engleski

„Foundation votive“ – An example of sword deposit in Late Bronze Age settlement ditch in Eastern Slavonia, Croatia

The aim of this paper is to show the results of rescue excavation of Bronze Age settlement in Čepinski Martinci – Dubrava, Eastern Croatia. The start of this settlement can be dated in the end of the Middle Bronze Age and beginning of the Late Bronze Age. The settlement is associated with LBA Barice-Gređani cultural group. This paper analyses a single find of the sword that has been deposited by the south entrance gate in fence ditch of the Čepinski Martinci- Dubrava settlement. I suggest the sword to be interpreted as a foundational votive. By that I understand an object to which community assigns specific powers and significance. Thus, I propose a sword find to be interpreted as a symbolical „gift“ at the moment of a settlement foundation by which Barice-Gređani group have sent powerful and symbolical message on its time. On one hand the sword could be seen as a pledge for security but on the other it could be argued that it is a signal of the military nature of the Late Bronze Age society.

late bronze age; sword; votive deposit; settlement ditch; Barice-Gređani group

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