Prehistoric ceramic vases were likely used as baby bottles to feed infants with animal milk, Wednesday confirmed archaeologists in one of the earliest examples of how prehistoric men fed babies.
The objects, some of which were shaped like animals, were discovered in bronze and iron age burial sites located in contemporary Bavaria, in the south-east of Germany. Germany.
The study, which was published in the scientific journal Nature, found "evidence of foods used to feed or wean prehistoric babies", which "confirms the importance of pet milk" for prehistoric groups of human beings.
Archaeologists say that little is known about the foods that infants consumed in the prehistoric era.
The researchers said the oldest of the three ships examined in this study was built in the Bronze Age between 2800 and 3200 years ago.
"I think this provided us with the first direct evidence of the foods that babies ate or were weaned in prehistory," said Julie Dunne, lead author of the study and biomolecular archaeologist at the University of Bristol in Great Britain.
"I think it shows us the love and care that these prehistoric people had for their babies."
Read more: Regicide of the Bronze Age? A team of German forensic doctors claims that Prince Helmsdorf was murdered
"Incredibly cute"
The bowl-shaped objects had narrow beaks and were small enough to fit in the hands of a baby. Some were shaped like animal heads with horns, long ears and long feet.
"I find them incredibly cute, and prehistorics may have thought so," said archaeologist Katharina Rebay-Salisbury of the Austrian Academy of Sciences at the Reuters news agency. .
"They would certainly have a dual function of entertaining children, just like modern stuffed animals," she added.
Read more: Nuremberg archaeologists restore rare Bronze Age tank funerary objects
Rebay-Salisbury added that life was difficult in Europe in the Bronze Age and the Iron Age, with many people suffering from starvation, illness and unhealthy living conditions.
About one-third of all newborns died before their first birthday and only about half of the children reached adulthood, said Rebay-Salisbury.
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Bloody gold and lethal weapons
Bloody gold
The looters carefully looted most of the bodies after the battle, but they missed those gold rings. Although they can shine in their original glory today, they still carry – symbolically – traces of blood. The special exhibition "Bloody Gold – Power and Violence in the Bronze Age" was held until 18 September 2018 at the Gross Raden Outdoor Archeology Museum.
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Bloody gold and lethal weapons
Deadly missiles
The battle in the valley of the Tollense River was a battle of life and death. This image shows a selection of bronze arrowheads found on the site. About 90% of the battlefields of the Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania region have not yet been discovered by curious archaeologists.
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Bloody gold and lethal weapons
Died in the bronze age
Apparently, this young man did not see death coming on his way. This image shows why: an arrow crossed his head. The bronze arrowhead is still stuck in the skull, telling a story of more than 3,000 years.
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Bloody gold and lethal weapons
Men's fashion at the age of bronze
It's hard to believe, but this delicately designed bracelet was worn by a man. The bracelet was found in the grave of a man discovered at Promoisel. Only one other ring of this type has ever been found – on the Danish island of Bornholm.
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Bloody gold and lethal weapons
Sacrificial Offering at the Bronze Age?
This bronze purse is clearly a feminine fashion accessory. But as only the skeletons of men were found on the battlefields of the Tollense River Valley, it is possible that there is a sacrificial offering that has sunk into the river after the battle. But maybe someone just lost it. Some mysteries may never be solved.
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Bloody gold and lethal weapons
Sounds at the Bronze Age
This "Wismar Horn" is not an artifact of the battle on the banks of the Tollense River, but it was manufactured at about the same time. This magnificent specimen has metal frames on which are represented soldiers carrying spears and shields. The horn was discovered over 100 years ago near Wismar.
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Bloody gold and lethal weapons
Chef's brooch
The special exhibition "Bloody Gold" at the Gross Raden Open Air Museum presents the complete contents of several tombs. One of these includes the grave of the head of the Crivitz division, which also contained this gold brooch. Until now, only eight pins of this type have been discovered, most of them in Denmark.
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Bloody gold and lethal weapons
Curious mixture of the age of bronze
This image shows an interesting mix of beauty and violence symbols: a sword, a bracelet, a tutulus and two sickles from the Tollense River Valley. The Bronze Age was by no means a period without violence, but people were also concerned about beautiful things like arts and crafts.
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Bloody gold and lethal weapons
Merchandise of the Bronze Age
The four small bronze spirals were part of the clothes that people wore more than 3,000 years ago. The researchers identified the two metal rings as traded goods. All these objects were found in the Tollense River Valley.
Author: Klaus Krämer (als)
wmr / se (AFP, Reuters)
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