On the Absolute Chronology of Urnfield Period Copper Extraction in South-Eastern Lower Austria

Abstract

For the first time, a series of 14C samples from the Urnfield period copper mining area Prein – Prigglitz – Sieding – Kulmberg (Bez. Neunkirchen) was tested in order to gather dates on the absolute chronology. So far it was assumed that in this region copper was extracted mainly during the period Ha A. For various reasons appropriate samples could be taken only from four sites. The multi-period mining settlement of Prigglitz-Gasteil thus started in a time 1063-961 BC and ended 957-857 BC while a sample from the melting place Prein P III dates to a period 926-841 BC (1σ probability each). These dates are clearly younger than the traditional dating in period Ha A hence the discussion of the relative chronology of significant bronze finds. Moreover, the series of samples indicates a high and late medieval use of the Urnfield period site.