Content of the exhibition

The Sky Disc of Nebra is by now widely known beyond Saxony-Anhalt. The enormous fascination which it exerts on people of different age and most diverse nationalities is reflected in the extremely well frequented lectures at home and abroad and an almost incalculable quantity of letters and enquiries which the State Museum of Prehistory receives. Owing to the great public interest the Nebra treasure shall now be presented, following the completion of the restoration, the first scientific and astronomical examinations and the beginning of the research work, in the context of a State exhibition. The starting point of this endeavour were the repeated questions of the public concerning the manufacture, use, recovery and importance of the find.

 

The first topic is devoted  to the question of the legends and rites of the Bronze Age in North and Central Northern Europe, which allow us to better understand the unique picture of the Sky Disc. Beside the stars here the ship appears as a mythical element in its journey across the celestial ocean for the first time in Europe. Perhaps it was interpreted as the bearer of the full moon or the sun. The idea of the sun transport found its oldest record until now in the famous Sun Chariot of Trundholm. There the sun covers its daily and nightly celestial journey with the help of a horse. This legend later finds expression in numerous images on rocks and bronze objects. The ship appears as the temple of solar worship.

 

The disc was deposited 3,600 years ago together with valuable swords, jewellery and tools on the summit of the Mittelberg hill near Nebra. It is only one of many surviving hoard finds whose distribution in the Bronze Age spans the whole of Europe like a net. These deposits of metal, their peculiarities and interpretations are the focus of the second topic. The hoard finds in Central Germany between the beginning and end of the Bronze Age, between adze and sickle, offer an indelible impression of this religious phenomenon.

 

The natural wealth of Central Germany - copper, salt and fertile soils - formed the basis of power of the resident princes of the Early Bronze Age. Mighty tombs, extensive bronze treasures, gold jewellery and unique display weapons survive as their status symbols. Many of these symbols were understood and used more than a thousand kilometres away in remote parts of Europe. The princes of Leubingen and Helmsdorf were part of a large community. This wide world in the heart of Europe forms the framework of the third topic.

 

The exhibition displays over 1,600 exhibits from the storerooms of the State Museum in Halle and 68 lending institutions from 18 different countries. In an extraordinary presentation the age of the Sky Disc is given new life.

The unique compilation of original finds includes in addition to the bronze treasure of Nebra such well-known  objects as the Sun Chariot from Trundholm (DK), the basins from Hasfalva (H) und Balkakra (S), the gold bowl from Zurich-Altstetten (CH), grave inventories from La Motta (F), Bush Barrow (GB), Thun-Renzenbühl (CH), Quinta da Agua Branca (P), Leki Male (PL) and Drouwen (NL). For the first time outside of the English-speaking world a copy of the burial assemblage of the Amesbury (GB) archer will be shown - one of the most exciting assemblages of recent years concerning the question of long-distance contacts. Furthermore, several of the much discussed finds from the Mediterranean region will be compared with local parallels: a looped ring from Dieskau (Saxony-Anhalt) next to one from Byblos (RL), lanceheads from Kyhna (Saxony) and Amorgos (GR). In addition to familiar finds, however, also the expert will discover many new things. These include important new finds of recent years from Central Germany which in the context of the exhibition are presented for the first time, such as the hoard from Kötzschen and the hoard of bars from Schackstedt (both Saxony-Anhalt).