Oldest Glass Workshop Found in a Ritual Site in Czech Republic, Providing New Insights into Iron Age Trade and Ceremonies

In the Czech Republic, archaeologists have found the oldest glass workshop north of the Alps, situated at a site called Němčice, potentially used for rituals. This Iron Age workshop was part of an early settlement active during the third and second centuries B.C., producing exquisite glass artifacts like bracelets and beads.

The study, titled "Němčice: research at a key La Tène site in Moravia" published in Antiquity, reports that excavations also revealed more than 2,000 gold and silver coins minted by Celts from continental Europe, indicating a thriving trading hub. Additionally, a potential sanctuary was discovered, implying that Iron Age inhabitants engaged in rituals at the site.

Earliest Glass Workshop North of the Alps

In 2002, researchers stumbled upon Němčice during their excavations. Subsequent surveys uncovered sunken huts, bronze amulets, and scattered coins at the site. The presence of coins indicates Němčice's likely association with the "Amber Road," a significant trade network connecting the Baltic Coast to the Mediterranean region.

After two decades of surface surveys, Phys.org reported that archaeologists have finally excavated the renowned Iron Age site, confirming the existence of the oldest glass workshop north of the Alps.

Němčice holds significant importance as a settlement site during the La Tène Period (3rd-2nd century BC) in Central Europe and is particularly known for its vast collection of over 2,000 gold and silver coins.

The excavation also revealed a multitude of exquisite glass bracelets and beads at the site, leading to the realization that Němčice likely served as a major center for glass production.

The production techniques of Celtic glass bracelets remain a mystery, making the study of any clues about their manufacturing process crucial for understanding ancient glasswork technology, as noted by Dr. Ivan Čižmář, the research's author from the Institute of Archaeological Heritage Brno.

The recent excavations have shed light on the previously speculated glass production center at Němčice, providing valuable insights into the technology used by the Celts to craft their remarkable glass bracelets.

Němčice Served as a Trading and Ritual Site in the Iron Age

Although no glassmaking tools were uncovered, Live Science reported that researchers found a combination of finished and unfinished glass and amber artifacts, implying that they may have been crafted on-site rather than imported.

Lead author Ivan Čižmář, an archaeologist from the Institute of Archaeological Heritage Brno in the Czech Republic, highlighted the mystery surrounding the Celtic glass bracelet-making process, expressing their interest in any clues about the production technology.

Apart from the artifacts, the researchers found a square structure resembling ancient buildings utilized for rituals, similar to the one at Sandberg in Austria, an area once occupied by Celts, as stated in the study.

Čižmář emphasized that the presence of these probably sacred elements at Němčice signifies the site's character as not just a trade and production center, but also as an elite and ritual center.

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