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What a newly uncovered hoard tells us about Europe’s ancient warriors

Early Iron Age metal finds from Somlo Hill
Early Iron Age metal finds from Somlo Hill (Antiquity)
  • Excavations at Hungary's Somló volcanic hill have unearthed a hoard of metal objects from the Late Bronze Age and Early Iron Age, including jewellery, weapons, and decorations.
  • The findings suggest a significant human presence in the area between the 13th and 6th centuries BC, likely tribal societies led by elite warriors.
  • Among the 900 metal objects discovered was the first documented ceramic pot from the end of the Late Bronze Age in western Hungary, containing food deposits.
  • Evidence of bronzeworking workshops was also found, indicated by bronze lumps, droplets, and casting jets.
  • The hilltop occupation appears to have continued uninterrupted through the transition from the Late Bronze Age to the Early Iron Age.
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