Concise Oxford Dictionary of Archaeology (292 page)

A peat bog in Jutland where in 1891 a remarkable silver cauldron was discovered. The vessel was found dismantled into its constituent pieces: twelve separate sections of sheet silver, a round plate, and two tubular fittings. When restored it was found to be 69cm in diameter and 40cm high. The wall sections are decorated in raised relief and show scenes representing ritual or mythological events. The figures on the outer face were originally covered in gold leaf with eyes of red or blue glass. Various attempts have been made to interpret the scenes as having been drawn from Scandinavian mythology, but the likelihood is that the vessel was made elsewhere, perhaps in Thrace or perhaps still further east in the area of the Black Sea.
[Sum.: A. Bergquist and T. Taylor , 1987, The origin of the Gundestrup cauldron.
Antiquity
, 61, 10–24]

 
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A type of bronze sword typical of the Hallstatt C period in central Europe with a long leaf-shaped blade, broad shallow butt and pommel tang. Examples were taken or traded out of their homeland area, some reaching Britain around 700 bc.

 
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Late Archaic Stage hunter-gatherer communities living in the Humboldt Bay, Eel River, and Mad River areas of the Pacific coastland of northwestern North America in the period
c.
150 bc to recent times. These communities specialized in riverside and coastal locations, relying heavily on seasonal salmon runs and other predictable marine resources. Hunting was also carried out in adjacent uplands. Lithic assemblages of the period include distinctive projectile points of triangular outline with pronounced basal barbs and a central tang. Long-distance trade allowed the acquisition of obsidian from sources over 400km away. Cemeteries suggest some ranking among Gunther communities.

 
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The earliest of the four main episodes of
PLEISTOCENE
glaciation that are traditionally recognized in the Alpine sequence, starting before 700000 years ago. Comparable to the Nebraskan of the North American sequence; earlier than the
CROMERIAN
stage of the British sequence.

 
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A Greek sports ground and centre for education. Typically includes spacious courts for exercise and games, washing-rooms, and classrooms with stone benches for sedentary periods.

 
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A hydrated calcium sulphate mineral found occasionally in pure deposits but also available as a primary or secondary mineral in limestone, shale, marl, and clay. Extensively used in the building industry since late prehistoric times in many parts of the world, when mixed with water and sand gypsum makes a fine-textured paste that dries hard and smooth. Used as a coating for walls, architectural surfaces, and in making casts, moulds, and sculpture.

 
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