- Celts of Eastern Europe -
the worst of the dross from the ore-bearing rocks. We have evidence that the
iron-ore roasting took place on hearths located outside the settlements whereas the
smelting occurred inside. A furnace was found at the Sop ron settlement. In
Burgerland (eastern Austria) there is evidence of the roasting hearths outside the
settlements. The smithing activity appears to have taken place in the settlement also
- metalworking tools support this. There is no direct evidence for the bronze
industry, but it must be remembered that few settlements have been excavated.
A change in settlement structure occurred during the first century Be. Some of the
Hallstatt period fortified sites which had been abandoned were settled again and
refortified. We know of perhaps one fortified settlement which has no predecessor in
the Hallstatt period. The appearance of these defended sites may be connected with
the internal fighting between tribes (Dacian wars, Bureebistas, etc.) or with the
Roman occupation from the south-west.
These fortified settlements function as centres for industry, administration, re-
distribution of products, trade and religion. This period marks the last flourishing of
the iron industry, producing agricultural tools of a type used into the medieval
period. Coinage is also connected with the fortified centres, which are mint sites
(Szalacska, Regoly/southern Transdanubia). Imitations of Philip's tetradrachms in
silver were the first coins minted by Celtic tribes - the Scordisci around Belgrade and
the Boii around Bratislava. The inscriptions on these coins indicates a knowledge of
Roman script (Figure 30. I I).
The development of mass-produced pottery in a limited number of forms occurred
in this period. Painted pottery resulted from western contacts (Manching, Basle).
Pottery production was centred on oppida along the Danube, in contact with
Manching and some of the Swiss sites. The most significant aspect of these well-devel-
oped industries is that they continue into the Roman period and are recognizable
in the first century AD. Recently published work by D. Gabler indicates that some of
the villages around the fortified oppida continued in operation into the Roman period.
Figure 30.11 Celtic silver coin, type of Rete (first half of the first century Be). (Courtesy of
the Hungarian National Museum, Budapest.)595