3,000-year-old bronze vessel found in Bohemia to have its own exhibition

A 3,000-year-old bronze vessel, one of the most remarkable archaeological finds in Czechia, will soon go on display at Pardubice Castle. It is the largest example of its kind preserved intact in Europe, and possibly even in the world. The exhibition space was designed by the famous architect Eva Jiřičná.

The rare Bronze Age vessel was discovered in 2017 in the village of Kladina near the eastern Bohemian town of Pardubice. The ritual bucket dates back to the 9th century BC and is unique in that it has survived completely intact, including its decorated base, says Tereza Jošková, archaeologist from the East Bohemian Museum in Pardubice.

Photo: Luděk Vojtěchovský, East Bohemian Museum in Pardubice

“The vessel is adorned with very fine, detailed, and absolutely beautiful decorations in the form of embossed swans pulling a solar barque, which carries the Sun. The base is also remarkable, because it’s made of several parts. There’s an inner bronze sheet, then a layer of clay. Then there’s a ring with twelve rays, and finally another sheet of bronze.”

The ancient ceremonial vessel was discovered by chance, buried in a sand dune, when a local man was collecting sand for his fish tank.

“When he was collecting the sand, he uncovered part of the rim. Luckily, it occurred to him that it might be something valuable, so he decided to call in the local archaeologists. That decision proved crucial. Had he tried to remove the vessel himself, it would most likely have been destroyed,” says Jošková.

Photo: East Bohemian Museum in Pardubice

Archaeologists arrived at the site and carefully excavated it together with the surrounding material, which allowed the fragile object to be fully preserved.

A later survey, carried out in 2021, revealed traces of what may be the oldest herbal millet beer ever brewed in Bohemia.

The Bronze Age container has since been safely stored in the depository of Pardubice Castle. According to Tomáš Libánek, director of the East Bohemian Museum in Pardubice, it may soon go on permanent display.

“We already have a design for a permanent display prepared by Eva Jiřičná. We’ve worked with her on some projects before, and she was really taken by the vessel. She even created a special concept that presents the object from an art-historical point of view.”

Photo: East Bohemian Museum in Pardubice

The exhibition space will present not only the vessel itself but also its entire story.

“The exhibition focuses on a single artefact, the situla, which is presented as a true beauty. Visitors can admire its shape and its decoration, and view it more as a work of art than simply as an archaeological find,” says Libánek.

In the adjoining room, visitors will find several panels, including a distribution map of similar artefacts. The exhibition will also describe how the vessel was discovered, how it was restored, and everything that was needed to preserve it. The project will begin once the museum secures the necessary funding.