Bronze Age grave goods show deposits of ritual metals

Archaeologists discovered new evidence linking burial rituals to metal deposits during excavations at the Papoło Biskupie site. 

Papołowyskpie is located on a dry lake in northern Poland, where excavations led him to discover a Bronze Age tomb containing  over 550 bronze artefacts.  

The burial is associated with the Chelmno group, which is one of the northernmost communities of the Lussian culture. The Chelmo people lived in central Europe during the Late Bronze Age and Early Iron Age, from 1200 BC to 450 BC. 

In contrast to other Lusatian groups, the Chelmo group has left few examples of buried objects in the archaeological record, suggesting that this group attached little ritual significance to metals. 

“Traditionally, the Chelmno people are thought to have been largely uninfluenced by the social and economic development of the Urnfield period and the subsequent Hallstatt culture. "In contrast to the hoarding of metals, metals do not seem to have played a prominent role in the social and ritual activities of the Chelmno community," the archaeologist said. 

This story was called into question when excavations uncovered the skeletal remains of at least 33 people at the bottom of Lake Papoło Biskupie. The excavation results, now published in Antiquities, unearthed more than 550 bronze artefacts, most of which were jewelry worn around the neck or  arms. 

Image Credit : Antiquity Journal

The study states: “Radiocarbon dating suggests that  human remains were placed in the lake  before the metals were deposited, and the community of Chelmno initially placed their dead in the lake before switching to a metal votive dump. There is a growing possibility that he was buried in the 

These discoveries highlight a possible link between  human remains and metal objects placed in lakes during late prehistoric times in central Europe. 

Importantly, the correlation between human remains and metal deposits suggests that the Chelmno group initially diverged from the broader Lusatian culture in their ritual practices, but that their belief system eventually extended to this region. This suggests that they have adapted to prevailing practices.