Princes, Gold Weapons and Armies. Reflections on the Dieskau gold find and its possible origin from the Early Bronze Age Bornhöck barrow near Dieskau in the Saalekreis district

Abstract

The famous Early Bronze Age gold find from Dieskau, Saalekreis district, in Central Germany consists of three bracelets, a small ring, and a flanged axe, while eight other objects of unknown type remain lost. It was discovered in 1874 only three kilometres from a very large princely burial mound called Bornhöck, which was destroyed mostly in the second half of the 19th century AD. This paper argues that the gold ensemble was probably found during the removal of the Bornhöck burial mound and only subsequently attributed to a different find site to cover up the illegal extraction. In any case, there is a connection with the princely graves of the Únětice Culture. The prince of Dieskau was likely the most powerful of these princes.

Keywords

• central germany
• dieskau
• únětice culture
• gold
• princely tomb
• axe hoard