Weapons, Warriors and Warfare in Bronze Age Europe

Abstract

The emergence of a distinct warrior ideology across most parts of Europe occurred in the Bronze Age, marking a profound change in the management of conflict within prehistoric societies. Between the mid third and early first millennium BCE metal evolved from a rare commodity to a common resource used for violent activities, most notably in the form of swords, spears, shields and armour created for battle. Becoming increasingly common by the later part of this period, the scale and complexity of fortified sites transformed the organisation of violence in communities while also reshaping relationships between the built environment and societies by formalising inclusive and exclusive spaces in new ways. The people living through this period of change experienced violence in many venues, with bones preserving the most direct evidence. Violence as commemorated in art is illustrative of how the different societies of Europe understood its social purpose. Our sources demonstrate that across Europe children, women and men could be brutally attacked by weapons ranging from slings and arrows, suited to hunting, to swords and spears, designed for war. This chapter focuses mainly on changes in warfare-related violence due to the wealth of material remains suited to exploring this theme.