Burying iron at Tyniec, Maszkowice, and elsewhere: distinct regional patterns of metal deposition in the Early Iron Age of Southern Poland

Recent discoveries of hoards composed of iron objects in Lesser Poland suggest the existence of a specific cultural norm of deposition and a high valorisation of this metal at the onset of the Early Iron Age (750-550 BC). By broadening the scope of analysis to include single finds of ‘large irons’ and comparing them with burial assemblages, a contrasting picture of regional dichotomy emerges. It is manifested in differing practices of iron deposition among related communities of the period. Those inhabiting the mountainous zone (extending as far as the Vistula valley) buried iron as single depositions or in hoards placed in selected locations within the landscape. Those living in the upland areas to the north of the Vistula, on the other hand, deposited iron exclusively in graves. After presenting two hoards from Kraków-Tyniec and a group of artefacts from Maszkowice, we examine the broader context of these finds along with patterns in the distribution of hoards within the landscape.