Bread loaf idol

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Bread loaf from Mangolding district of Regensburg

As Brotlaibidol is called archaeological find objects from the Bronze Age , mostly from schwachgebranntem or air-dried clay exist and how a loaf shaped. They are usually only a few centimeters long and have geometric decorations. Its purpose is unknown; the name idol is derived from the presumed ritual use . Recently the use as a pintadera has also been considered.

Appearance

Loaf of bread from the Early to Middle Bronze Age context are also referred to as “patterned clay objects” or “clay stamp-like objects”, in Italian as oggetti enigmatici or tavolette enigmatiche ( German  enigmatic objects or enigmatic tablets). The shape is different. These are elongated as well as round and oval, approximately rectangular as well as stamp-shaped, flat or vaulted objects of small size made of stone or baked clay, with one or both sides ornamentation. The patterns are made up of individual or multiple motifs in the form of geometric figures as well as templates from nature, for example seashells. They are created by indenting, piercing and scratching in different depths and occur in different combinations. The majority of bread loafs have parallel longitudinal or transverse lines. Further patterns are usually incorporated into the course of the lines. These arise either before, after or when the line is set. However, the decorations can also be isolated and arranged more or less regularly on the object. In some finds, such as in Lepenski Vir , incrustation can be determined. A copy from Banatska Palanka has red paint residues on the sample side. There are also bread loafs perforated lengthways.

Italy

In northern Italy in the Lake Garda area one finds the highest density of finds and the greatest variety of motifs. Objects decorated on both sides, as well as stone objects (12.5% ​​of the total finds in Northern Italy) occur more frequently here than in other areas. Typical peculiarities of the Padan oggetti enigmatici are circular and double spiral patterns as well as pearl-like and cross-shaped patterns.

Southwest Germany, inner-alpine finds

A smaller group of finds comes from southwest Germany in the Lake Constance - Hegau area . Rectangular patterns are characteristic of these loafs of bread, which can also be found in northern Italy. A few other clay stamp-like objects found in the Alps ( Matrei am Brenner , Albanbühel) in connection with pottery finds of Upper Italian characteristics (Matrei am Brenner, Singen am Hohentwiel ) or cast crucibles ( Bodman-Schachen I ) similar to those from Lake Ledro and those from Bor di Pacengo suggest north-south connections through the Alps. On the one hand, the Brenner route is a possible trade route; on the other hand, you can also travel from northern Italy to southwest Germany via the Reschen route .

Middle and lower Danube area

Further concentrations of finds can be found in the middle and lower Danube area. Typical features of these loafs of bread are embellished indentations (some also in northern Italy). A connection of these cultures on the Danube to southwest Germany via southern Bavaria (empty space) is not evident. Italic motifs are increasingly found in the western groups of the central Danube region. Presumably, the southern Bavarian groups, as well as those south and west of the Alpine Rhine Valley - Lake Constance - High Rhine line, were less involved in these relationships. The trade routes probably lead from the central Danube area through the Alps to southwest Germany or south of it to Italy ( Wieselburg cups from an early Bronze Age context in northern Italy).

Tisza region

To the east of the Central Danubian groups there is a further concentration of clay-stamp-like objects in the Tisza region and in north-western Romania to the east. The decorations consist mainly of linear or systemless engraved patterns and are different from those in the Danube region.

Dating and Cultures

The dating of the bread loaf idols in the Bronze Age levels A2 and B1 is generally recognized.

Italy

Relatively chronologically, the more frequent occurrence of the oggetti enigmatici in the northern Italian distribution area is placed in the younger section of the South Alpine Early Bronze Age ( Polada culture ). According to the chronology there (Renato Perini), this concerns the levels Bronzo Antico II and III (Polada B-context). Sites related to this period are, for example, Polada and Lago di Ledro. Bread loafs are also proven for the Middle Bronze Age (Bronzo Medio) in northern Italy ( Terramare culture ), among others with the finds from Bovolone-Saccavezza or Monte Sassine. It is possible that the objects by Castellaro and Corte Vivaro date to the South Alpine Late Bronze Age (Bronzo Recente). A fragment of a bread loaf by Rubiera, if properly documented, dates to the end of the Neolithic and was found together with ceramic shards from the Upper Italian bell-cup group . Patterned clay objects in Italy can be traced back to a period of 2050 BC by the absolute data obtained by dendrochronology . BC (Polada B, Lavagnone 2) to 1400/1300 BC BC (Lavagnone, Isolone di Mincio). According to Paul Reinecke's chronology system , this concerns levels A 2 to C 2.

Southwest Germany

In southwest Germany, a Bodman-Schachen I from layer C is precisely stratified. It belongs to the area of ​​the Arbon culture and is to be placed in a more recent section of the southwest German Early Bronze Age. The clay disc from Singen probably comes from an older section. The pottery found there in Singen is similar to that of Bodman-Schachen I, Layer A. The bread loaf would thus belong to the Singen culture . The object from layer C is dendrochronologically dated to 1612 BC. For the Singen find, an absolute chronological approach ( dated via Bodman-Schachen I 14C-dating ) in the 19th century BC is dated. To consider.

Inner alpine objects

The inner-alpine finds are placed in the more recent Early Bronze Age. "The North Tyrolean find from Gschleirsbühel near Matrei [...] comes from a 50 cm thick layer of culture, the ceramic of which is being considered to be a late section of the Reinecke A2 level".

Middle Danube region

In the Central Danube region, the bread loafs are dated from the end of the Reinecke A 2 level to the beginning of C 1 via the settlement contexts of Nitransky Hrádok , Veselĕ , Süttö and Ostrovul-Mare . They can be found in Nitransky Hrádok during the entire occupation period of the Mad'arovce culture . This group is from 1700 BC in absolute chronology. BC to 1430 BC (“Here, too, the upper limit is not mandatory around 1700 BC in view of the 14 C data from Hoste […], which is why a dating approach of the local Aunjetiz-Mad'arovce horizon around 1900 BC is possible appears. ”) Further connections emerge from the data of the Vĕtĕrov culture with its Böheimkirchner group and their relationships. According to J. Görsdorf, the data sets outline a period from 1700 BC. BC to 1500 BC ("A somewhat more generous interpretation of the dating probability based on Görsdorf within the standard deviation, taking individual dates into account, however, makes dating the early Vĕtĕrov from the 19th century BC onwards appear possible.") There are finds of patterned clay objects also from the late classical, early Vĕtĕrov period horizon of the Aunjetitz culture in Lower Austria (Windpassing). The discovery site Schiltern, another settlement of the Aunjetitz group in this area, shows both southern Danubian influences of the Unterwölbinger culture , whose absolute dates from 2000 BC. BC to 1750 BC BC as well as clear Vĕtĕrov influences. The discovery of the loaf of bread in the grave field of Franzhausen Niederösterreich (Unterwölbinger group) is classified as somewhat older and results in a temporal approach in the 18th century BC. Chr.

Lower Danube

The conditions on the lower Danube are difficult to assess. The finds associated with encrusted ceramics can be placed in the Middle Bronze Age. They belong to the culture of encrusted ceramics with its various groups.

Tisza region

The absolute chronological and relative chronological classification as well as the cultural affiliation of the patterned clay objects in the Tisza region must currently remain open.

Romania

Two loafs of bread in the east of Romania from Derşida are part of the Wietenberg culture , which dates to the Middle Bronze Age (Reinecke BC).

interpretation

The appearance of the patterned clay objects spans a long period of time. It can be assumed that the spread of the loaf of bread is mainly due to the time, but also because of the distribution of finds and samples from northern Italy. The motifs of the objects seem to be group-specific and suggest regional and supra-regional relationships. Paint residues and incrustations as well as the formation of some objects indicate a function as a stamp. Marking certain products should be considered.

"The idea of ​​such a well-structured trade relationship, as it has been handed down to us from the Middle East in the form of seals and associated imprints, may be seductive here, but has so far been completely unproven."

Within the find areas, bread loaf idols are found almost exclusively in settlements. This indicates a profane purpose, but cultic acts with regard to these objects are also possible. Finds from graves are known from Franzhausen and Ostrovul Mare-Bivolarii, whereby Franzhausen seems to be the only documented grave find so far. Loafs of bread from burials may provide information about the importance of these objects. Finally, there is still no evidence of their use.

Exhibitions

literature

  • Joachim Köninger: Patterned clay objects from the Bodman-Schachen I riverside settlement - On the distribution and chronology of the so-called "Oggetti enigmatici" In: Barbara Fritsch, Margot Maute, Irenäus Matuschik, Johannes Müller, Claus Wolf (eds.): Tradition and Innovation. Prehistoric archeology as a historical science. Festschrift for Christian Strahm. International archeology. In: Studia honoraria. 3, Rahden 1998, pp. 429-468.
  • E. Lauermann: Studies on the Aunjetitz culture in northern Lower Austria. UPA 99, Bonn 2003.
  • G. Trnka: News about the “bread loafs” In: A. Lippert, K. Spindler (ed.): Festschrift for the 50th anniversary of the Institute for Prehistory and Early History of the Leopold-Franzens University Innsbruck. UPA 8 Bonn 1992, pp. 615-621.
  • Stephanie Hoffmann: The origin and development of the Middle Bronze Age in the western low mountain range. Dissertation. University of Bonn, 2004, ( online version on the university publication server of the University of Bonn).
  • M. Bernabò Brea, A. Cardarelli, M. Cremaschi (eds.): Le Terramare. La più antica civiltà padana. Milan 1997.

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ European Archeology online: New loaf of bread made of clay from the basin of the lower Danube ( Memento of the original from December 30, 2008 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. (accessed May 18, 2009)  @1@ 2Template: Webachiv / IABot / www.archaeology.ro
  2. ↑ Köninger 1998, p. 429.
  3. ↑ Lauermann 2003, p. 598.
  4. ↑ Trnka 1992, p. 617.
  5. ↑ Köninger 1998, p. 431; Trnka 1992, 617.
  6. ↑ Köninger 1998, p. 431.
  7. ↑ Köninger 1998, p. 435.
  8. ↑ Köninger 1998, p. 437.
  9. ↑ Köninger 1998, p. 439.
  10. ↑ Köninger 1998, p. 440.
  11. ↑ Köninger 1998, pp. 438-439.
  12. ↑ Trnka 1992, p. 620.
  13. ↑ Köninger 1998, pp. 456–457.
  14. ↑ Köninger 1998, pp. 448, 452.
  15. ↑ Köninger 1998, p. 447.
  16. ↑ Hoffmann 2004, p. 147.
  17. ↑ a b Köninger 1998, p. 453.
  18. ↑ Lauermann 2003, 599, 613.
  19. ↑ Lauermann 2003, 599, 614; Köninger 1998, 452.
  20. ↑ Köninger 1998, p. 452.
  21. ↑ Trnka 1992, p. 620.
  22. ↑ Köninger 1998, pp. 446, 453.
  23. ↑ Köninger 1998, p. 446.
  24. ↑ Hoffmann 2004, p. 149.
  25. ↑ Trnka 1992, pp. 616-617.