Deposits (also named Hoards) as a category of archaeological finds are known since the Palaeolithic, specifically characteristic for the Early Metal Periods, and are produced until today. Hoards (Collections of objects, which are not directly part of settlements or graves) were first studied for the construction of chronological sequences and lifespans of specific object types. The basic assumption was that all objects deposited at a given time in a hoard had circulated during the same period. This aspect is still of importance today, but the main chronological sequences are established. Simultaneously the question of the motivation behind the deposition of hoards was put at an early stage of research - up to now two main directions are discussed: on the one hand religious-ritual reasons are proposed („Gifts to the Gods“), on the other hand more profane backgrounds may be considered (Material value, raw material of craftsmen, hidden values at times of unrest, insecurity or war). During the lecture an introduction to the topic is given, based on selected examples from various periods, and in the Seminar exemplary finds of hoards and interpüretation are to be worked on. close

Richard Bradley, The Passage of Arms. An archaeological analysis of prehistoric hoards and votive deposits (Cambridge, New York, Port Chester, Melbourne, Sydney [1990]). Carsten Colpe, Theoretische Möglichkeiten zur Identifizierung von Heiligtümern und Interpretation von Opfern in ur- und parahistorischen Epochen. In: Herbert Jankuhn (Hrsg.), Vorgeschichtliche Heiligtümer und Opferplätze in Mittel- und Nordeuropa. Bericht über ein Symposium in Reinhausen bei Göttingen in der Zeit vom 14. bis 16. Oktober 1968. Abhandlungen der Akademie der Wissenschaften in Göttingen, Philologisch-Historische Klasse, Dritte Folge 74 (Göttingen 1970), S. 18-39. H. Geißlinger, Depotfund, Hortfund. In: Johannes Hoops, Reallexikon der Germanischen Altertumskunde 5 (Berlin, New York 1984), S. 320-338. Alix Hänsel, Bernhard Hänsel (Hrsg.), Gaben an die Götter. Schätze der Bronzezeit Europas. Museum für Vor- und Frühgeschichte. Bestandskataloge 4 (Berlin [1997]). Svend Hansen, Daniel Neumann, Tilman Vachta (Hrsg.), Raum, Gabe und Erinnerung.Weihgaben und Heiligtümer in prähistorischen und antiken Gesellschaften. Berlin Studies of the Ancient World 38 (Berlin 2016). Berta Stjernquist, Präliminarien zu einer Untersuchung von Opferfunden. Begriffsbestimmung und Theoriebildung. In: Meddelanden från Lunds Universitets Historiska Museum 1962-1963, S. 5-64. Walter Torbrügge, Über Horte und Hortdeutung. In: Archäologisches Korrespondenzblatt 15, 1985, S. 17-23. close