Considering Creativity: Creativity, Knowledge and Practice in Bronze Age Europe

Joanna Sofaer

• Publisher: Archaeopress
• Year: 2018
• Print ISBN: 9781784917548
• eBook ISBN: 9781784917555
• Topic: Social Sciences
• Subtopic: Archaeology
• Index: Social Sciences

Creativity is embedded in human history. Indeed, it is impossible to understand material change and the development of the new without invoking creativity. The location, exploration and analysis of creativity should therefore be of particular concern to archaeologists. This volume engages with this challenge by focusing on the outcomes of creativity – material culture – and an exploration of creative practice. The European Bronze Age provides a useful focus for discussions of the outcomes of creativity because in this period we see the development of new and pre-existing materials that we take for granted today, in particular textiles and bronze. We also see new ways of working with existing materials, such as clay, to create novel forms. In both new and existing materials it is frequently possible to see the growth of technical skill, to produce complex forms and elaborate decorated surfaces. The papers in this volume view Bronze Age objects through the lens of creativity in order to offer fresh insights into the interaction between people and the world, as well as the individual and cultural processes that lie behind creative expression. Many have their origin in the international conference Creativity: An Exploration Through the Bronze Age and Contemporary Responses to the Bronze Age held at Magdalene College, University of Cambridge in 2103 as part of the HERA-funded project Creativity and Craft Production in Middle and Late Bronze Age Europe. Contributions span the early to late Bronze Age, deal with a range of materials including textiles, metal, and ceramics, and reflect on data from across the continent including Iberia, Scandinavia, Central and Eastern Europe. This breadth illustrates the wideranging importance and applicability of creativity as an heuristic concept. The volume further develops a range of theoretical and methodological directions, opening up new avenues for the study of creativity in the past.

Table of contents

• Cover
• Copyright Page
• Contents Page
• List of Figures
• Notes on Contributors
• 2. Copying from Sherds. Creativity in Bronze Age Pottery in Central Iberia (1800-1150 BC)
• Figure 2.1. The Iberian Peninsula and the area of the Cogotas I culture (1800-1150 cal BC)
• Figure 2.2. 1a and b) Early Neolithic stab-and-drag examples from El Mirador (Burgos) and from 1c) Atxoste (Álava); 2a) Ciempozuelos Beaker bowl from Las Carolinas (Madrid); 2b) Beaker from Molino Sanchón II (Villafáfila, Zamora); 3a) Late Bronze Age vess
• Figure 2.3. 1a) Encrusted Beaker carinated bowls with pseudo-excised motifs from La Salmedina (Madrid) and 1b) from Cuesta de la Reina (Ciempozuelos, Madrid); 2. Late Bronze Age jar featuring checkerboard excised motives with white paste from Pórragos (Bo
• Figure 2.4. Duffaits sherds in Middle Bronze Age cave contexts.
• Figure 2.5. One of the earliest Middle Bronze Age excised motifs from a stratified context at Los Tolmos (Caracena, Soria).
• Figure 2.6. 1) Early Neolithic sherd with stab-and-drag decoration; 2) Bell Beaker sherd, both found in non-disturbed Middle Bronze Age contexts at El Cerro (Burgos).
• Figure 3.1. 1) Early Bronze Age armlets from the hoard of Berlin-Lichtenrade, Germany; 2) the hoard in a grave from Lockingto , England; 3) Late Bronze Age armlets from kurgan 24 from Hordeevka, Ukraine; 4) Late Bronze Age hoard of Derrinboy, Co. Offaly,
• Figure 3.2. Selection of Early Bronze Age bronze artefacts which did not form a tradition: 1) sceptre-like staff from Welbsleben; 2) club from Thale, both Saxe-Anhalt, Germany; 3) cast bronze jar from the Skeldal hoard, Jutland, Denmark; 4-5) chains from
• Figure 3.3 Bronze grave goods from the 13th c. B.C. burial mound from Čaka, Slovakia
• Figure 3.4 Reconstructed sheet bronze cuirasses from 1) Čaka; 2) Ducové; 3) Čierna nad Tisou, all in Slovakia; 4) Saint-Germain du Plain.
• Figure 3.5 Votive of a miniature cuirass from a ‘founder’s hoard’ (‘Brucherzhort’) from the Brandgraben
• Figure 3.6 Reconstruction of the four-wheeled-wagon with bronze fittings from Münchsmünster, southern Bavaria, from a grave co text 13th c. B.C.
• Figure 3.7 Standard equipment of prestigious drinking in the Urnfield Culture in central southern Europe: bucket, cup and strainer here shown from the Hart a.d. Alz elite burial in southern Bavaria, 12th c. B.C.
• Figure 3.8 Bronze bucket of Hajdubörszermény type from Sâg, Romania, 10th c. B.C. height: 34.8 cm
• Figure 4.1 Abraham Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs
• Figure 4.2 Bronze Age textiles from Hallstatt
• Figure 4.3 Franzhausen textile and grave context
• Figure 4.4 Hallstatt Textile 288 with striped tablet woven border
• Figure 4.5 Winklarn, Austria, Middle Bronze Age 1) Dress fittings and jewellery; 2) Pattern of placement on the body; 3) Reconstruction of a dress based on the figurine from Kličevac and the textile from Irgenhausen
• Figure 4.6 Gold threads from Obuda in Hungary, 11th cent. BC
• Figure 5.1 Bronze Age Helmet from Bernières d’Ailly Hoard (Normandy); example from the Odescalchi collection, Rome 
• Figure 5.2 Detail of the archetypal ‘Gallic’ helmet, made from the original Lionel Royer (1852-1926), Vercingétorix jette ses armes aux pieds de Jules César, oil painting, 1899, Crozatier Museum, Le puy-en-Velay, France.
• Figure 5.3 Henry Morin (1873-1961), Les Gaulois, advertisement on Post card for the Bulteaux Champagne, around 1900.
• Figure 5.4 Bronze Age Helmet from La Seine (Musée d’archéologie nationale, number ‘Paris 358’ collection Napoléon III)
• Figure 5.5 Axe from Thanet Earth, Thanet, Kent (England)
• Figure 5.6 Sword from Jugnes
• Figure 5.7 Axe just after casting
• Figure 5.8 The finished axe
• Figure 5.9 The handle of the sword, just after foundry stage
• Figure 5.10 The finished sword
• Figure 5.11 Detail of the inscription ‘ Jean Guilaine/Christiane Guilaine ‘ on the blade
• Figure 5.12 Identity and fabrication of one object
• Figure 6.1. The Wietenberg area and its main directions of long distance trade and exchange (routes are approximated).
• Figure 6.2. Comparison of decorative motifs from pottery and other, not war-related categories of object (metal ornaments and pieces of architecture): 1. Sighişoara-‘Wietenberg’, decorated hearth; 2) Oarţa de Sus, vessel from the sanctuary; 3) Geoagiu de
• Figure 6.3. Comparison of decorative motifs 1−3) typical Wietenberg pottery; 4−6) frying pans of Keros Syros Culture.
• Figure 6.4. Geoagiu de Sus. Three plaster bird-like heads from a ritual pit a). decorated side; b). the plain side
• Figure 6.5 Wietenberg pottery decoration in relation to the idea of movement. 1-2) Geoagiu de Sus, bird-like protoma broken off from a plaster screen; 3) Ciceu-Corabia, fragment of a miniature clay ‘wagon’; 4). Derşida, bird protoma, stray find; 5) Derşid
• Figure 6.6 Comparison of decorative motifs from pottery and war related objects 1) Ţufalău, gold butted-axe; 2) Oarţa de Sus, Pit 1, fragment from the writing related signs; 3) Ciceu Corabia, fragment of a miniature clay ‘wagon’; 4) Oarţa de Sus, clay lid
• Figure 6.7 Photograph of a Kelvin-Helmholtz cloud seen over Cluj-Napoca from Floreşti (Transylvania).
• Figure 7.1. A razor from Sennels, Northwest Jutland, Denmark, with charming double horses related to a ship. Upper, the whole azor, below detail showing the double horses, Montelius period IV, 1100-900 BC.
• Figure 7.2. Upper, a razor from Sevel, West Jutland, Denmark; lower, a razor from Vendsyssel, North Jutland, Denmark, both 110-900 BC.
• Figure 7.3. A razor, probably from Jutland, Denmark, 900-700 BC.
• Figure 7.4. Reconstructional drawing of a razor from Knuthenborg, Lolland, Denmark, 900-700 BC.
• Figure 7.5. Graphics of the ship motifs of the razor from Knuthenborg, Lolland, Denmark. Upper, the folded ship of the blade u folded – the first ship – specific points in time are marked; lower, the ship consisting of the handle of the razor and keel lin
• Figure 7.6. A razor from Veddinge, Northwest Zealand, Denmark, 900-700 BC. Upper: a view where the ship comes into focus; lowe : a view where the snake shows itself in focus.
• Figure 8.1 Woven textile of the Neolithic period made of lime bast with knotted decoration. Zürich-Mythenschloss (Switzerland).
• Figure 8.2 Wiepenkathen, Kreis Stade (Germany), wool threads around the Neolithic flint dagger.
• Figure 8.3 Tursko-Těšina (Czech Republic). Two bronze bracelets from grave No. 5. The left one shows well visible textile structure.
• Figure 8.4 Detail of a mineralised textile fragment on bracelet No. H1-51 525. Both systems as well as four samples taken for SEM are marked out.
• Figure 8.5 Impressions of woollen fibres in completely mineralised textile fragment from bracelet No. H1-51 525. A distinction between thin and thick fibres is clearly visible.
• Figure 8.6 Lenk-Schnidejoch (Switzerland) Bronze Age textile found in the ice.
• Figure 8.7 Wardböhmen, Kreis Celle (Germany), thread made of mainly very coarse fibres (around 100μ).
• Figure 8.8 Sion Petit-Chasseur, Switzerland, anthropomorphic stele with engraved garments.
• Figure 8.9 Hallstatt (A), salt mine, Bronze Age textile (HallTex 238-5) with same scale directions in the thread show low processing of the fibres.
• Figure 8.10 Hallstatt (A), salt mine, Bronze Age textile (HallTex 275) made of light wool.
• Figure 8.11 Hallstatt (A), salt mine, Bronze Age textile (HallTex 275): wool without pigmentation and dyed (seen as brown, but chemically green).
• Figure 8.12 Hallstatt (A), salt mine, Iron Age Textile with crimp.
• Figure 9.1. Bronze Age textile textures. 1-3) Different fabrics from an oak log burial at Nybøl, 3) with remains of nap; 4) Warp-faced tabby from Fahrenkrug, Schleswig-Holstein (Ke9849A; CinBa dBase DE 072b; Ehlers 1998, cat. SH:72). 5) 2/2 twill from lat
• Table 1. Range of yarn diameters in various parts of Europe
• Figure 9.2. Different textile textures made by hand weaver Lena Hammarlund, based on Bronze and Iron Age textiles from Hallsta t and Scandinavia.
• Figure 10.1 A violin-bow fibula and a modern safety pin.
• Figure 10.2 Fibulae types from the Brodski Varoš hoard.
• Figure 10.3 Jewellery set that was probably made in a single workshop.
• Figure 10.4 A passementerie fibula from Sviloš.
• Figure 11.1 1) Spišský Štvrtok, portable hearth (pyraunos); 2) Gáborján, portable hearth (pyraunos); 3) Spišský Štvrtok, distillation device; 4) reconstruction of a distillation device
• Figure 11.2. 1) Budkovice, perforated ‘fire cover’; 2) Budkovice, possible vessel for butter production; 3) Šurany-Nitriansky Hrádok, vessel with spouts that may be for mixing drinks.
• Figure 11.3. 1) Santovka, pottery with plastic decoration of anchor shaped pendants; 2) Rybník, anchor shaped pendant made of bronze; 3) Ižkovce, vessel with plastic decoration of heart shaped pendant; 4) Dunaújváros, vessel with plastic decoration of arm
• Figure 11.4. 1-7) Košice-Barca ,flat stylized figurine of women; 8) bronze half-moon shaped pendant.
• Figure 11.5. 1) Piliny-Várhegy, bird shaped clay rattle; 2) Rybník, flask shaped clay rattle; 3) Rybník, miniature hammer axe made of clay; 4) Piliny-Várhegy, miniature hammer axe made of clay; 5-7) Rybník, animal figurines.
• Figure 11.6. 1a-1b) Nižná Myšľa, clay model of a chariot from grave 40; 2a-2b) Pocsaj, clay model of a chariot; 3) Veľké Raškovce, amphora from a cremation burial with epic depiction of a deceased individual carried on a two wheel war chariot to the grave