Photos from Stadtmuseum Ingolstadt (Exhibition)

Here's some nice case photos from the Ingolstadt Museum by Kurt Scheuerer. 

I've decided to start blogging on museum exhibitions featuring Bell Beaker Culture artifacts from around Europe.  Most are in small local museums so it might be helpful to have a reference if you live in Europe or plan on traveling. 

Fotos: Kurt Scheuerer

Here you see some of the Central European boar's tusk handiwork in Beaker Room #2.

Fotos: Kurt Scheuerer

Fotos: Kurt Scheuerer

Fotos: Kurt Scheuerer

Ingolstadt Museum

Evolution of the Pectoral Lunula in Portugal? (Valera)

This is an older paper from 2010, but relevant for the story on lunulae from its roots in the boar's tusk tradition in the Late Neolithic and its continued evolution into golden lunulae.

Early on, you can see Perdigoes tusks are pairs or halved pairs which are connected together and worn in the shape of a pectoral lunula.  They are depicted both on the anthropomorphic Late Neolithic menhirs (in the paper) and also within the burial deposits.

In a comparative, proto-historical mythology, boar's tusks were associated with the moon goddess who was variously associated with the bow, the boar hunt, cow horns and the crescent shape.  Although a feminine symbol, both boar's tusks, boar's tusk pendants and lunulae appear to be mostly associated with men at first, but may have been expressed by both sexes at different times and places.
(jet spacer lunulae appear to have been worn exclusively by British women)

Perforations for connecting

One important difference between a pectoral lunula and a boar's tusk pendant of Central Europe is that pectoral lunulae face up and the suspended pendants face down.  The suspended pendants probably mimic flatbows or composite bows as believed by Stuart Piggott [Pendants], and the later golden lunulae probably represent "solar boats" or "moon boats" [Pendants]. 

A Late Neolithic Iberian figure with the typical 'facial tattoos' or 'mustache' of that era.

Boar's tusks have a symbolic value that transcend any sort of compositional worth.  As you can see in this ivory burial amulet, several reoccurring 'protective' features seem to be built in, including a boar's tusk lulula.  Boar's tusks and cornos have been until recently were fashioned into lunar shapes for the protection of horses or barns.  It's possible that the lunulae originally protected high status individuals from jealous and strange looks.

Marfim No Recinto Calcolitico Dos Perdigoes (1): "Lunulas", Fragmentacao E Ontologia Dos Artegactos.  Apontamentos de Arqueologia e Patrimonio - 5/2010 (www.nia-era.org) Antonio Carlos Valera.  [Link]

Solar Jewelry - Mary Cahill

"Here Comes the Sun" is a short article by Mary Cahill in the Spring 2015 Archaeology Ireland

Many items manufactured by Beakers, whether it was houses, jet buttons, boar's tusks or pottery, in some way incorporate explicit or metaphoric associations with solar religion.  This article looks at some of those associations found in Beaker gold.

One very plausible possibility is that lunulae represent solar boats, which may represent the moon as well.  The Brone Age Nebra sky disk from Saxony-Anhalt is one of several examples showing a solar boat transitioning across the sky.

Nebra Sky Disk with Solar Boat (Unetice Culture)

Solar crosses are prominent in Beaker gold.  They also are found in various forms of beaker pottery in several regions.  Considering the bottom of bell beakers is this quote from Kristiansen:

"...Kristian Kristiansen (2011, 153) has remarked that, when the cups are raised to the
mouth, the sun would be seen to rise metaphorically as the image became visible."

This is especially meaningful when considering the content of the beaker.  I've made several posts concerning the discovery of Hyoscyamus niger (the herb of Apollo Helios) in a Ciempozuelos beer beaker, also found with regularity throughout Bronze Age Europe.

Solar crosses, probably sewn to clothing.

Continuing with Greek mythology as a proxy, it's possible to further unpack the metaphoric meanings of certain grave items.  For example, Selena Artemis (the moon) is, like her sun god brother, uniquely associated with archery.  Her bow was symbolic of the moon and also being the huntress, associated with wild boars (presumably due to the crescent tusks).

The similarity in decoration of Central European boar's tusk pendants and Atlantic lunulae is quite evident.  However, the development of lunulae from boar's tusks might be demonstrated in Chalcolithic Portugal as well.  (Valera, 2010 another interesting paper)

One passing comment about the solar crosses.  In this article, Cahill suggests that the cross represents the halo of the sun (very plausible or most plausible)  Another possibility that may be also true is that the four spoke wheel had become common enough to become known by this time in Europe.  This is important because by the Iron Age the chariot becomes the vehicle of solar movement in many religions.

More on jewelry to come...

Archaeology Ireland, Spring 2015 issue [here]

Gebel Ramlah footnote

While preparing the Beaker genetics page, I thought I'd share this which will fits into a larger context of the North African cultures in coming posts.

Kobusiewicz, Kabacinski and Wendorf (2009)

Above is a amulet or a "magical knife, as referenced.  Obviously it is non-functional, whatever it is.

I am not suggesting a direct relationship with this particular culture, but I do find the similarity in size, decoration and material (a hippo tusk) interesting.

"bow-like ornamented" modified from Fig. 20 (Ruzickova,2009)

And this image borrowed from Ruzickova shows a boar's tusk pendant, in many ways typical of Central European Beakers.  This particular one being nocked on both ends, whereas others are single or none. 

Stuart Piggott believed the boar's tusks are like mini-bows that the wearer wore around his neck.  It could be that it was nothing more than attractive pendant or simply a trophy.  However, I wonder if these mini-bows had another significance?

In Western European mythology the various parts of animals have certain magical qualities.  For example, we all know that a rabbit's foot is 'lucky', hence, "The Lucky Rabbit's Foot".


The Boar's Tusk, to Celts and Scandinavians, had protective qualities and was often used as a charm or amulet to protect a warrior.  It's possible that a bow-shaped amulet was used to protect the archer's arms, which based on osteological survey's, were under extreme stress.  A great many left arm, shoulder and chest injuries are found in men from the LN to the LBA.  This may hold true for Hippopotamus tusks as well.