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o 7- 8
Figure 12.2 Distribution of late iron age grindstones in northern Bohemia, according to origin
of raw material: 1 - quartz porphyry, one object, 2 -two or more objects, 3 -source; 4 -phono-
lite of Kuneticka Hora type, one object, 5 -two or more objects, 6 -source; 7 -basalt of Mayen
type, from the Middle Rhineland of Germany; 8 -other. (Adapted from Waldhauser 1981:
198, map 2.)
the heartland of the Celtic world, rich surface deposits of iron ore often required
little mining technology for their extraction. Iron began to replace bronze as the
principal material for tools and weapons at the start of the Iron Age, in the period
800-600 Be, and in the fourth and third centuries Be the exploitation of iron deposits
increased greatly. By the time of the oppida, beginning around 200 Be, very sizeable
quantities of iron ore were mined and smelted (Pleiner 1980). At virtually all of the
oppida, we have indications of iron-making. At Manching, for example, bog iron ore
was extracted Qacobi 1974), and at Kelheim, iron was mined by means of pits dug
into the limestone covering layer (Schwarz et al. 1966).
Although iron replaced bronze for tools and weapons, bronze continued in use
for ornaments such as fibulae, pendants and bracelets; vessels including cauldrons
and jugs; figurines; and coins. Some of the new bronze objects may have been made
from old metal still in circulation or discovered in hoards dating from the Bronze
Age, but copper and tin mining continued in the Iron Age at deposits that had been
exploited earlier (Pittioni 1976). Unlike iron, these metals do not occur widely in
nature, and most communities had to rely on trade systems to obtain them.
Gold was probably obtained principally from mountain streams. At ModleSovice
near Strakonice in Bohemia, remains of gold-washing operations, including wooden
troughs, dated to La Tene B2 (about 300-250 Be), have been identified (Pauli 1974).