The cuirass grave in the Tschoneggerfranzl barrow 2 near Kleinklein (Gem. Großklein, Bez. Leib - nitz) in Western Styria

Abstract

Within the project »Die hallstattzeitlichen Fürstengräber von Klein klein (Gem. Großklein, Bez. Leibnitz) in der Weststeiermark« jointly undertaken by the Steiermärkisches Landesmuseum Joanneum in Graz and the Römisch-Germanisches Zentralmuseum in Mainz some mislaid and hitherto unknown finds from the Tschoneggerfranzl barrow 2 excavated in 1882 appeared, which were restored anew in the RGZM. Especially of note are the fragments of a bronze cuirass which for a long time was thought to have been lost. The analysis of the finds coming from a stone chamber with entrance-corridor (dromos) beneath a barrow has shown that, apart from a male person, at least one woman, and perhaps a child as well, were buried  in the grave. Furthermore, it is certain that the grave monument was built during the transition of phases Ha C2/D1, or perhaps at the beginning of the Ha D1. In the quality of his apparel the deceased person from the Tschoneggerfranzl barrow 2 does not approach the »chieftain« burials of the Pommer- or Kröllkogel. However, it is still an unusually richly equipped grave. Beside several other rich graves the burial in the Tschoneggerfranzl barrow 2 can be interpreted as an aristocrat’s  construction; the deceased may be adjudged to have belonged to a type of »princely household« .