Settlement, economy, and cultural change at the end of the European Iron Age : excavations at Kelheim in Bavaria, 1987-1991

This volume presents preliminary results of three seasons of excavation at the Late Iron Age oppidum settlement of Kelheim, including analytical studies of materials recovered and interpretation of the significance of the findings. Research on the materials presented here is ongoing, and more detailed reports will follow at a later date. The volume is divided into four main sections. The first explains the reasons for investigations at Kelheim, the questions addressed, the character of the landscape, and the history of archaeological research there. The second describes the techniques of excavation used and the progress over the three field seasons, and presents the results of the excavations, regarding both settlement features and artifact distribution, as well as an overview of the character of the material recovered. Many illustrations are included here in order to show the range of pottery, metal, and other objects from the site. The third section includes special studies of several categories of materials, as well as discussion of the chronology of the occupation and presentation of the results of the landscape survey around the Late Iron Age settlement. The final section attempts to address some major questions about late prehistoric Europe from the perspective of these excavations and analytical results at Kelheim. A final section presents investigations into ritual behavior in the Kelheim region and uses this theme to argue for strong continuity of tradition from prehistoric times into the Middle Ages.