What is the Nebra disc?

Nebra disc is a great archaeological find of 1999 in the Mittelberg hill near Nebra (State of Saxony-Anhalt, Germany).

History of discovery

In the summer of 1999 looters, who were engaged in search ammunition and military weapons discovered with the help of metal detectors, 

the remains of a prehistoric group that later would date in 1600 years. C.

What they found?

The findings were as follows: The disc nailed vertically on the floor, 2 swords, 2 axes, a few bracelets and a chisel; all it surrounded by large rocks that protected the deposit.

This type of private findings are illegal and must be delivered to a museum. Despite its invaluable whole batch was sold on the black market to 16,000 euros in 2000.

That buyer in turn, tried to sell to museums of prehistory of Berlin and Munich. That was when the Berlin museum director, Wilfried Menghin, received some photos in which the quite dirty disc and looked some more pieces. Therefore, the anonymous buyer asked for a 250 thousand euros. (I put some "small" gain ....)

Menghin replied that the rightful owner of the prehistoric treasure was Germany as a national heritage and therefore should go to the Museum of Prehistory of Munich. After this conversation, the finding disappeared for a while.

In 2002 other people attended Menghin with similar proposals for sale, but this time the museum director would not lose again the track and went to the Ministry of Culture of Saxony-Anhalt, which in turn gave part of the event to the police.

After the police investigation is done to safeguard the celestial disc and one of the swords. Later they found everything else after a record in private homes in Germany. In September of that same year, those involved are arrested and sentenced to pay a minimum fine. It is at this point (surely negotiate for such a severe penalty) confess looters where and how was the finding.

Where?

The archaeological site was found in the forest Ziegelroda, more precisely in the Mittelberg hill, which is 252 m. altitude and dominates the river Unstrut. This place is near Nebra.

chemical analysis of soil, which coincided perfectly with the land that was attached to the disk were made; so archaeologists could confirm that the discoverers had told the truth.

From that moment, the federal office of Saxony-Anhalt impelled a campaign for the excavation of the site that was very successful. It was found that there was no burial, but a deposit where pieces had left within one cista (metal bowl with a lid that is used to store precious objects), no order. This type of deposit was quite common among men of the Bronze Age and several copies are known. It is believed that can be offerings to the gods.

Can it be false?

Measurements have been made of all kinds, but experts say the form of green bubbles disc surface copper carbonate, can only be done over time. There are no known artificial methods to achieve them. Therefore, it is considered real.

"Bubbles" under the microscope on the surface can only achieve the time, according to experts.

The disc

It has a size of 31 by 32 cm and a thickness increasing from the outside to the inside, from 1.5 mm to 4.5 mm. It is arched and is slightly concave. Weighs 2050 g. It is not known what was its original color then after 3,600 years of being buried has acquired a greenish coloration because of a patina of copper carbonate.

He found himself on the ground, upright and with its front facing north. The golden ornaments are gold, which has not been degraded as bronze.

The study done on the celestial disc, has shown that was modified three times. the time elapsed between changes is unknown.

1) You will be placed 32 stars, the disc of the moon / sun and moon fourth.

2) is placed in the Horizontal Arcos circle line and the Moon, one on each side. 2 star withdrew.

3) will be added the "solar ship".

To find it had lost one of the horizontal Arcos, and the circular image Moon / Sun had a stroke (possibly the moment of discovery in 1999).

It can be seen well on the front hammering held to make holes.

The stars

The stars have also been the subject of study and speculation.

The small group that is between the circle and the moon, believe that it represents the Pleiades cluster.

In favor, it is a very important group in the sky and little accumulation on the disc are 7 stars, which is the amount you see in the sky with the naked eye.

But alongside this interpretation they have arisen disputes and different opinions.

There are also those who find constellations between points, but the reality is that there is not any evidence.

What no doubt is that it represents the sky, and that is the oldest "map" I found. Most believe it is a mythical representation of the sky, not real.

The Solar Ship

It is the "smile" below. They believe it is the representation of the ship transporting the sun. This image was central in the culture of northern Europe in the Bronze Age. There is no evidence either that it is a "Solar Ship".

It does not seem to be the Sun, as in the culture of the Bronze Age represented the Sun otherwise, with rays and / or concentric circles. It could be the full moon. There is no consensus. Also if that were the Sun, the crescent would be upside down.

If the circle was the full moon, the other would be a crescent moon, which would give an orientation for the disk: the west to the side where the crescent moon is.

The horizontal circles

From the center has an angle of about 82 degrees, and some speculate it was to make measurements of sunrise and sunset, as the distance between the exit of winter and summer in the place where it was found is 79 degrees, very near 82.

As found with swords, it could be part of a shield with a picture of heaven as a magical protection.

As always in the interpretation of the objects in the distant past, it is very difficult to know what the function of the disc. Perhaps a decorative object, perhaps mystical. Very few are those who believe that was used as an astronomical instrument.