The Strettweg cult wagon, or Strettweg sacrificial wagon, or Strettweg chariot is a bronze cult wagon from ca. 600 BC, which was found as part of a princely grave of the Hallstatt culture in Strettweg near Judenburg,

Austria Austria, , bar, Östareich officially the Republic of Austria, is a country in the southern part of Central Europe, lying in the Eastern Alps. It is a federation of nine states, one of which is the capital, Vienna, the most populous ...

in 1851. Besides the wagon, other

grave goods Grave goods, in archaeology and anthropology, are the items buried along with the body. They are usually personal possessions, supplies to smooth the deceased's journey into the afterlife or offerings to the gods. Grave goods may be classed as a ...

, like jewelry, bronze

amphorae An amphora (; grc, ἀμφορεύς, ''amphoreús''; English plural: amphorae or amphoras) is a type of container with a pointed bottom and characteristic shape and size which fit tightly (and therefore safely) against each other in storag ...

, iron weapons, and horse tack were found. The wagon consists of a square, open-worked base plate with four spoked wheels. A female figure approx. 32 cm high extending her hands to touch the base of a large bowl with tall, X-shaped supports. Expert analysis has concluded that the bowl cannot be conclusively proven to originally have been part of the cult wagon and may be a later addition. The wagon also contains numerous human figures, both standing and mounted, as well as animals similar to deer and horses. The scene has been interpreted as a sacrifice. The wagon presumably served as a cult object for the consumption of a

libation A libation is a ritual pouring of a liquid, or grains such as rice, as an offering to a deity or spirit, or in memory of the dead. It was common in many religions of antiquity and continues to be offered in cultures today. Various substanc ...

. The wagon was restored in 2009 and is on display in the

Universalmuseum Joanneum The Universalmuseum Joanneum is a multidisciplinary museum with buildings in several locations in the province of Styria, Austria. It has galleries and collections in many subject areas including archaeology, geology, paleontology, mineralogy, b ...

Eggenberg Palace, Graz Eggenberg Palace (german: link=no, Schloss Eggenberg) in Graz, is the most significant Baroque palace complex in the Austrian province of Styria. With its preserved accouterments, the extensive scenic gardens, as well as some special collec ...

. A copy is on display in the museum in Judenburg.

References

Literature

* Markus Egg: ''Neues zum Fürstengrab von Strettweg''. 1991. * Markus Egg, Gerhard Stawinoga: ''Das hallstattzeitliche Fürstengrab von Strettweg bei Judenburg in der Obersteiermark''. Römisch-Germanisches Zentralmuseum, Forschungsinstitut für Vor- und Frühgeschichte, 1996,

External links

The Strettweg Chariot on the Joanneum website with photo

{{DEFAULTSORT:Cult Wagon Of Strettweg Graz Archaeological discoveries in Austria Archaeological discoveries in Europe Tourist attractions in Styria Ancient Celtic metalwork Bronze sculptures in Austria Iron Age Austria 1851 archaeological discoveries Sculptures of women