An Iron Age chieftain's grave good
In 1851, a farmer named Ferdinand Pfeffer was plowing a field near the village of Stretweg when he struck numerous fragments of bronze and iron. The discovery prompted an excavation, revealing the remains of a princely tomb from the Hallstatt culture, dating to around 600 BCE. Inside this cremation grave, alongside iron weapons, jewelry, and bronze vessels, lay the pieces of an extraordinary object: a miniature bronze wagon crowded with figures.
The assembled wagon is a scene made of tin bronze. Its base is a square, open-work platform measuring 42 cm in length and 32.5 cm in width, mounted on four eight-spoked wheels. Dominating the scene is a central female figure, standing 32 cm tall. She wears a belt and earrings and holds a large, flat bowl above her head, supported by an X-shaped frame. Surrounding her is a procession of smaller figures: warriors on horseback, foot soldiers holding shields and spears, two female attendants, and two men leading stags by their prominent antlers. The entire bronze tableau stands approximately 33 cm high (without the bowl) and depicts what is widely interpreted as a ritual sacrifice or a sacred procession.