Hallstatt Culture

The Hallstatt Culture is the study of the culture associated with the Celtic, Proto-Celtic and Illyrian peoples who lived and worked in the Hallstatt Salt Mine in Austria between 1200 BCE to 450 BCE.

The Hallstatt Culture is divided into four Periods:
- Hallstatt A (1200-1000 BCE)
- Hallstatt B (1000-800 BCE)
- Hallstatt C (800-650 BCE)
- Hallstatt D (650-450 BCE)

The village of Hallstatt in Austria is home to a Salt Mine which has been active since the Bronze Age.
A nearby cemetery containing 1,045 burials was excavated in the nineteenth century. Grave Goods from the Hallstatt C Period (800-650 BCE) include the first Iron swords as well as Bronze swords and pottery, with bodies placed mostly in graves (Inhumation) with only a few Cremations.

The ‘Hallstatt C Period’ (the third Period) dates from the eighth century BCE to the fifth century BCE, and is called the Early European Iron Age.
The Grave Goods are similar in design to others found all over Europe dating from this time, and so they have been called the ‘Hallstatt C Period’, which dates the first appearance of Iron swords in Europe.
The Hallstatt C Period was then followed by the Hallstatt D Period or ‘La Tene Period’ (650-475 BCE).

This zone is an Area approximately to the west of Vienna: W. Austria, N.E. France, N. Switzerland, S. Germany, W. Czech Republic, N. Spain, N. Portugal, N. Italy.
Chieftain Burial Sites are characterised by Chariot Burials (sometimes with their horses) and their Swords or Daggers.

This zone is an Area approximately to the east of Vienna: E. Austria, E. Czech Republic, S.W. Slovakia, W. Hungary, E. Slovenia, N.Croatia.
Chieftain Burial Sites are characterised by being buried in full armour with their Axes.
Burgstallkogel Hill is in the Sulm Valley, Austria. It is the Hallstatt C (800-650 BCE Iron Age) Site of 2,000 Burial Mounds or Tumuli. All the Burials are Cremations, and are a mix of ordinary Tribesmen as well as Chieftains.