Vettersfelde Treasure

Two objects from the trove

The Vettersfelde Treasure or Witaszkowo Treasure is a treasure trove, which was found by chance in what was then Vettersfelde in the Province of Brandenburg (modern Witaszkowo, near Gubin, Poland) in 1882, and is now in the Antikensammlung Berlin. The objects in the trove are connected to the animal-themed art of the Scythians. The origin of the trove remains mysterious.

Among the most significant items in the trove are:

Other highlights include pendants of braided wire, a massive torc. Part of the find went to Berlin and was kept with a suit of Scythian armour, which dated from around 500 BC. Other, smaller objects from the trove were sold or melted down.

The discovery began a long scholarly debate. The presence of these objects so far into northern Europe was explained by a Scythian expedition into central Europe, with the trove forming the grave-offerings of a Scythian prince, who had made it to Brandenburg. One such expedition is attested at the end of the sixth century BC as a result of Darius' Scythian expedition (513 BC). Newer research on the find location argues that it might have been deposited as a sacrifice after being taken as booty from a Scythian prince. The presence of Scythians in this area is otherwise only suggested by the discover of three-fluted arrowheads, but these were regularly used by other Eurasian nomads.

References

  1. Petre Alexandrescu, « Zum goldenen Fisch von Witaszkowo, ehem. Vettersfelde », in L'aigle et le dauphin : études d'archéologie pontique, Editura enciclopedică, 1999.

Bibliography

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