Jastorfcultuur

Jastorfcultuur refers to the distinct cultural practices and artistic expressions associated with the Jastorf people, an ancient Germanic group who inhabited parts of present-day northern Germany and Denmark during the late Pre-Roman Iron Age, roughly from the 5th to the 1st century BCE. This cultural period is named after the type site at Jastorf, near Uelzen, Germany, where significant archaeological finds first brought the culture to light.

The Jastorfcultuur is characterized by its distinctive burial practices, often involving cremation and the deposition of ashes in urns, which are frequently decorated. Grave goods can include weapons, pottery, and personal adornments, providing valuable insights into the social structure, economy, and beliefs of the Jastorf people. Their settlements, though less extensively studied than their burial sites, suggest organized communities engaged in agriculture and animal husbandry.

Artistically, the Jastorfcultuur is recognized for its metalwork, particularly in bronze and iron. Characteristic are fibulae (brooches), weapons, and other decorative objects exhibiting specific stylistic motifs. The spread of these material remains indicates a degree of cultural homogeneity across a significant geographical area, suggesting widespread trade networks and shared traditions among the Jastorf communities. The Jastorfcultuur is considered a significant precursor to later Germanic cultures, laying some of the groundwork for the cultural developments that followed in the region.