In Denmark, archaeologists in one of the forests of Southern Jutland discovered the Hastrup treasure, consisting of than 200 bronze fragments buriedabout 2500 years ago. Unlike traditional treasures, these objects were deliberately destroyed and hidden in the ground, reflecting changes in the economy, social structure and ideas of power in the Late Bronze Age. The results of the study were published in Journal of Archaeological Science.

Disassembled power

Once upon a time, each piece of the treasure formed a cohesive ensemble—perhaps ceremonial clothing, horse harness, or cart components intended to publicly display the wealth and authority of the elite. Chemical and isotope analyzes showed that the metal came from the same batches of copper, probably made in the same workshop.

But in Hastrup the objects were not preserved for heritage or funeral purposes. They were deliberately broken and placed in the ground.

“What once commanded respect no longer belonged to the living,” the researchers note. This treasure illustrates that power did not disappear, but was dismantled and neutralized through material symbols.

Multiple uses of bronze

The metal in Hastrup has gone through several stages of life. Some elements contained copper with low levels of impurities from the southern Alps, others with high levels of fachlor, characteristic of Slovakia. In some cases, metals were mixed, indicating that old bronzes were melted down.

This reflects changes in the economy of the Late Bronze Age. Access to fresh copper was becoming limited and old items were often considered for recycling. However, Hastrup shows that recycling was not an economic goal – the metal was not reused, but buried, turning it into a symbolic relic.

Social transformations

By the end of the Nordic Bronze Age, cremation had replaced burial. The graves became poorer, and the wealth moved to collective repositories – treasures. Unlike individual burials, treasures were not associated with the memory of a specific person, but with collective actions. Hastrup demonstrates deliberate selection, coordination of production, and purposeful fragmentation of objects. Burial was a way to control the social influence of elite symbols and mark the end of their power.

Local and external influences

The style of the objects is reminiscent of the Hallstatt school of Central Europe, but contains unique elements unknown outside Denmark. This indicates the adaptation of products to local customs, their transformation into symbols that have completed their social meaning. Thus, the treasure demonstrates not just import or imitation, but the reinterpretation and localization of cultural heritage.