ABSTRACT
At the end of the ninteenth century, an astonishingly rich grave was unearthed in Wijchen, the Netherlands. A dazzling collection of decorative bronze elements of a four-wheeled wagon, as well as a bronze bucket, a very long iron sword, bronze and iron tools and ornaments were discovered together with cremated bones in a ceramic urn (Pare 1992: 219-20; Van der VaartVerschoof in prep.). The grave dates to the Early Iron Age Hallstatt C/D Period (Pare 1992: 151). All objects are unusual and generally absent in the contemporary, and by comparison modest, urneld graves in this region. Even by European standards, it is extraordinary and lavish burial equipment. Most of these objects (Figure 6.3.1), including elements of an entirely new type of four-wheeled wagon, were made in central Europe (Pare 1992: 170-71).
