Archeology|3,250 years ago, perhaps the oldest known major battle in Europe took place on the Tollense battlefield in northern Germany. The now analyzed arrowheads reveal new information about the parties to the conflict.
The summary is made by artificial intelligence and checked by a human.
Arrowheads dating back thousands of years reveal new information about Bronze Age warfare in Germany.
Researchers analyzed bronze and flint arrowheads found on the Tollense battlefield.
The battle took place about 3,250 years ago and involved over 2,000 people.
The arrowheads indicate that there were also fighters from further afield, such as Bavaria and Moravia.
Thousands of the years-old arrowheads have revealed new information about the secrets of the bloody battle that took place in the Bronze Age, according to, among other things, the American media CNN. The battle in Germany may be the earliest interregional conflict in Europe.
The researchers analyzed bronze and flint arrowheads found on the Tollense battlefield. The results of the study were published in peer-reviewed journals In Antiquity magazine.
Tollensen the battlefield is a Bronze Age battlefield located in the territory of the present state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern in northern Germany.
It is known that a bloody battle took place in the area about 3,250 years ago, in which more than 2,000 people participated. Over the years, researchers have found ancient weapons in the area, such as swords and maces. Human bones have also been found on the battlefield.
The battle has been considered Europe’s oldest, as evidence of any older conflict on the continent has yet to be found, according to CNN.
Analyzed the arrowheads suggest that the battle was not just a showdown between locals. It seems that there have also been many fighters from further afield.
Some of the studied arrowheads were made near the battle table. However, arrowheads were also found in the area, which probably originate from the state of Bavaria in southern Germany, as well as from the historical province of Moravia, which is located in the Czech Republic.
This means that fighters from further south could also have participated in the battle in northern Germany.
The researchers do not believe that the arrowheads from further afield were used by local fighters, as no evidence of similar arrowheads has been found in ceremonial burials held in the area.
The battlefield of Tollense is located in the territory of the current state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern.
Tollensen the spark of the conflict on the battlefield divides the opinions of scholars.
The German archaeologist who participated in the now published arrowhead research Thomas Terberger estimated that the cause of the battle may have been a causeway in the area that crossed a local river.
Terberger believes that the causeway in question was probably part of an important trade route. Control of this road may have sparked conflict thousands of years ago.
However, not everyone is convinced by Terberger’s theory. For example, a professor of archaeology Barry Molloy believes that it has been a power struggle between groups.
“There are many reasons for warfare, but it is likely that in this case it was one group’s attempt to control another group. Then the goal has been to accumulate wealth over a longer period of time, and not just from looting,” Molloy tells CNN in an email.
However, Tollense’s battlefield gives clues about life in the Bronze Age. Researchers believed for a long time that the Bronze Age was mostly about conflicts between small groups of people. However, the finds at Tollense point to a much more massive battle.
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