Spiral finger ring: Among other things, the remains of a spiral finger ring were discovered in the burial ground here in Altessing. It is presumably the burial of a man. Dating: ca. 1600 – 1300 BC.

Das Bild zeigt Leopold, einen Archäologen aus dem 19. Jahrhundert, der freigestellt vom Hintergrund dargestellt wird. In seiner Hand hält er einen Pinsel, mit dem er scheinbar gerade an einer Ausgrabungsstätte arbeitet. Seine andere Hand liegt locker neben seinem Körper. In der Sprechblase, die über ihm schwebt, steht der Satz "Was wäre das für ein Gewinn für unsere Forschung". Seine Kleidung entspricht dem Stil des 19. Jahrhunderts, was dem Bild eine historische Note verleiht.

Standing here around 3400 years ago, we would marvel at the Bronze Age grave mounds in all their glory! They and their grave goods would be perfectly preserved. What a gain that would be for our research, for our knowledge, if we could go back in time!

Bronze, an alloy of copper and tin, was the predominant metal used back then. In the grave mounds my archaeologist colleagues found remains of bronze objects – spiral finger and arm rings, tin humps, sickles, arrowheads.

These were all burial goods that once had a use in the lives of the deceased. Particularly beautiful is the needle fragment with an incised star symbol from grave mound 9 – probably a product from Bohemia where similar objects are known. It was used to fasten clothing. I wonder who wore it?”