Fragmentation of votive offerings in the sanctuary of Olympia

Abstract

A new project at the Leibniz-Zentrum für Archäologie in Mainz is investigating the phenomenon of fragmentation of copper alloy votive offerings in the sanctuary of Olympia. By using a variety of methodologies, thousands of fragments have already been analysed to to gain insight into the function and significance of this phenomenon, when and how the objects were destroyed, and the reasons why they were recovered in large numbers.

Keywords

• Olympia
• votive offerings
• fragmentation
• scrap metal
• European Bronze Age hoards