Bronze Scoop

Iron Age. 600 BC. Hallstatt, Upper Austria.

These two unusual bronze ladles with cow-calf handles have been found only at Hallstatt so far. These masterpieces of Iron Age ironwork were used as scoops.

ARTISTIC SCOOP
Because of its size and the richness of the grave fittings, the Hallstatt burial site is regarded as one of the most important prehistoric cemeteries in Europe. Based on the outstanding discoveries, the older Iron Age in central Europe – the period between 800-400 BC – is known as the Hallstatt culture. Many of the graves are of workers in the salt mine. The splendour of the grave fittings shows that at least part of the wealth flowed back to the miners as reward for their hard labor.
Since the discovery of the burial site in 1846, some 1,500 graves have been uncovered. Johann Georg Ramsauer, the salt mine administrator, was responsible for the excellent documentation of the discovery from the start. Archeologists estimate the total number of burials at up to 5,000. Since 1994, the NHM has carried out scientific excavations every year, which repeatedly produced sensational results. The scoop on display, with a handle shaped like a cow with calves, was discovered in the mid-19th century. A second and almost identical scoop was recovered in 2010.
Scoops of this kind were part of a drinking service used on festive occasions. They were used to fill the drinking bowls with spiced wine, which was diluted with water before pouring. Drinking undiluted wine was seen as barbaric. Social drinking was associated with games, competitions, music and dancing, and gave wealthy hosts an opportunity to display their wealth in the form of precious vessels.