Bowls of gold

Among the most remarkable objects from the Late Bronze Age are the fine bowls hammered up whole from gold sheet. They were produced in the period 1000-800 BC.

The golden bowls were as a rule deposited as sacrifices – usually in pairs and several sets together. We know of 40 golden bowls from Denmark. The biggest find comes from a bog near Mariesminde on Funen, where 11 bowls were found in a bronze bucket originating from central Europe. The golden bowls are decorated with sun symbols and several have a handle with a horse’s head. They may have been used as drinking cups at ritual feasts and possibly contained an intoxicating drink.