Sky Disc Aunjetitz Culture

Bronze Age cultures in until Still today many hobby treasure hunters some years ago were believed to be roam German landscapes with metal unconnected small and rather unimportant detectors for precious metal finds and rural farming communities with a low level from time to time they get really lucky. of cultural sophistication. But this discovery they tumbled on in July This changed overnight with an intriguing 1999 was a true sensation. Unfortunately clandestine hoard discovery and an they did not inform the responsible undercover operation to seize the illegally authorities and tried to sell their valuable removed goods. booty in the black antique market.

by Thomas Kummert www.paleolithic-neolithic.com But the unearthed Bronze Age antiquities were too surprising items found indicate that an advanced spectacular to go unnoticed. early culture developed about 4200 years ago with a dominant cultural growth period lasting for The illegally excavated items included next to the over 400 years. The reasons of its existence were now famous Nebra Sky Disc two intact bronze the fertile soils necessary for farming and feeding swords, two hatchets, plus a chisel and various a growing number of people in this chiefdom. In spiral bracelets. Fortunately the treasure hunters addition there was salt available and important and their sellers were caught three years later with trade routes passed through its area. the unique antiquities. Early Long Distance Trade Their most precious find a detailed sky disc was There is further proof of long distance trade existing made of copper with gold inlays representing a with Egypt and Mesopotamia as well as going north night sky with moon and star constellations. After to England. New research in Scandinavia looked in-depth research twenty years later we know a at over two hundred Bronze Age items found there bit more but still not all about like bronze axes. The this unique Nebra Sky Disc metal analysis shows as it was called after its that the used materials place of discovery at Nebra like copper, tin and in -Anhalt. zinc came from the British Isles, Germany Sophisticated Chiefdom and Austria. But still little is known yet about this early Bronze Experts looked at the Age chiefdom with in- period from 2200 until depth metallurgical and 1200 BC and came cosmological knowhow in to the conclusion that Middle Europe north of the a well-established Alps. A region which lacked trading zone existed so far any proof of advanced in Middle Europe. And cultures able to create such a most importantly the skillfully crafted sky disc with Aunjetitz Culture was a sophisticated astronomical central transshipment detail. The consignment of point or better said

2 one of the pivotal trading man in this case homo engines. The major barter heidelbergensis used a commodities were metal hunting spear. Now imagine from Austria and Slovakia these pre-historic spears against equally valuable barely differ from modern amber from the Baltic. The Olympic competition spears latter was very thought after in length, weight and point of in the Middle East and Egypt. gravity. The major surprise Unfortunately these well- was they had a similar flight established trading routes path and could kill wild disappeared a thousand horses at a distance of over years later. fifty meters.

Aunjetitz - An Early State? The next archeological proof So we can deduct that a of developed humans in well-structured Aunjetitz Europe in this case homo influenced territory existed sapiens date around 40.000 based on farming and years ago when they created important trading wealth. rather realistic and highly The fact that no fortifications skillful cave paintings at were found might give reason Chauvet in southern France to assume that a military and carved numerous animal defense force existed. figurines made of mammoth Possibly it might only have ivory including a rather large been a strong civil defense lion man statuette near Ulm system where every man in Germany. turned warrior when needed. Corded Ware & But why did this chiefdom Bell Beaker Cultures disappear overnight around Getting closer to the time 3600 years ago? Could the of our Nebra Chiefdom we reason be the Thera volcano know of the Corded Ware eruption in the Aegean Sea Culture dated around 2800 at the same time? Latest BC so-called after their way research results indicate that to decor their pottery ware this eruption had a far more widely spread in Germany. devastating result on regional This culture was also known climate around the globe on to engrave its deceased with the northern hemisphere. gifts like stone axes. Might that be the reason why a principally farming based Then there was the Bell economy collapsed? Beaker Culture about 300 years later so-called after the Pre-History typical form of their drinking But what level of cultural vessels. These Neolithic development we could people hunted with bow and expect at that time in rural arrow and possessed already Germany? Let me try to give metallurgic knowledge. So you the big picture. Latest they were able to produce research results indicate that gold colored weapons by our ancestors were far more adding tin to bronze and they developed and skillful then knew that tin made copper we previously thought. Only harder for weapon purposes. a few hundred kilometers further north and a stunning Both these rural farming 300.000 years earlier cultures were predecessors

3 cold hammered to its final size of worshipped moon gods, the 32 centimeters. Romans Luna, the Greek Selene, the Egyptians Thot and Crucial Cult Object the Germans Mani. Even the Holding a copy in my hands at the Chinese and Maya prayed to museum made me aware how moon gods. important this disc must have been in antiquity to its owners. Source of Materials And it really looks fascinating Another surprise is where the with its blue green patina and materials used to make the Nebra inlaid shiny gold sky symbols. Sky Disc came from. The copper the plate is made of comes from I tried to imagine what intriguing Mitterberg near Salzburg in the impression holding up such Austrian Alps which is some 400 a significant cult object must kilometers away. The gold with have had on the surrounding a high silver content and tin was community. Was it the key to sourced from Carnon River in power of this chiefdom? Did Cornwall England in a distance of the more sophisticated Aunjetitz it give its ruler an undisputed of 1,100 kilometers. And the or Unetice Chiefdom, as experts connection to their gods they technique used to fix the gold call it. It is interesting to note believed in? Was it the proof inlays on copper plate came from that Bell Beaker and Aunjetitz of higher wisdom of a religious Mycenae in the Aegean Sea. both erected long houses and leader or powerful shaman based buried their dead in wooden cult? Unfortunately we do not yet This proves that very active long boxes or carved out tree trunks. have all the answers to these distance trade existed already With this new discovery Bronze vital questions. 4000 years ago. And it might Age history in Germany might even suggest that German need to be rewritten. Previously Important Facts traders traveled all the way to the huge forest covered area What we do know so far? The Mesopotamia to bring home which is todays Germany was Nebra Sky Disc is worldwide the astronomical knowledge. Or believed to be sparsely inhabited the oldest detailed sky image was it the other way round? That by unsophisticated small farming represented in a natural and Middle Eastern traders passed communities. most realistic way. This unique through Germany in their way to disc shows the synchronized sun the Baltic to source highly valued Nebra Sky Disc year with the eleven day shorter amber. What do we know about this moon year. Therefore it is the first intriguing discovery which since precise lunisolar calendar which Disc Made In Phases 2013 belongs to the UNESCO could be used over decades. First the full and half-moon and World Heritage? A lot of you might have already seen pictures But why was of it. When I saw the first picture the moon of shortly after its recovery I such interest? In assumed it was a small hand antiquity without palm sized platelet. But when I the help of visual saw it in reality at the museum instruments it was in Halle its actual size surprised easy for everybody me. to notice in the night sky the different Let me give you the basic facts: moon phases. It weight 2.5 kg, diameter 32 cm was the basis of and thickness 4.5 mm. The disc understanding time is not perfectly round. And its and creating an thickness differs too from the annual calendar center it reduced to 1.5 mm at its with months and corner. The disc blank had only a seasons. Therefore diameter of 20 cm and then was our ancestors

4 32 stars including the Pleiades solstices marking 21 June and being a sun barge is still not star cluster with seven stars were 21 December. certain. Some experts believe inlaid on the sky disc. This star it could also represent the Milky cluster disappears in March from The gold pieces inlaid are very Way or even a rainbow. The the night sky and rises again in thin with 0.4 mm and consist of sickle added at the bottom is October. Representing at Nebra three different material mixes. more bent as the side solstice exactly 10 March and 17 October To fix gold inlays on the disc the arc to fit well between the stars. as seen precisely seen in the artisans hammered carefully Different to the arcs it also night sky here 3600 years ago. inclined minimal clefts into the shows two deep grooves and its We can also consider that the bronze into which they inserted gold color is different too. 32 stars indicate the 32 days the super thin gold inlays and needed for the Pleiades to stand hammered them tight. From Forth Phase again by the moon. this work we can see slight The worst job was done towards differences in process which the end of the disc’s 600 years Possibly the disc was a proves that different artisans of ritual use when 39 holes mechanism to coordinate the concluded each phase. And we around the disc edge were sun and moon calendar. So can assume that possibly each punctured without much care. It we have two messages how new ruler had specific wishes to is presumed that the disc might to bridge the 11 day difference change this most crucial ritual have been fixed this way to a between the moon and sun cult object in his possession. larger shield or pole and carried calendar. Remember the first around or hold up in ceremonies. written instruction to coordinate Third Phase During the last phase the left arc both calendars were found in a Third a so-called sun barge from went missing and finally the disc Babylonian cuneiform text 900 Egyptian myth history was now was buried for unknown reasons years later. added. But the interpretation on Mittelberg near Nebra 3600 years ago. We only know that Second Phase farming communities in the In a second step two arcs left region underwent a cultural and right with lunar crescent change for what ever reason. representing the important solstices of the rising and setting Today the disc is exposed at the sun were added. The cross Halle Museum in restored form angle does not measure exactly with the missing right gold arc 90 degrees but 82-83 degrees. added plus one star. Accidental Which proves that the arcs did damage by the treasure hunters not serve as decorative elements with a pickle to the edge were but represent the correct not repaired same as their positions of summer and winter scratched on gold inlays.

5 Mittelberg Cult Site bronze manufacturing So a vital question arises. skills were wide spread Was Mittelberg a ritual cult in Middle Germany even site? Closer investigations far away from copper ore after the treasurer hunters deposits. These skills disclosed their place of included smelting at the discovery show few structural right and constant fire remains. A ring wall with a temperature as well as diameter of 160 meters was casting into ceramic or found erected of earth and stone molds and working stones topped possibly with a out a fine surface. palisade of wooden poles. Hill Tombs Archeologists estimate that Another example giving the wall could have had a heights Additional Artefacts Found proof of an important chiefdom of 1.5 meters and a width of three What made the Nebra Sky Disc are massive hill tombs in meters at its base. Over time discovery at first so questionable the region. And there were the trench in front was filled up were the additional artefacts various found around the through erosion. This wall was buried with it. Two swords, two wider Aunjetitz territory. built between 800 and 500 BC axes and a chisel plus various Archeological research results but rests of earlier walls could be arm spirals all made of bronze show that rulers at the time dated to 1900 BC. So they believe were part of the hoard find. The were laid to rest in identical ritual ceremonies took place here swords had a special form with a full array with gold clothing during the Aunjetitz period. mix of elements from southeast needles, bracelets, upper and north Europe dated around arm spirals and arms such All five phases took place during a 1600 BC. as daggers, chisels and axes span of 200 years before 1600 BC. made of stone or bronze. Interestingly it was discovered that The axes were of the round the disc shows antique cleaning edged type with an all-round An interesting question arises. traces when it was polished with borderline and were dated at the For the vast generations of fine sand. It has to be mentioned same time. This axe form was rulers too few hill tombs were that the exact details still are commonly found in the region found. Were they all robbed disputed by some experts, as the along the rivers Elbe and Oder. early on in the Middle Age disc was recovered from hobby and flattened to enlarge fertile treasure hunters and therefore What is Missing farming land around hundred found outside of archeologically So far no bronze melting ovens, to two hundred years ago? proven context. Expert doubts casting molds and metallurgical exist also because many scientific working tools such as hammers Bornhoeck Hill Tomb results still were not published and anvils were found anywhere It is situated near Rassnitz twenty years after its recovery. in the region. We know that close to Dieskau and dated

Bornhoeck Hill Tomb Bornhoeck Hill Tomb base burial remains being removed on bloc being excavated

6 three central poles.

These were covered with massive stones forming an 18 meter circle. They were transported from a quarry over ten kilometers away to the site. For detailed research three blocks were cut out each weighing 25 tons and transported to the Halle Museum. So were are expecting further interesting results in future.

Leubingen Hill Tomb This tomb near Soemmerda in Thuringia is older and dated 1942 BC. Possibly it is the burial place of an important regional 1800 BC. Unfortunately it leader and again it is assumed to expected that new discoveries was robbed around 1200 and have served for a double burial. will be made public soon. But first flattened by farmers after 1900. With over 30 meters in diameter indications are that settlement It was the largest hill tomb in it has a circumvention of over traces were unearthed including Bronze Age Europe with 65 100 meters and a height of over ovens, pits for wooden house meters in diameter, and a heights 8 meters. poles and refuse pits plus 60 of up to 15 meters. The workers burials. But the big surprise was a piled up 20,000 cubic meters of Its wooden chamber had a tent close by discovery of a 55 meter earth over the burial chamber. like structure made from oak ring surrounded by a 250 by 330 This made it seven times larger tree stems. It is the first tomb meters trench. This might be an than the hill tombs at Leubingen in Bronze Age Germany where indication of a flattened hill tomb. and Helmsdorf. individuals were laid to rest so richly decorated. The found Leubingen “Palace” To demonstrate its importance burial gifts include gold cloth In the vicinity and still in sight it was covered with white chalk needles, gold bracelets, gold hair of the Leubingen hill tomb and possibly decorated with red jewelry, bronze axes, daggers new excavations at Dermsdorf markings. This massive tomb and chisels. covered an area of 7,000 could have served two rulers as square meters and found an final rest. Many grind stones were When I visited this site in summer old settlement used between found here which could produce 2019 new excavations were 2000 until 1700 BC. This flour for a thousand person daily under way covering an area of included the largest long house needs. 70,000 square meters. It can be in Middle Europe at the time. Was it possibly built for military But today there is nothing purposes or for reunions? left. In 2014 archeologists Or was it the “palace” of excavated the ground the great chief buried at the below the farming level. Leubingen hill tomb? With Little remains were left but 44 meters in length and 10 experts could establish the meters wide in size it is for basic structure of the burial its time a massive building. chamber. The wooden The three ship structure on burial chamber was over wooden poles is church like five meters long and three and therefore assumed to meters wide and nearly as be used possibly as multi- high. Worked oak tree stems purpose reunion building. were erected tent like with a Here experts found a huge central beam supported by ceramic pot with close to

7 rulers who needed to establish their power.

Treasure Hunting This activity is a wide spread past time of some locals in Germany. But it needs to be recognized that it has led to many interesting hoard discoveries. Some of these were really of significance and led to excavations and further finds. Often farmers also unearth one hundred bronze axes plus items when ploughing their fields. The treasure hunters in this case two daggers. In the last two decades public did not know this and finally opinion and interest has changed ended up in jail. It is interesting to note that in regard to local archeological smaller long houses normally discoveries. One can say we Summary were found in line along rivers see a new fascination for Bronze The Nebra Sky Disc discovery with farming fields behind them. Age Cultures such as the Celts. surprised everybody. First for In total over one thousand New museums have opened on their sophistication of artisan bronze axes, double headed important sites of excavations. work and second for the detail axes, daggers and knifes were of astronomical knowledge excavated in the assumed The laws in each of the 16 of the creators. This threw a economic area of the Aunjetitz Federal States in Germany are totally new light on the Aunjetitz Chiefdom. in respect of found treasures Culture. Experts started more different. Bavaria has the excavations in the region around Helmsdorf Hill Tomb most advanced legislation and known cultural sites and hill The Helmsdorf hill tomb near offers a reasonable finder’s tombs. Mansfeld in Saxony-Anhalt fee and therefore discovered is dated 1840 BC. Again it is items are given over freely to What they found more than assumed to be the tomb of a the authorities. Saxony-Anhalt confirmed their keenest regional ruler. Identical gold does not offer any finder fees assumptions. Long distance items were found as in the and automatically all items of trade further north and south Leubinger hill tomb. These are historical value found belong to to Mesapotamia was well hundred years apart but experts the state. So it is difficult to sell established and florishing found out that its burial items such items in the black market. creating important wealth. were made from the same Cornwall sourced gold. Travel Tips The original of the Nebra Sky Disc can be seen at the Pre-History Museum at Other Interesting Facts Halle. The museum is worthwhile visiting as it offeres a walk in time from our paleolithic to neolithic pre-history and finally the Aunjetitz Culture with its most We know that men and women famous discovery the Nebra Sky Disc. were engraved in equal form so there was no social difference. It I also recommend to travel south west to Nebra to visit the newly built small was further established that all museum there and to walk up the 2-3 kilometers to Mittelberg where the Nebra Sky Disc was unearthed. men were buried without arms. This might be proof of a civil On your way to Nebra you can visit the dolmen goddess tomb at Langeneichstädt defense system or that all arms (50 km from Halle) and the Leubinger hill tomb site (50 km towards Nebra). This belonged to the ruler and were trip can be done in a day and there is a small Hotel in the old Nebra Castle. only distributed in need. And to the east of Nebra lies the interesting sun obversatory of Goseck some 30 km from Nebra. But if you want to see the intriguing cult ring of Pömmelte. I The Aunjetitz Chiefdom seems recommend reading my article about this extraordiinary site first. to have been a peaceful state as human sacrifices were not practiced. From other areas Picture Credits we know that human sacrifices We thank the Landesmuseum für Vorgeschichte in Halle for making available were only used by uncertain some of their pictures as well as the archeologists working Bornhöck.

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