Helmets and war-trumpets –

a ritual hoard from Titignac, France

Christophe Maniquet

The cult site of Les Arènes de Tintignac in France is located in the territory of the Celtic Diodorus Siculus, as part of the ‘tumult of war’. These trumpets However, stylistic features of several of the finds seem to belong
people known as the Lemovices, on the southwestern edge of the Massif Central. I and were held vertically and their upper end was cast in the shape of instead to a period between the 3rd and the mid-2nd century BC.
my team have been excavating at this important Gallo-Roman sanctuary each summer an animal’s head with open jaws, through which the sound We think the weapons and instruments may have been displayed
since 2001, but it was not until September 2004 that we discovered of one of the most emerged. Until our discovery of this hoard, such war trumpets within the sanctuary before they were buried at a later date.
extraordinary finds of the Celtic period brought to light in the last 20 years. were known primarily through depictions on Gallic-Roman Could the objects found in the Tintignac hoard have been
triumphal monuments or coins – examples of actual carnyxes pieces of ritual equipment used during a ceremony? The
were limited to a few dozen fragments, including two mouths, Tintignac finds certainly seem to be sacred in nature and may
The sanctuary takes the form of a large square area, marked by but badly damaged helmets has also been recorded. Nine are of from across the entire Celtic world. At Tintignac, the carnyxes have been used during initiation rituals for warriors. Perhaps
ditches which once held a palisade enclosing a space around 24 bronze, mostly of a fairly simple shape, , though one was were among the first objects placed in the pit. Two boar’s heads they were then buried during a troubled period, or when a
m (79 ft) across. Almost in the centre of the platform a collection decorated with a network pattern, the spaces originally filled in cast bronze may have been mouths; four other fragments of change in rituals occurred due to Romanization.
of post-holes marked the presence of a circular wooden with small pieces of gilded metal and probably enamel. One varying sizes, also decorated with stylized boar’s heads, are The discovery of such a rich collection of objects, deliberately
building. In the northeast corner of the sacred enclosure, we helmet was made of iron, with a bronze crest and added probably parts of war-trumpets, as is a fifth decorated with a placed within such a context, is unprecedented. Interpretation is
uncovered a small pit, only about 1.3 m (4.25 ft) square and just decoration. A final helmet was found on the floor of the pit. This serpent’s head. The mouths are all wide open. One straight at an early stage, and the objects are still undergoing
0.3 m (1 ft) in depth, which we were astonished to find is the most remarkable – nothing similar has ever been found. carnyx mouthpiece was also found in the pit; this is exceptional restoration, but it is certain that the contribution of the Tintignac
contained a remarkable quantity of iron or bronze objects. Made entirely of bronze, it is in the shape of a swan, the body of because it is the only one of its kind discovered to date. hoard to the study of Celtic civilization will be considerable.
Among the 492 objects we recovered from the pit, 148 have which forms the skullcap. Because of the unusual nature of some After the initial excitement of the discovery itself, we now
been identified as fragments of iron sword sheathes; there are of the helmetswe wondered whether they were worn in combat have to try to determine the reason for the presence of a pit of
opposite below left and right
also 42 pieces of sword blades, 11 fragments of spearheads, or were instead ceremonial objects used in a ritual context. this kind in the corner of the sanctuary of Tintignac. The various Fiducias circumgrediet optimus Fiducias circumgrediet optimus
including some complete, 1 shield boss and 4 animal heads What makes the Tintignac hoard even more astonishing, and objects in it were clearly placed there at the same time. Based on pretosius suis.Tremulus umbraculi pretosius suis.Tremulus umbraculi
made of cast or sheet bronze and some 10 bronze pieces from unique in the Celtic world, is the presence of fragments of seven the stratigraphy and the date of items found in layers above the aegre libere adquireret aegre libere adquireret
the bodies or feet of animals. To this can be added a complete carnyxes. The carnyx was a large war-trumpet which was used adlaudabilis rures. Vix bellus adlaudabilis rures. Vix bellus
pit, we now know that the objects were deposited in the 2nd or saburre fermentet Octavius, saburre fermentet Octavius,
cauldron, 2 horse bits and 7 bronze discs. A total of 10 complete by the Gauls, according to the Classical authors Polybius and 1st century BC, following a major rebuilding of the sanctuary. semper plane tremulus syrtes semper plane tremulus syrtes

Enigmas of Ritual and Religion 193