New data on base marks of Late La Tène situlae

Abstract

Graphite-tempered vessels are important diagnostic finds of the Late Iron Age La Tène culture of Central Europe, yet they are still enigmatic. One of the most interesting phenomena connected to them is a group of more-or-less sophisticated symbols, the so-called ‘base marks’ (Bodenzeichen in German), added before the firing to the exterior of the base of a small proportion of these vessels. The paper presents five new examples from two Late Iron Age sites, Perkáta-Nyúli-dűlő and Báta-Öreghegy (Hungary), supplementing the current assemblage of such finds from the Carpathian Basin. The description of new finds is completed by a discussion of the possible functions of these symbols and some economic-cultural and chronological conclusions based on their occurrence.