A hanging vessel, hanging bowl

These are small fragments of a cast bronze vessel - a deep conical bowl topped with a low cylindrical neck, on the edge of which two ears used to suspend the vessel were placed vertically. The preserved fragments are decorated with wavy lines combined with a stylised motif of an animal, most probably a bird. The decoration is interesting also since it is filled with white inlay mass that survived almost three thousand years, which is rare. The artefact was discovered at the end of the 19th century in a large hoard, containing several fragments of a second inlaid vessel and a bronze "patch" used to repair damaged vessels. The remains of both vessels and three large casting lumps, several bundles of ribbons and fractions of wire, acted as raw bronze material. The deposit also contained blacksmith and casting utensils, working tools, weapons, elements of horse harness, and body and costume ornaments. The hoard was discovered at a depth of only 15 cm below the surface of a flooded meadow belonging to August Schiewer. All the bronze objects were placed in a sizeable earthenware pot next to a large stone.

Dorota Kozłowska