‘You Load Sixteen Tons, What Do You Get?’. The Jodłowno Hoard (Pomerania, Poland) as Evidence of Long‐Distance Contacts in the Early Iron Age

ABSTRACT This study presents multifaceted analyses of metal artefacts from the Jodłowno Hoard (Northern Poland), revealing that the metal originated from Iberian polymetallic ore deposits. Transported as raw ingots via Atlantic maritime routes, this copper was reworked locally into regionally distinctive forms. Elemental classification identified deliberate deposition patterns based on metallurgical properties, with artefacts wrapped together using lime bast cords. The findings indicate sophisticated metallurgical knowledge and intentional material selection by Early Iron Age metalworkers. Furthermore, the hoard provides clear evidence of long‐distance exchange networks linking Pomerania to western Europe, offering new insights into prehistoric metal procurement, processing and deposition practices in northern Europe.