The article presents a major contribution to the understanding of iconography of Iron Age communities and the review of circulation of objects and ideas. Pendants have always had an exceptionally important role in man’s perception and aesthetics. As carriers of information, i.e. as the mediums of a certain metaphoric messages, they are mostly interpreted in the tradition of developed communicational relations in the value systems of different cultural and social orders. At the end of the Early Iron Age, anthropo-ornithomorphic pendants from the upper Adriatic cultural region (Caput Adriae), and the attached hinterland, were undoubtedly accessible signs, as well as symbols. This paper discusses their typological, stylistic and chronological classification in detail, assessing available archaeological and cultural contexts from the wider European area. Depending on the circumstances, some of their roles are defined, and their use was presented in dynamic and ambivalent ideological-semantic structures. The pendants were iconographically and symbolically interpreted based on the artistic concept of sign–symbol. It was concluded that these “small bodies”, as a metaphor for the androgynous with the idea of apotropaic and prophylactic, were momentarily visually (nonverbally) understandable, (cognitively) recognizable, and (culturally) widely accepted in the “big world” as correspondents in the indirect transfer of intricate and complex interrelationships between people and societies.
COBISS.SI-ID: 1540017604
The book presents cultural history of the end of Early and beginning of Late Iron Age on the broader territory of today's city of Ptuj in Eastern Slovenia. Discussed are previously unconnected archaeological finds demonstrating the intensity of involvement of local populations in to long distance trade contacts stretching from the Pre-alpine world, northern Adriatic, central Pannonia and all the way to the Bohemian mountains. The book demonstrates for the first time that, although previously considered differently, the region of Eastern Slovenia was not completely deserted at the end of Early Iron Age. The major portion of the discussion is dedicated to the Celtic finds from the early part of the Late Iron Age demonstrating that the first immigrants arrived already in the 4th century BC. Originating from central Pannonia around the Knee of Danube they created on the territory west of Lake Balaton an cultural environment which on one hand sustained the tradition but also created an unique artistic expression reflected in the plastic decoration of swords and scabbards.
COBISS.SI-ID: 276984320
The article presents an overview of warrior’s graves and swords of Early La Tène form discovered in the last decades on the territory of western Hungary, north-eastern Slovenia and south-eastern Austria. Similarities in the forming of swords (mostly of Hatvan-Boldog type) and the opulent plastic decoration of the constructive elements of the scabbards as well as their decoration demonstrate, that the later were products reflecting the local stylistic and artistic development. Their major characteristic is the so-called Plastic style which marked the art of first Celtic immigrants on these territories. Presented stylistic comparison of the development of sword decorations as well as the eclecticism in the combinations of stylistic elements demonstrated, that we can look for the models that is for the origins of these decorations, in Hungary, especially around the Knee of Danube. There developed in the 4th century BC centers from which we assume, that they represent the places of origins from which first Celtic communities settled the discussed area. The author proposes that we can, based on the development of sword decoration styles and the distributions of these swords, observe the development of local production centers that is of local identities in the framework of the Eastern Celtic communities.
COBISS.SI-ID: 1538736580
The article discusses the finds from graves number 3 and 4 from Vičja luka on the island of Brač in Croatia. Although the graves were known for more than 45 years, the publication presents the first discussion of finds demonstrating their heterogeneous origins and explains the burial rites. In the graves were discovered elements of jewelry and weapons demonstrating that Vičja luka was a redistribution center in to which arrived influences from the Macedonian and central Balkan area, from the Adriatic and northern Italy as well as the central part of the Apennine peninsula. It was suggested that the site played an important role in the trade between the Mediterranean civilizations and prehistoric Europe. Analysis of the fragmentation of finds demonstrated that numerous items of surplus value or information were destroyed in a complex ritual and only parts of them were deposited in the grave. Adding of fragmented grave goods symbolizing the whole was a common ritual of manipulations with grave good in the burials of Iron Age elites.
COBISS.SI-ID: 1538944708
The present article is dedicated to the presentation of two grave inventories from the vicinity of Graz in Styria (Austria). They are considered to be of outstanding importance due to the presence of specially manufactured and lavishly decorated sword scabbards. Based on their typological characteristics both swords could be included in the broader group of swords known as the Hatvan–Boldog type. This type of sword was discussed in recent years in Slovenia due to the discovery of a decorated sword in grave 9 from Srednica near Ptuj. The article presents technological and stylistic characteristics of swords produced in the Plastic style which was originally developed in the Carpathin and further developed in workshop/workshops located in Styria. This regional production introduced several innovative technological processes of metal working such as production of deep relief executed in iron which were among the major technological innovation of the Late Iron Age. These swords were discovered in warriors burials on small cemeteries located on strategical position of the landscape indicating the Celtic occupation of Eastern Slovenia. They are the illustration of immigration processes of small highly mobile groups led by the regional military elite.
COBISS.SI-ID: 1539303876