine loaf idol (Catalogue no. 1; Fig. 1a).
The first genuine loaf idol in Central Germany was discovered in 2016 in the remains of a Únětice culture princely burial mound near Raßnitz, Saalekreis district (Germany), the so-called Bornhöck. In 2022, another loaf idol was found during the excavation of the Ottonian palace of Helfta near Lutherstadt Eisleben, Mansfeld-Südharz district (Germany). This underlines the fact that the previous absence of such finds in Central Germany was a gap in research, especially as most loaf idols in their main areas of distribution come from centralised settlements and no larger settlements from the late Early Bronze Age are known in Central Germany as yet.
The find from the Bornhöck mound is a piece of clay that is broken approximately in the middle (Catalogue no. 2; Fig. 2a; Fig. 3). The piece comes from the lowest layer of the burial mound, which was removed from 1844 onwards. It was heaped up using material from an older settlement layer, which is why the loaf idol is probably a secondarily relocated settlement find. The Bornhöck was erected around 1800 BC, so that it can be assumed that the loaf idol dates to at least the second half of the 19th century BC.
The second newly-discovered loaf idol is from Helfta, and was discovered in the area of the Ottonian palace from the 10th century AD on the Kleine Klaus hill in a pit together with Late Bronze Age and Early Iron Age pottery (Catalogue no. 3; Fig. 2b). Here, too, it is most likely that the find was relocated. Only a fragment has survived, namely the rounded end with a transverse groove bearing an incision surrounded by a rosette. The surrounding features have not yet been analysed; thus, it is currently impossible to say anything more about possible Early Bronze Age settlement structures in Helfta.
However, it can be assumed that both finds are related to simultaneous centres of power. The once monumental Bornhöck burial mound is located directly within the Early Bronze Age wealthy central region around Dieskau. The site at Helfta is very favourably situated for settlement and dominates the landscape, so that an important Early Bronze Age centre may be assumed here, too.
The overall distribution of loaf idols in Central Europe, including related forms, is characterised by three focal concentrations: in the area of the middle Danube, around the Iron Gates, and in Upper Italy north of the river Po (Fig. 4). All concentrations of finds are located along central transport and communication routes.
The majority of the finds can be dated to the end of the Early Bronze Age or the beginning of the Middle Bronze Age, but a significant proportion, especially from the area of the Iron Gates in the classical phase of the Gârla Mare Culture, belongs to the Middle Bronze Age. The distribution map must also be read against the background of a possible chronological depth of several hundred years.
The interpretation of the often broken and incomplete loaf idols is mostly associated with exchange. T. Schunke and J. Filipp referred to the contemporaneity and similarity of the loaf idols with Minoan clay tablets showing inscriptions in Linear A, which were ultimately derived from cuneiform tablets of the Middle East. In terms of distribution, they emphasised the abundance of copper in the Eastern Alps and the Western Carpathian foothills in connection with the possible significance of the halved loaf idols as evidence for trade.
As the loaf idols have so far only been found in settlement contexts or as isolated finds, they probably played a role in everyday life. Broken loaf idols could, for example, have been used to identify the bearer of a message. Such mechanisms were used well into modern times, and not only with tally sticks. Another indication of their function could be the breaking of the pieces. It cannot be ruled out that goods tags or identification marks were destroyed after a transaction had been completed in order to prevent misuse.
Of particular interest is the relationship of the two genuine loaf idols from the Central German Únětice Culture with those in the Danube region, which belong to the Mad'arovce and Věteřov Cultures as well as the late Unterwölbing/Wieselburg Group (Bz A2c–B1).
The cultural relations of the Central German area extend into the central Danube region, but also into the Carpathian Basin, as can be seen in the golden lock rings from the princely grave of Helmsdorf, district of Mansfeld-Südharz (Germany) (1929/1928 BC), ceramic forms of the late Únětice Culture, but also in the example of the Nackenkammaxt from Naumburg, Burgenlandkreis district (Germany). Finally, the relationships at the end of the Early Bronze Age are particularly evident with the two swords from Nebra, Burgenlandkreis district (Germany), which are influenced by the Apa swords.
The Únětice Culture evidently played an important role in controlling the exchange of metal and amber with northern Europe. This key position was one of the foundations for the emergence of a strongly hierarchical society under the rule of princes in Central Germany. They controlled the transport routes and very fertile soils with their armies. The newly discovered loaf idols show their close integration into the trans-European connected world of the Bronze Age.

Note on some prehistoric discoveries at Garvăn, Tulcea County. In this contribution, the
author presents a small batch of archaeological materials from old collections of the National
Museum of Antiquities (“Vasile Pârvan” Institute of Archaeology in Bucharest). The group of
artefacts consist of prehistoric pottery, flint and polished stone items, and a clay anthropomorphic
figurine, which were recovered from the area nearby the Dinogetia fortress on the occasion of
a few surveys conducted in the 1950s and the 1960s. Part of the archaeological material is
unpublished and completes the image of prehistoric habitation in northern Dodroudja.

The world heritage object Nebra Sky Disc is one of the best investigated archaeological objects. The origin of the raw materials it is made of is well known. However, its manufacturing process was not completely clear. Investigations were made in order to clarify the steps of manufacturing from the initial casting to the finished disc using the latest metallographic techniques. Therefore, a small piece from the outer part of the disc was investigated and compared with a replica. Both were prepared regarding the metallographic procedure. Microstructural analysis was made by optical microscopy on a colour etched surface, EDS and electron backscatter diffraction. For the investigation of mechanical properties microhardness measurements were made. It could be found that the Nebra Sky Disc was manufactured from a flat cast followed by hot forging process. During the forging process the disc was heated and forged for approximately 10 times.

Investigations in the Tollense Valley in northeastern Germany have provided evidence of a large and violent conflict in the thirteenth century BC. Typological analysis of arrowheads from the valley (10 flint and 54 bronze specimens) and comparison with type distributions in Central Europe, presented here for the first time, emphasise the supra-regional nature of the conflict. While the flint arrowheads are typical for the local Nordic Bronze Age, the bronze arrowheads show a mixture of local and non-local forms, adding to the growing evidence for a clash between local groups and at least one incoming group from southern Central Europe.

This chapter describes the results of a scientific study on the typology of the Southern Urals fortified settlements of the Bronze Age development. Archeological data comprehensive analysis are related to the architectural and urban planning interpretation of previously studied materials, using graphic restoration of architecture methods, which allowed us to clarify the definition of the settlements typology belonging to the ancient cultures of the Southern Urals. The dynamics of the basic typological criteria development, whereby it is proposed to determine a particular type of settlement, is taken into account. Four basic criteria introduce into a new typology of fortified settlements: space-planning structure of the layout nature, the size of settlements with account of surroundings, the morphology in the form of the plan, and fortification power level. In the train of the study, a table was compiled that shows the genesis of fortified settlements of the Bronze Age on the Southern Urals territory. Recommendations for the use of the typology in further research are given, in respect to the visualization of system connections between settlement objects. The method of graphic coding in the typological model development is used as the most effective for displaying informative data on diagrams and graphs.

in: Amkreutz, L.W.S.W. and Fontijn, D.R. (eds) 2024. Larger than Life. The Ommerschans hoard and the role of giant swords in the European Bronze Age (1500-1100 BC). Leiden: Sidestone Press (= Papers on Archaeology of the Leiden Museum of Antiquities Leiden 30), pp. 119-132.

This thesis takes a quantitative approach to the development of wealth and inequality in the Czech Corded Ware culture in the 3 rd millennium BCE with a focus on grave data. This is done introducing my new framework, QuantWealth. Apart from quantifying grave wealth through multiple measures, I use Social Network Analysis, GIS, PCA, and other methods to understand the demographics (and other factors from bioarchaeology) behind grave wealth, and how persistent inequality developed over time.

In recent years, several assemblages as well as individual objects have been discovered in northern Poland, which can be dated to the beginning of the Bronze Age.The article presents two newly discovered hoards of metal objects found in KamieńPomorski (eight artefacts) and Dargobądz, Kamień Pomorski district (three artefacts).Their chronology was determined to be the end of the Early Bronze Age and the beginning of the second period of the Bronze Age based on their stylistic features, as well as on the results of radiocarbon dating of the wooden remains of the axe handle. It was also established a shaft was made of soft linden wood

Chronological frameworks based on artefact typologies are essential for interpreting the archaeological record, but they inadvertently treat transitions between phases as abrupt events and disregard the temporality of transformation processes within and between individual phases. This study presents an absolute chronological investigation of a dynamic material culture from Early Iron Age urnfields in Denmark. The chronological framework of Early Iron Age in Southern Scandinavia is largely unconstrained by absolute dating, primarily due to it coinciding with the so-called 'Hallstatt calibration plateau' (c.750 to 400 cal BC), and it is difficult to correlate it with Central European chronologies due to a lack of imported artefacts. This study applies recent methodological advances in radiocarbon dating and Bayesian chronological modelling, specifically a statistical model for wood-age offsets in cremated bone and presents the first large-scale radiocarbon investigation of regional material culture from Early Iron Age in Southern Jutland, Denmark. Dated material is primarily cremated bone from 111 cremation burials from three urnfields. The study presents absolute date ranges for 16 types of pottery and 15 types of metalwork, which include most of the recognised metalwork types from the period. This provides new insights into gradual change in material culture, when certain artefact types were in production and primary use, how quickly types were taken up and later abandoned, and distinguishing periods of faster and slower change. The study also provides the first absolute chronology for the period, enabling correlation with chronologies from other regions. Urnfields were introduced at the Bronze-Iron Age transformation, which is often assumed to have occurred c.530-500 BC. We demonstrate that this transformation took place in the 7 th century BC, however, which revives the discussion of whether the final Bronze Age period VI should be interpreted as a transitional phase to the Iron Age.

In the 1960s, a solid-hilted sword dating to the second half of the Middle Bronze Age (1450-1300 BC) was dredged up in a gravel quarry in the Rhône river at the village of Champagneux (Savoie, France). The sword belongs to the octagonal-hilted swords (German: Achtkantschwerter). This type, mainly found in the northern Alpine region and southern Scandinavia, was until then unknown in France. X-ray fluorescence (XRF) analyses and highresolution X-ray computed tomography (μCT) of the hilt were carried out to understand how the hilt was cast and fixed to the blade. Thanks to the opportunities offered by these techniques, we were able to reconstruct the chaîne opératoire of this sword with a close inspection of the internal structure of the hilt. Furthermore, we visualised the surface of the sword's tang located inside the hilt, which shows a series of five vertically arranged marks. Until now, similar symbols were only known on Late Bronze Age bracelets and tools, predominantly in the eastern part of the Alpine region. Although their exact function remains enigmatic, these marks are believed to be markers left by craftsmen on the object during their manufacture. On the solidhilted sword from Champagneux, these marks could be linked to a way for the craftsman to remember which blade and hilt were supposed to be joined together, shedding light on the organisation of the production process behind this kind of weapon. RÉSUMÉ Dans les années 1960, une épée à poignée métallique datant de la seconde moitié du Bronze moyen (1450-1300 av. J.-C.) fut draguée dans une gravière du Rhône à Champagneux (Savoie). Il s'agit d'une épée à fusée octogonale (en allemand : Achtkantschwert). Ce type, caractéristique de la région nord-alpine et du sud de la Scandinavie, était jusqu'alors inconnu en France. Des analyses par spectroscopie de fluorescence X (XRF) et tomographie haute résolution par rayons X ont été réalisées afin de comprendre comment la poignée a été coulée puis fixée à la lame. Ces méthodes nous ont ainsi permis de reconstituer la chaîne opératoire de cette épée en réalisant une inspection minutieuse de la structure interne de sa poignée. Nous avons par ailleurs été en mesure de visualiser la surface de la languette de la lame, insérée à l'intérieur du manche, qui présente une série de cinq marques disposées verticalement. Des éléments similaires n'étaient jusqu'à présent connus uniquement sur des outils et parures de du Bronze final, essentiellement dans la partie orientale de l'arc alpin. Bien que leur fonction exacte demeure inconnue, ces marques pourraient être des marqueurs laissés sur les objets au moment de leur fabrication. Dans le cas de l'épée de Champagneux, il pourrait s'agir d'un moyen pour l'artisan d'identifier rapidement dans son atelier la lame et la poignée devant être assemblées. Ces marques nous permettent ainsi d'obtenir de nouvelles informations l'organisation de la production de ce type d'arme.

The purpose of this article is to clarify the chronology of the graves located in the front part
of the West Gate of the fortified settlement of Monkodonja and to substantiate their interpretation as
monuments of a local ancestral cult. In this sense, the inclusion of an ancient tumulus grave (Grave B)
within the newly built fortification in ca. 1750 BC was regarded as the initial factor in the emergence of
this cult. Decisive for the full recognition of this cult was a ceremony that took place during the extensive
renovation of the defence walls and the expansion of the West Gate in ca. 1600 BC. Thereby the skeletal
remains of the important ancestors were transferred from their original burial places and solemnly united
and reburied in grave A. This ossuarium was then closed and incorporated as the core of a bastion on
the edge at the rebuilt gate. At the same time or shortly thereafter the final burial and sealing of Grave
B and the construction of a further bastion that enclosed this tomb took place. Regardless whether these
important events occurred at the same time or within a certain interval, the moment at which the front of
the West Gate was flanked with the two grave-bastions can be assumed as the birth of a specific cult, in
which the heroized ancestors were symbolized as protectors of the settlement.
Keywords: Bronze Age, Castelliere, Istria, Fortifikation, Cult Rituals, Special Burials

During Bronze Age, the shallow Tollense River (Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, Germany) flowed through a flat landscape dominated by Carex reeds and open water surfaces overgrown with aquatic plants . Nevertheless, this apparently calm scenery was the stage of a dramatic event. Chance finds by an amateur archaeologist in 1996, a human upper arm bone with embedded flint arrowhead and a wooden club, were followed by disarticulated skeletal remains, mostly human and horses. Due to the traces of violence on skeletons  and the findings of all kinds of weaponry, the hypothesis of a burial ground was excluded in favour of a battlefield  dating from 1300-1250 BCE. A causeway and a probable bridge  were the starting point of the skirmishes. The highest concentrations of human remains and weapons occur between sites Weltzin 13, Kessin 12 and Weltzin 20 . WEZ57 is the identification code for a late male individual found in the archaeological site Weltzin 20. He is a key element to understand the context of the battle and its consequences. His genetics and his high strontium isotope value (87Sr/86Sr, 0.7202 ) compared to Scandinavian archaeological findings lead to the hypothesis that his first group came from Bornholm (Denmark) to raid the Mecklenburg coast line. Against all odds, the group stayed and pushed further the military conquest. However, it was stopped on the Tollense River and partly massacred. Nevertheless, the military campaign permitted to break the isolation of Scandinavia and to opened a new trade road and matrimonial alliance with Northern Italy before the Roman Empire. This episode has been recorded in the Origo gentis Langobardorum (Chronicon Rotharis, 7th century CE) by the Lombard king Rothari to legitimate his rule in the Plaine of the Po (7th century CE).

We present the results of analyzing the ratio of stable isotopes of nitrogen and carbon in the collagen of human bones (n = 16) and the bones of domestic herbivores (n = 17), obtained during excavations of burial grounds in the Stepnoe microdistrict (Southern Trans-Urals). The sample includes three cultural traditions of the Bronze Age (Sintashta, Petrovka and Alakul), dating back to the beginning of the 2nd millennium BC. The basis of human nutrition was animal products, which is confirmed by data from paleozoology, palynology, and other disciplines. Descriptive statistics illustrate the reliable separation of human and animal indicators, as well as differences in the isotopic composition when grouped by archaeological culture. Based on the hypothesis about the synchronicity of the Sintashta and Petrovka cultures in this microdistrict, it can be assumed that the members of these traditions conducted separate economic activities. Comparison with series from other Bronze Age sites in the region shows a fundamental similarity of conclusions regarding reconstruction of the main diet in the presence of local specifics of different ecological niches.

A comprehensive study is offered ofthe Bronze Age finds of metalwork and amber in the Netherlands. Parts I and II concern the Early and Midd1e Bronze Age. Part I (this part) is a presentation, in the style ofthelnventaria Archaeo!ogia, of the more important associated finds, both richer graves and hoards. Part II will be concerned with the stray finds, their typology, distribution, origins and cultural context; fo llowed by a concluding synthesis. Parts III and IV will deal in similar fashion with the Late Bronze Age.

To understand the context in which it was possible for such an important event as the siege of the Late Bronze
Age Sântana-Cetatea Veche mega-fort/site to take place, we have enlarged our area of research on violent conflicts,
both geographically and chronologically. Our area of study, the Lower Mureş Valley, is situated at the boundary
connecting the Western Carpathians and the Pannonian Plain, nowadays between the borders of Romania, Serbia
and Hungary. The time frame of the study is the Bronze Age as a whole, conventionally dated from 2700/2600 to
900/800 BC.
To attain a diachronic perspective on violent conflicts, we cataloged, ranked and contextualized a series of
discoveries, such as weapons, fortifications, or traces of physical trauma on human remains from the period under
study. Through the analysis of such evidence, we argue that during the Bronze Age, our region of interest went
through a series of significant changes regarding the social perspective on warfare. These can be correlated with
the deep social and economic changes of the European Bronze Age. Furthermore, we took notice that such an
intense, devastating violent conflict, like the siege of Sântana, could only have taken place in the context of the
Late Bronze Age.

The article is devoted to the find of a bronze socketed axe discovered in 2013 in Falejówka (Sanok district). The find was made on the top of Mount Wroczeń, several meters from the hoard of bronze items (Falejówka, hoard II), dated to HaA1. This artefact belongs to the so-called “beaked” or “horned” axes, but none of the numerous specimens of this type is an exact equivalent of the discussed find. Stylistic features – primarily the characteristic trident motif decorating it, which occurs on axes discovered mainly in today's Hungary – allow the item from Falejówka to be dated HaA1-HaB1. The quality of the casting proves that the axe was made with good knowledge of the mould technology and the processes of smelting and pouring the liquid alloy, using bronze with a low tin content. As for its composition, metals derived from sulphide ores, mainly antimony, have also been identified.

In: K. Massy/J.-H. Bunnefeld/C. Horn (Hrsg.), Soziale Hierarchien zwischen Tradition und Innovation in der Bronzezeit Europas. Beiträge der Sitzungen der AG Bronzezeit im Rahmen der 83. Tagung des NWVA vom 12.–15. September 2018 in Heide (Holstein) und der 85. Jahrestagung des WSVA und des MOVA vom 1.–5. April 2019 in Würzburg. Beiträge zur Ur- und Frühgeschichte Mitteleuropas 106 (Langenweißbach 2023) 49-75.

The article is devoted to the find of a bronze socketed axe discovered in 2013 in Falejówka (Sanok district). The find was made on the top of Mount Wroczeń, several meters from the hoard of bronze items (Falejówka, hoard II), dated to HaA1. This artefact belongs to the so-called “beaked” or “horned” axes, but none of the numerous specimens of this type is an exact equivalent of the discussed find. Stylistic features – primarily the characteristic trident motif decorating it, which occurs on axes discovered mainly in today's Hungary – allow the item from Falejówka to be dated HaA1-HaB1. The quality of the casting proves that the axe was made with good knowledge of the mould technology and the processes of smelting and pouring the liquid alloy, using bronze with a low tin content. As for its composition, metals derived from sulphide ores, mainly antimony, have also been identified.

The article is devoted to the find of a bronze socketed axe discovered in 2013 in Falejówka (Sanok district). The find was made on the top of Mount Wroczeń, several meters from the hoard of bronze items (Falejówka, hoard II), dated to HaA1. This artefact belongs to the so-called “beaked” or “horned” axes, but none of the numerous specimens of this type is an exact equivalent of the discussed find. Stylistic features – primarily the characteristic trident motif decorating it, which occurs on axes discovered mainly in today's Hungary – allow the item from Falejówka to be dated HaA1-HaB1. The quality of the casting proves that the axe was made with good knowledge of the mould technology and the processes of smelting and pouring the liquid alloy, using bronze with a low tin content. As for its composition, metals derived from sulphide ores, mainly antimony, have also been identified.

On12 July 2012 an examination of objects was undertaken as part of a PhD project in association with the University of Sheffield, which includes a study of British Bronze Age metalsmithing tools.
The study included metric recording, photography, and visual description.

The Froxfield Barrow Hoard was excavated in 1890 by J. Silvester from a barrow near Crab Tree Farm. The hoard consists of a knife, a chisel, and two stones. The stones are listed in the museum as whetstones, although the English Heritage PastScape web page identifies them as arrow straighteners. The barrow included a cremation that was dated to the Middle Bronze Age.The hoard was given to museum in 1923. Published in Proc. Hampshire Field Club Archaeological Society in 1925

It is widely recognised that the Carpathian Basin was an important region of cultural innovation in the Late Bronze Age, yet in its south-east quadrant, our knowledge of where and how people were living remains fragmentary. This paper presents new research into settlement archaeology in that region by providing data on a newly discovered network of enclosed sites close to the River Tisza and River Danube in the Banat region of Serbia. It is apparent that well-resourced, socially complex and closely linked communities were living there. We further argue that communities extended beyond the site-specific and may have possessed regional-scale configurations in terms of their organisation and structure. It is shown that many exhibit defined features arising from intentional planning/design. Finally, we present preliminary thoughts on how these densely spaced sites may relate to each other organisationally and consider the role of built enclosures in these societies.

A short paper on developments in Bronze Age warfare originally written in English and edited and translated into Spanish for a magazine article. Most of the content remained, just tidied up a bit better by the editors :) Quite a few cool papers in this issue with very attractive illustrations, worth a look if you can get your hands on a copy.

Odnaleziona w miejscowości Pilica, pow. Grójec bransoleta wielozwojowa została przebadana metodami fluorescencji rentgenowskiej (µXRF) w celu rozpoznania składu chemicznego. Surowiec określono jako brąz cynowy, o dodatku cyny oznaczonym w zakresie od 6,36 do 8,52%. Ponadto zanotowano nieznaczny dodatek ołowiu od 0,64 do 1,52% i niewielkie ilości zanieczyszczeń pochodzących z rud polimetalicznych. Uzyskany profil chemiczny jest często spotykany w okresie halsztackim, miedzy innymi w wyrobach charakterystycznych dla stanomińskiego ośrodka metalurgicznego. W oparciu o materiały porównawcze: technologiczne i chemiczne analizy bransolet wielozwojowych z Kisielska pow. Łuków, Ginetówki pow. Grójec, Zagórza pow. Wadowice, Warszawy-Wilanowa pow. Warszawa rozważane są prawdopodobne metody jej produkcji.