179Arheološki vestnik 69, 2018, str. 179–207
Grave 20 in Tumulus IV: Hallstatt-period burial of a woman 
at Znančeve njive in Novo mesto
Halštatski ženski grob 20 iz gomile IV na Znančevih njivah 
v Novem mestu 
Dragan BOŽIČ
Izvleček
Članek obravnava pomemben ženski grob 20 iz gomile IV na Znančevih njivah v Novem mestu, odkrit leta 1968. 
Poleg dveh enostavnih zlatih žičnatih uhanov je vseboval ogrlico iz jantarnih jagod, odlomke steklenih jagod, okrašeni 
votli spiralni zapestnici iz debele bronaste pločevine, narebreni bronasti nanožnici in tri nagubane kernose.
Presenetljivo je, da se večina pridatkov redko pojavlja v grobovih dolenjske skupine halštatske kulture. Za uhana 
poznamo le nekaj dobrih primerjav iz brona, redke so večje sploščeno kroglaste jantarne jagode, prav tako keramični 
kernosi. Tudi votle zapestnice iz debele bronaste pločevine niso prav pogoste. Druga posebnost groba je, da so v njem 
pridatki različno stari, pri čemer je med najstarejšimi in najmlajšimi precejšen časovni razkorak.
To je tudi glavni razlog za različne datacije groba IV/20. Čeprav je bila pokojnica pokopana z uhanoma in zapestnica­
ma, ki izvirajo že iz stopnje Stična 2, ti ne določajo starosti groba, temveč gre za podedovani nakit. Pokop šele v certoški 
stopnji opredeljujejo jantarna ogrlica in nagubani kernosi. 
V članku avtor opozarja tudi na nekatere grobne inventarje, ki vsebujejo predmete, značilne za dve zaporedni stop­
nji. Po njegovem mnenju sodijo ti grobovi v prehodno obdobje, ko nove oblike postopoma izpodrivajo stare. Obenem 
opozarja tudi na nagubano posodje, ki je značilnost certoške in negovske stopnje.
Ključne besede: Slovenija, Novo mesto – Znančeve njive, starejša železna doba, gomile, obročasti nakit, kernosi, 
nagubana keramika, podedovani nakit, prehodna obdobja
Abstract
The contribution discusses the burial of a woman (Grave 20) in Tumulus IV at the Znančeve njive cemetery in Novo 
mesto, SE Slovenia. It was excavated in 1968 and found to contain a pair of simple gold wire earrings, a necklace of 
amber beads, fragments of glass beads, two decorated hollow spiral bracelets of thick sheet bronze, two ribbed bronze 
anklets and three embossed kernoi.
Most of the goods are of types that only rarely occur in the graves of the Dolenjska Hallstatt group: the earrings have 
only few close parallels of bronze, large sub­spherical amber beads are rare, as are ceramic kernoi, while hollow bracelets 
of thick sheet bronze are only slightly more numerous. The grave also stands apart in that the goods are of different, in 
some cases considerably different dates.
This is also the main cause for the varying dating of the burial. The deceased woman was indeed buried with earrings 
and bracelets dating to the Stična 2 phase, but they are believed to represent heirlooms and it is the amber necklace and 
embossed kernoi that suggest the date of the interment in the Certosa Fibulae phase. 
The contribution also presents several grave groups with goods characteristic of two successive phases. The author 
sees these burials as evidence of a period of transition, during which new forms gradually replaced the old ones. He also 
calls attention to embossed ware that was popular in the Certosa and Negova phases.
Keywords: Slovenia, Novo mesto – Znančeve njive, Early Iron Age, tumuli, ring jewellery, kernoi, embossed ware, 
heirlooms, transitional periods
180 Dragan BOŽIČ
INTRODUCTION
From August 1967 to August 1970, four Hall­
statt tumuli marked I to IV were investigated at 
Znančeve njive. It is a site in the Kandija area of 
Novo mesto, on the right bank of the River Krka. 
The excavations were led by Tone Knez, then curator 
at the Dolenjski muzej in Novo mesto. The same 
cemetery also includes Tumulus V, excavated in 
the area of the new stadium, and Tumulus VI at 
the Vandot site.1 Knez published the archaeologi­
cal finds from Tumuli I to IV at Znančeve njive 
under the site name of Novo mesto­Kandija. Janez 
Dular and Sneža Tecco Hvala later proposed the 
common name Znančeve njive in Novo mesto 
for Tumuli I–V, the nearby Tumuli V2 and VI, as 
well as the flat La Tène cemetery northeast of the 
tumuli; this is the name adopted below.
The tumulus cemetery excavated by Knez had 
been partially damaged by ploughing, several 
graves in the northern part of Tumulus III also by 
a construction pit dug in 1954. Tumulus I held 30 
burials, Tumulus II held 22 documented burials, 
Tumulus III 20 and Tumulus IV 28.3 The oxide­rich 
loam in the area caused complete disintegration of 
the skeletal remains, while numerous grave goods 
survived. The graves of men contained spearheads, 
axes, knives, belt plates and other pieces of belts, 
fibulae and even two bronze helmets, one double­
crested and the other a Negova helmet. The graves 
of women revealed fibulae and jewellery of bronze, 
glass and amber, exceptionally gold. All graves 
held numerous pieces of pottery, some even vessels 
of bronze that included five situlae with figural 
decoration found in three graves. The richest was 
Grave IV/3 that also yielded horse gear.4
In the cemetery, Grave IV/20 of a woman stands 
apart in that it was one of three to contain gold 
jewellery (Grave II/8 revealed a gold diadem, Grave 
II/19 the remains of gold foam5) and the only one 
with as many as three kernoi.
According to Biba Teržan, burial in Tumuli I, II 
and III only began in the Certosa Fibulae phase, 
1  Knez 1986, 20, 51, No. 6, 58, Fig. 26 on p. 45; Dular, 
Tecco Hvala 2007, 177–179, 321, Cat. No. 354, Fig. 238. 
2  In Tumulus V, a grave with a cuirass was excavated 
already in 1939, two years later also a grave with a tripod, 
both important representatives of the Stična 1 phase 
(Gabrovec 1960; Gabrovec 1968; Gabrovec 1987, 42; Egg, 
Kramer 2016, 209–210).
3  Knez 1986, 64, 75, 83, 88, Pls. 62–65.
4  Ib.
5  Ib., 56, 75, 78, 81, No. 17, Pls. 18: 2; 75: II/8.
while the earliest burial in Tumulus IV, Grave 20 
with three kernoi, was much earlier and dated to 
the Stična 2 phase.6
The contribution below, however, argues that 
Grave IV/20 also dates to the Certosa Fibulae 
phase. The tumulus was investigated with modern 
methods and the grave group is reliable. The plan 
of the tumulus with graves marked according to 
their dating (Fig. 1: b) shows that the inner circle 
comprises two burials from the Certosa (Grave 20) 
and the Negova phase (Grave 22), respectively.
The early dating of Grave IV/20, to the Stična 2 
phase, occurred because of the differences in the 
age of the amber necklace, ring jewellery and pot­
tery goods. Though the gold earrings and bronze 
bracelets are indeed attributable to the Stična 2 
phase, the latest of the goods, i.e. amber necklace 
and embossed kernoi, clearly show the burial to 
have taken place in the Certosa Fibulae phase.
CIRCUMSTANCES OF DISCOVERY 
AND PREVIOUS PUBLICATIONS
Grave 20 was discovered on 3 August 1968, in 
the southwest corner of the northeast quadrant 
of Tumulus IV. The bottom of the grave pit was 
documented only 25 cm below the turf (Source 1). 
The pit was rectangular in plan, measuring 2.3 x 
1.1 m, and had an almost precise north­south 
orientation (Fig. 1).7
Nothing survived of the skeletal remains of the 
deceased woman, similarly as in other graves at 
Znančeve njive, but we know from the goods that 
she was buried with her head to the north. The area 
of the head revealed a necklace of amber beads, 
three of which were larger in diameter than oth­
ers (Fig. 2: 1), and two gold wire earrings (Fig. 2: 
2,3). She wore a decorated hollow spiral bracelet 
of thick sheet bronze (Fig. 2: 4,5) on each of the 
wrists and a ribbed anklet with overlapping ends 
(Fig. 2: 6,7) on each of the ankles. Three nearly 
identical kernoi with a black and carefully bur­
nished surface (Source 2 – Fig. 3) were placed at 
her feet. The first publication also states that an 
amorphous piece of bronze was found near one of 
the bracelets. The second publication (without a 
6  Teržan 2010, 204, Fn. 44.
7  Knez 1976, 602, Fig. 1; Knez 1986, 88, Pl. 65. Data 
from the original diary for Saturday, 3 August 1968, the 
day of the excavation, is also taken into consideration: 
Sources 1 and 2.
181Grave 20 in Tumulus IV: Hallstatt-period burial of a woman at Znančeve njive in Novo mesto
Fig. 1: Znančeve njive in Novo mesto. a – plan of Grave IV/20 (from Knez 1976); b – plan of Tumulus IV with marked 
graves from the Certosa and Negova phases (adapted from Knez 1986, Pl. 65).
Sl. 1: Znančeve njive v Novem mestu. a – tloris groba IV/20 (po Knez 1976); b – tloris gomile IV z označenimi grobovi 
certoške in negovske stopnje (prirejeno po Knez 1986, t. 65).
plan) makes no mention of this amorphous piece, 
but instead lists fragments of light blue glass beads 
and a flat piece of iron (Fig. 2: 8,9).8
The grave group has been presented in six 
publications so far, which featured differently 
long descriptions of the goods illustrated with 
photos and drawings.9 The gold earrings, bronze 
8  Knez 1976, 604, No. 4, Figs. 1: 4; 2: 4; Knez 1986, 
91, Pl. 39: 5,6.
9  Knez 1976, 604, Figs. 2 and 4; Knez 1986, colour 
photo on p. 15, 91, Pls. 39–40; 72: IV/20; 74: IV/20; 75: 
IV/20; 78: IV/20; Teržan 2003, 69, Fig. 4; Pls. 1: 4,5; 4; 
Križ, Turk 2003, 90–91, Cat. Nos. 11–18; Bakarić, Križ, 
bracelets and kernoi have been included into other 
publications as well,10 while the amber necklace 
has been missing since 1975.11
Šoufek 2006, 173–174, Cat. Nos. 197–204; Križ, Stipančić, 
Škedelj Petrič 2009, 281, 6.4, Cat. Nos. 5–10.
10  Earrings: Knez 1971, 76, Cat. No. 74, Fig. 74; Križ 
2008, fig. on p. 58; Križ 2012, fig. on p. 26; bracelets: Knez 
1971, 76, Cat. No. 73, Fig. 73; Križ, Turk 2003, fig. on p. 
55; kernoi: Knez 1971, 76, Cat. No. 72, Fig. 72; Križ 2012, 
fig. on p. 75.
11  The necklace was stolen in July 1975 during a robbery 
of the Dolenjska galerija when it hosted an exhibition of the 
finds from Znančeve njive. Following a successful police 
investigation, most of the stolen items were recovered and 
182 Dragan BOŽIČ
Fig. 2: Znančeve njive in Novo mesto, Grave IV/20 (from Knez 1986). 
1 amber; 2–3 gold; 4–7 bronze; 8 glass; 9 iron. Scale = 1:2. Also see Fig. 3.
Sl. 2: Znančeve njive v Novem mestu, grob IV/20 (po Knez 1986). 
1 jantar; 2,3 zlato; 4–7 bron; 8 steklo; 9 železo. M. = 1:2. Glej še sl. 3.
183Grave 20 in Tumulus IV: Hallstatt-period burial of a woman at Znančeve njive in Novo mesto
Fig. 3: Znančeve njive in Novo mesto, Grave IV/20 (from Knez 1986). Pottery. Scale = 1:4. Also see Fig. 2.
Sl. 3: Znančeve njive v Novem mestu, grob IV/20 (po Knez 1986). Keramika. M. = 1:4. Glej še sl. 2.
184 Dragan BOŽIČ
As mentioned above, the dating of this grave varies 
from the Stična 2 to the Certosa Fibulae phase.12 
In view of that, the text below will examine each 
of the goods so as to establish their chronological 
place and the relationships between the goods, 
but also to offer a chronological attribution of the 
grave as a whole.
ANALYSIS OF THE GRAVE GOODS
Amber necklace
The necklace was composed of 27 variously large 
and sub­spherical beads13 of dark brown amber 
that measure between 15 and 30 mm in diameter.14 
They include three larger beads measuring between 
26 and 30 mm across (Fig. 2: 1).
The amber necklaces from the Early Iron Age 
in the Dolenjska group have beads of different 
shapes and sizes, but they are predominantly small 
with a diameter of up to 17 mm. The smallest are 
known to measure 2 or 3 mm across,15 relatively 
few exceed 20 mm and only very rare, flat ones 
measure 30 mm or more (such as 41 mm of the 
bead from Libna and 30/31 mm of two of the beads 
from Grave 48/27 at Stična).16
Also rare are beads of a sub­spherical shape 
that measure between 25 and 31 mm across. Apart 
from Grave IV/20, they have been recovered from 
Grave 2/h at Preloge on Magdalenska gora (Fig. 
4: 1), Graves 160 and 67 (Fig. 4: 5) from Tumulus 
48 at Stična and Grave V/5 of a princess buried at 
Kapiteljska njiva in Novo mesto.
Grave 2/h from Preloge17 yielded, among other 
goods, two thick ribbed anklets (Fig. 4: 3,4) of 
Variant IIIb after Tecco Hvala.18 Thick bracelets 
and anklets of this variant occur in the graves of 
returned to the Dolenjski muzej in January 1976, while 
around 20 jewellery items including the necklace are still 
missing (the missing items are marked with an asterisk in 
the Catalogue: Knez 1986, 28 and 64).
12  The Stična 2 phase: Teržan 2010, 204, Fn. 44; the 
Serpentine Fibulae phase: Gabrovec 1987, 60, Fn. 136, 
Fig. 4: 21; the Certosa Fibulae phase: Parzinger 1988, 42, 
Pl. 52: 2, Phase II.
13  For typology see Gabrovec 2006, 12.
14  Detailed description in Knez 1976, 604, No. 2, Fig. 2: 1.
15  E.g. Gabrovec 2006, 35, Pl. 21: 63–69.
16  Križ 2017, 99, Cat. No. 12; Gabrovec 2006, 36, Pl. 
22: 75,79.
17  Tecco Hvala, Dular, Kocuvan 2004, 126, Pl. 12: A. 
18  Tecco Hvala 2012, 301, Fig. 111: 2,5,7.
the early part of the Certosa Fibulae phase,19 where 
they are associated with forms characteristic of 
this part: Certosa fibulae of Types Ib, II and V, 
a three­knobbed fibula of Type VII, small bow 
fibulae and hollow ribbed bracelets of Variant 
Brezje after Parzinger.20
Of chronological importance for the large sub­
spherical beads are also the graves from Tumulus 
48 at Stična.
The numerous amber beads from Grave 160 of 
a woman include a single large one, measuring 
2.7 cm across.21 They also include a hemispheri­
cal amber bead with incised decoration that is 
similar to a bead found in Grave 98,22 attributable 
to the Certosa Fibulae phase on the basis of the 
associated glass beads with layered eyes.23 Such 
beads were also worn later, but burial in Tumulus 
48 at Stična did not continue after the Certosa 
Fibulae phase. Grave 98 can be dated even more 
narrowly to the early part of the Certosa Fibulae 
phase as suggested by the vase­shaped pendant 
of dark blue glass that has a close parallel in the 
pendant from Grave 121,24 attributable to the early 
part of the Certosa Fibulae phase on the basis of 
three early Certosa and a three­knobbed fibula. 
An amber bulla­shaped pendant and glass beads 
with layered eyes connect Grave 98 with Grave 1.25 
Disc­shaped amber beads decorated with radial 
incisions26 show that Grave 160 is contemporary 
with Grave 1, while the characteristic glass beads 
with layered eyes and yellow knobs27 show that it 
is also contemporary with Grave 121.
The group of graves from the early part of the 
Certosa Fibulae phase further includes Grave 
119–120,28 which revealed characteristic hollow 
ribbed bracelets of Variant Brezje after Parzinger,29 
19  E.g. Knez 1986, Pl. 18: 1; Dular J. 2003, Pls. 29: 
10,11; 70: 9,10,12,13; 72: 2,3; 73: 6,7; Gabrovec 2006, Pl. 
4: 11,12; Pavlovič 2014, 497, Fig. 28.7: 23,24.
20  Dular J. 2003, 136, Figs. 79–80; Parzinger 1995, 32, 
Fig. 12: 2 and list on p. 263; Tecco Hvala 2012, 314, Fig. 
116: 2, 320, Fn. 1366: Variant V4.
21  Gabrovec 2006, 111, Pl. 91: 9.
22  Cf. ib., Pl. 91: 7 and Pl. 55: 18.
23  Božič 2016, 162, Type 21.
24  Cf. Gabrovec 2006, Pl. 55: 98/5 and Pl. 71: 16.
25  Cf. ib., Pl. 55: 98/17,7,8 and Pl. 1: 17,15.
26  Cf. ib., Pl. 91: 6 and Pl. 1: 16.
27  Cf. ib., Pl. 91: 4 and Pl. 72: 46.
28  Ib., 87–89, Pls. 68–69.
29  Dular J. 2003, 136, Figs. 79–80; Parzinger 1995, 32, 
Fig. 12: 2 and list on p. 263; Tecco Hvala 2012, 314, Fig. 
116: 2, 320, Fn. 1366: Variant V4.
185Grave 20 in Tumulus IV: Hallstatt-period burial of a woman at Znančeve njive in Novo mesto
Fig. 4: 1–4 – Preloge at Magdalenska gora, Grave 2/h (from Tecco Hvala, Dular, Kocuvan 2004); 5,6 – Stična, Grave 
48/67 (from Gabrovec 2006). 1,5 amber; 2 bronze and glass; 3,4,6 bronze. Scale = 1:2.
Sl. 4: 1–4 – Preloge na Magdalenski gori, grob 2/h (po Tecco Hvala, Dular, Kocuvan 2004); 5,6 – Stična, grob 48/67 (po 
Gabrovec 2006). 1,5 jantar; 2 bron in steklo; 3,4,6 bron. M. = 1:2.
186 Dragan BOŽIČ
a dish with an inturned rim of Type 4 after Dular,30 
several different vase­shaped glass pendants, several 
glass and one amber necklace, two amber necklace 
spacer plates and other goods. It is connected with 
Grave 160 mentioned above, both by the dish and 
the amber spacer plates.31
Grave 6732 (Fig. 4: 5,6) yielded a necklace of 19 
large sub­spherical amber beads (diam. 19–27 mm) 
and a thick ribbed bracelet with touching ends 
of Variant IIIb after Tecco Hvala, which suggests 
that this partially surviving grave group can also 
be attributed to the early part of the Certosa 
Fibulae phase.
At Kapiteljska njiva in Novo mesto, Grave 35 from 
Tumulus V stands far apart from all other female 
burials of the tumulus in the wealth of jewellery 
items of gold, glass and amber. The last material 
came as three zoomorphic and five disc­shaped 
beads, a necklace of smaller beads and one of 57 
large beads.33 The second necklace includes two 
sub­spherical beads with a diameter in excess of 
25 mm; these two beads and one of the smaller 
ones have oblique channels drilled through the 
interior.34
The items that connect this grave from Novo 
mesto with those mentioned above from Tumulus 
48 at Stična, attributed to the early part of the 
Certosa Fibulae phase, are the large amber beads 
with oblique channels (Grave 98), the amber spacer 
plates (Graves 119–120 and 160), the amber beads 
with incised decoration (Graves 1, 98 and 160) 
and the disc­shaped bead with the central hole 
surrounded by four smaller holes (Grave 1).35
The gold cylindrical earrings,36 the decoration on 
which is similar to the one on the bronze earrings 
from a grave at Roje pri Trebelnem,37 confirm the 
dating of Grave V/35 from Novo mesto.
The above­discussed grave groups from Magda­
lenska gora, Stična and Novo mesto that included 
large sub­spherical amber beads of diameter ex­
ceeding 25 mm show that such beads are datable 
to the early part of the Certosa Fibulae phase.
30  Dular J. 1982, 76–77, 197, Pl. 26: 258–263.
31  Cf. Gabrovec 2006, Pl. 92: 160/15,26 and Pl. 69: 23,24.
32  Ib., 55, Pl. 35: 67.
33  Križ 2000, 64, Pl. 23: 10–14.
34  Ib., 38, colour photo on p. 63, 64, Pl. 23: 13; Križ 
2017, 37 top and 53.
35  Križ 2000, Pl. 23: 9–11,13.
36  Ib., Pl. 22: 6.
37  Dular J. 2003, Pl. 29: 1–3.
Gold earrings
The simple spiral earrings measuring 34 and 
36 mm in diameter, respectively, were made of a 
1 mm thick gold wire (Fig. 2: 2,3) folded so as to 
obtain a double wire with a loop at each end and 
then bent to form a spiral.
In archaeological literature, items of this form 
are interpreted either as earrings or hair rings. 
As both appear in inhumation graves in the head 
area, it is not possible to distinguish between them; 
for the sake of clarity, this contribution describes 
them as earrings. We should also note that the 
same form, albeit large in size, is also shared by 
some of the bracelets.
In her analysis of the earrings from Magdalenska 
gora, Sneža Tecco Hvala discusses spiral earrings 
of round­sectioned wire and distinguishes between 
Types 1 and 2. The former comprises simple ear­
rings of single wire, the latter those of double wire 
with a loop at one end and in some cases twisted 
or decorated with incisions that mimic twisting.38
She observed that Type 1 earrings in the sites 
of south­eastern Slovenia already occur in previ­
ous phases, but are particularly common in the 
Stična 2 phase as revealed by a number of female 
burials from Magdalenska gora, Libna, Novo mesto 
and Stična.39
Three of the graves from Tumulus 48 at Stična 
(147, 157 and 162), which she dated to the Stična 2 
phase, seem rather to be of a later date. Grave 48/157 
contained a serpentine fibula with a saddle­shaped 
bow of Type IV after Tecco Hvala40 that dates it to 
the transition from the Stična 2 to the Serpentine 
Fibulae phase, as Gabrovec already noted.41 The 
same dating can be attributed to Graves 147 and 
162, which contained antique wire earrings together 
with serpentine fibulae typical of the Serpentine 
Fibulae phase.42
The differences in the form of the Type 2 ear­
rings suggest that we should distinguish between 
Variants 2a and 2b. The former have a loop at one 
38  Tecco Hvala 2007, 478, Fig. 1.
39  Ib., Fns. 3, 5 and 6.
40  Tecco Hvala 2014, 168–169, Fig. 4.
41  Gabrovec 1987, 59; Gabrovec 2006, 109, Pl. 90: 157.
42  In the Serpentine Fibulae phase, there is a complete 
dominance of earrings of flat wire with one or two longitudinal 
grooves and overlapping ends decorated with transverse 
incisions of Type 3 after Tecco Hvala (Stare 1955a, Pl. 67: 
4–10,12; Gabrovec 1987, 59, Fig. 4: 12a; Tecco Hvala 2007, 
479, Fig. 1: Type 3; Tecco Hvala 2012, 328, Fig. 122: 3, 351, 
Fn. 1521, Phase 3).
187Grave 20 in Tumulus IV: Hallstatt-period burial of a woman at Znančeve njive in Novo mesto
end and two pointed terminals at the other that 
are either parallel or braided.43
The latter have loops at both ends and are very 
rare: the pair from Grave IV/20 (Fig. 2: 2,3), a pair 
from the Fedran Collection44 and two from the 
Mecklenburg Collection that were assigned to two 
graves from Magdalenska gora and Stična.45 We 
should also mention that a pair of bronze bracelets 
from Grave 48/27 at Stična has the same form.46
Dating the Variant 2b earrings to Stična 2 is 
corroborated by the above­cited Grave 48/27 of 
a princess at Stična,47 indirectly also by the two 
earrings from the Fedran Collection, as the bronze 
jewellery (fibulae, torcs, earrings, bracelets and 
anklets) from the collection predominantly includes 
pieces from the Stična 2 phase.48
The overview of the parallels and associated 
goods shows that the gold spiral earrings rank 
among the earliest items from Grave IV/20 in 
Novo mesto, already made in the Stična 2 phase.
Markus Egg also discusses gold spiral earrings 
and cites the pair from Novo mesto, stating the 
only parallels in a pair from the princely tumulus 
at Strettweg and the earrings from nine graves at 
Hallstatt.49 The graves at Hallstatt mainly date 
to Ha C, the grave from Strettweg to around 600 
BC. This shows chronological proximity between 
the Austrian examples and the two earrings from 
Novo mesto.
Hollow spiral bracelets of thick sheet metal
The woman from Grave IV/20 was buried with 
a pair of spiral bracelets on her wrists that were 
made of thick sheet bronze (Fig. 2: 4,5). Both were 
found damaged and measure 9 cm in diameter. 
The better preserved of the two, Inv. No. P 897, 
weighs 272 g (Fig. 2: 5), while the other one with 
Inv. No. P 896 is slightly lighter and weighs 257.5 
g (Fig. 2: 4).
The bracelets have tapering ends with widened 
disc terminals. Their decoration consists of wide 
and only slightly raised ribs separated by stripes 
43  Stare 1955a, Pl. 64: 12,13; Stare 1955b, Pl. 1: 8,9; 
Dular A. 1991, Pl. 2: 5.
44  Gabrovec 2006, 202, Pl. 175: 74,75.
45  Hencken 1978, 71, Grave X/32–33, Fig. 322g; Wells 
1981, 63, Grave IV/32, Fig. 87f.
46  Gabrovec 2006, Pl. 19: 46,47.
47  Tecco Hvala 2007, 479, Fn. 14.
48  Gabrovec 2006, 199–202, Pls. 172–175.
49  Egg 1996, 218–220.
of narrow ribs. The outer ribs of each stripe are 
decorated with oblique incisions; these incisions 
on one of the bracelets (Fig. 2: 5) frequently cross 
the outer two ribs.
Biba Teržan was the first to analyse the spiral 
bracelets (also described as hollow spiral bracelets 
with tapering ends, bent twice) of thick sheet metal 
together with those of thin sheet metal that were 
found at sites in Dolenjska, including the bracelets 
from Graves IV/20 and V/6 at Znančeve njive in 
Novo mesto (Figs. 2: 4,5; 5: 1), as well as the two 
bracelets from Grave 5/4 at Stična (Fig. 5: 3).50 In 
her recent analyses, she attributed such bracelets 
to the Stična 2 phase.51
Vojka Cestnik, in her dissertation, examined 
Hallstatt­period bracelets from the Dolenjska re­
gion. She joined the hollow spiral bracelets from 
Grave IV/20 in Novo mesto with other hollow 
bracelets from thick sheet metal to form a group 
of solid bracelets with a hollow core.52
Hollow bracelets of thick sheet bronze are a 
rare, but very characteristic type of jewellery. 
They have been found at only three sites of the 
Dolenjska group. In spite of this scarcity, they do 
allow a more detailed typological division, as well 
as a more precise chronological attribution.
The spiral bracelets of thick sheet metal weigh 
over 200 g, while the weight of the bracelets with 
overlapping ends varies between approx. 70 and 
200 g, depending on the diameter of the bracelets 
and the thickness of the metal sheet (see the list).
The hollow bracelets of thick sheet metal are 
either spiral (Fig. 5: 1–3; Novo mesto, Stična, 
Mecklenburg Collection) or have overlapping ends 
(Fig. 5: 4–8; Vače and Mecklenburg Collection). 
A detailed examination of such bracelets reveals 
that they are all decorated with wide low ribs and 
stripes of narrow ribs (Fig. 6: 1,3,4).
As mentioned above, the spiral bracelets from 
Grave IV/20 (Fig. 2: 4,5) have the outer narrow ribs 
decorated with oblique incisions, which frequently 
extend to both outer ribs on one of the bracelets 
(Fig. 2: 5). The spiral bracelet from Grave V/6 at 
Znančeve njive (Figs. 5: 1; 6: 1) has at least four 
wide ribs flanked by two narrow ribs decorated 
with oblique incisions that change direction in 
the centre.
Additional decoration, which differs from that 
on the spiral examples, can be seen on the brace­
50  Teržan 1974, 46, Fns. 27 and 28, Fig. 4, black triangle.
51  Most recently in Teržan 2010, 204, Fn. 44.
52  Cestnik 2011, 169–191.
188 Dragan BOŽIČ
Fig. 5: 1–3 – hollow spiral bracelets of thick sheet metal; 4–8 – hollow bracelets of thick sheet metal with overlapping ends; 
9–11 – solid bracelets. 1 – Znančeve njive in Novo mesto, Grave V/6 (from Gabrovec 1968); 2 – Mecklenburg Collection 
(from Wells 1981); 3 – Stična, Grave 5/4 (from Gabrovec 2006); 4 – Reber above Klenik near Vače, Find 1878/10; 5–7 
– Vače (5,6 from Stare 1955a); 8 – Mecklenburg Collection (from Wells 1981); 9 – Stična, Grave 48/27 (from Gabrovec 
2006); 10 – Stična (from Gabrovec 2006); 11 – Libna (from Guštin 1976). All bronze. Scale = 1:2.
Sl. 5: 1–3 – votle spiralne zapestnice iz debele pločevine; 4–8 – votle zapestnice iz debele pločevine s presegajočima se 
koncema; 9–11 – polne zapestnice. 1 – Znančeve njive v Novem mestu, grob V/6 (po Gabrovec 1968); 2 – Mecklenburška 
zbirka (po Wells 1981); 3 – Stična, grob 5/4 (po Gabrovec 2006); 4 – Reber nad Klenikom pri Vačah, najdba 1878/10; 
5–7 – Vače (5,6 po Stare 1955a); 8 – Mecklenburška zbirka (po Wells 1981); 9 – Stična, grob 48/27 (po Gabrovec 2006); 
10 – Stična (po Gabrovec 2006); 11 – Libna (po Guštin 1976). Vse bron. M. = 1:2.
189Grave 20 in Tumulus IV: Hallstatt-period burial of a woman at Znančeve njive in Novo mesto
lets with overlapping ends and takes the form of 
horizontal V­shaped motifs, X­shaped motifs and 
lozenges, all composed of parallel lines (Fig. 5: 6–8).
The date of the bracelets of thick sheet bronze 
is indicated by the goods from Grave 1878/10 at 
Klenik near Vače and Grave 5/4 from Stična. The 
grave from Klenik also comprised band earrings 
of Type 5b after Tecco Hvala,53 attributable to 
the Stična 2 phase on the basis of the goods from 
Grave 48/27 at Stična.
The rich Grave 5/4 from Stična yielded formally 
and chronologically diverse goods.54 The early 
goods, from the Stična 2 phase, comprise ribbed 
tubular amber beads such as were also found in 
Grave 48/27,55 undecorated anklets with overlap­
ping ends56 and a serpentine fibula with antennae 
of Variant IIIa6 after Tecco Hvala.57 The later 
items in the grave are the ribbed bracelets and 
anklets with overlapping tapering ends of Variant 
IIIc after Tecco Hvala58 and two long­footed bow 
fibulae (also called leech fibulae) with a hollow 
bow,59 such as are characteristic of the Serpentine 
Fibulae phase. This suggests the dating of the 
burial to the transition from the Stična 2 to the 
Serpentine Fibulae phase. Taking into consideration 
the dating of Grave 1878/10 from Klenik, we can 
presume that the hollow bracelets from Grave 5/4 
at Stična (Fig. 5: 3) also form part of the earlier 
pieces of jewellery.
The decoration of stripes of narrow ribs separated 
by wide and only slightly raised ribs also provides 
evidence, albeit indirect, of the dating of the hollow 
bracelets of thick sheet metal. In identical form, 
this decoration also occurs on the solid bracelets 
with overlapping ends unearthed in the graves of 
the Stična 2 phase (Fig. 6: 2).60
53  Tecco Hvala 2007, 481, Fig. 1; Deschmann, Hochstetter 
1879, 11–12, Pl. 6: 10.
54  Gabrovec 2006, 133–136, Pls. 109–111; Gabrovec 
1987, 59.
55  Cf. Gabrovec 2006, Pl. 109: 8 and Pl. 22: 81.
56  Ib., Pl. 110: 23,27; cf. Tecco Hvala, Dular, Kocuvan 
2004, Pl. 3: A.
57  Tecco Hvala 2014, 167, Fig. 3a.
58  Tecco Hvala 2012, 301, Fig. 111: 3,6; Gabrovec 1987, 
59, Fig. 4: 13.
59  Gabrovec 2006, Pls. 47: 4; 78: 7; 109: 1,2.
60  See e.g. Kromer 1959, Pl. 27: 4; Gabrovec 2006, Pls. 
51: 87A/3; 112: 5/1; Kruh 2010, 89, Grave 5; Križ 2013, 30, 
Fig. 20; Pls. 12: 3,4; 19: 5,9. At Brezje near Trebelno they 
were also found in much later graves (Kromer 1959, Pls. 
24: 7; 26: 11), which indicates either a long tradition of 
wearing such jewellery or unreliable grave groups.
Close parallels for the decoration of oblique 
incisions on the outer ribs that is known on the 
spiral bracelets from Novo mesto (Figs. 2: 4,5; 
5: 1; 6: 1) can also be found on two solid examples 
from Grave 48/87A at Stična,61 which has been 
attributed to the Stična 2 phase.
Furthermore, the decorative motifs on some of 
the very thick solid bracelets of Variant IIc after 
Tecco Hvala62 (Fig. 5: 9–11) are similar to those 
on the bracelets made of thick sheet metal; the 
motifs are stripes of ribs or incisions with outer 
ribs or bands decorated with oblique incisions 
usually forming a herring­bone pattern. There are 
also single ribs (i.e. not stripes) decorated with 
oblique incisions and large central motifs in the 
form of horizontal V­shaped motifs or lozenges 
executed in a similar manner.
The examination of the bracelets on Fig. 5 
suggests that we may attribute the pair of hollow 
spiral bracelets from Grave IV/20 in Novo mesto 
to the Stična 2 phase.
Ribbed anklets with overlapping ends
The two bronze anklets from Grave IV/20 are 
solid, ribbed and have tapering overlapping ends 
(Fig. 2: 6,7). Such anklets are relatively common 
within the Dolenjska Hallstatt group and constitute 
Variant IIIc after Tecco Hvala.63
Based on reliable grave groups from Tumulus 
48 at Stična, Gabrovec saw them as a novelty of 
the Serpentine Fibulae phase.64 Tecco Hvala, to 
the contrary, sees their appearance already in the 
Stična phase, primarily basing her assumption 
on some of the graves with forms of the Stična 2 
phase,65 though it should be said that these grave 
groups may not be reliable as they had been ex­
cavated prior to World War I. What is certain is 
that some of the grave groups include later forms 
61  Gabrovec 2006, Pl. 51: 87A/1,2.
62  Tecco Hvala 2012, 295, Fn. 1246, Fig. 109: 9, 299, 
Fn. 1274; Gabrovec 2006, Pls. 19: 42; 175: 77,78; Guštin 
1976, 45–46, Pl. 70: 14,15. The two bracelets from Libna, 
now kept in the Joanneum in Graz, Austria (Inv. Nos. 
10253 and 10261), are not hollow as stated by Mitja Guštin 
and shown on the cross section of one of them, but rather 
solid: Cestnik 2011, 271, Nos. 1029–1030.
63  Tecco Hvala 2012, 301, Fig. 111: 3,6.
64  Gabrovec 1987, 59, Fig. 4: 13.
65  Tecco Hvala 2012, 307, Fn. 1304.
190 Dragan BOŽIČ
Fig. 6: Bronze bracelets and an amber bead from the prehistoric collection of the Narodni muzej Slovenije. 1 – Znančeve 
njive in Novo mesto, Grave V/6 (Inv. No. P 11453); 2 – Stična, Grave 5/5 (Inv. No. P 14551); 3,4 – Vače (Inv. Nos. P 290 
and P 308); 5 – Stična, Grave 48/43 (Inv. No. P 15029). Scale 1–4 = 1:1; 5 = 2:1. 
Sl. 6: Bronaste zapestnice in jantarna jagoda iz prazgodovinske zbirke Narodnega muzeja Slovenije. 1 – Znančeve njive 
v Novem mestu, grob V/6 (inv. št. P 11453); 2 – Stična, grob 5/5 (inv. št. P 14551); 3,4 – Vače (inv. št. P 290 in P 308); 
5 – Stična, grob 48/43 (inv. št. P 15029). M. 1–4 = 1:1; 5 = 2:1. (Photo / Foto: T. Lauko)
191Grave 20 in Tumulus IV: Hallstatt-period burial of a woman at Znančeve njive in Novo mesto
(such as a leech fibula66 and cylindrical earrings67) 
that do not corroborate the dating to the Stična 
phase, but also that the reliable grave groups from 
Stična (48/36, 5/4 and 5/13) date to the transition 
from the Stična 2 to the Serpentine Fibulae phase.
Ribbed bracelets and anklets of Variant IIIc ap­
pear to be characteristic of the Serpentine Fibulae 
phase, but also occur in the graves of the Certosa 
Fibulae phase.68 The two anklets from Grave IV/20 
can therefore not be attributed to the Stična 2 phase.
Kernoi and dating the embossed ware
Large vessels with integral small cups formally 
constitute part of a group of ancient Greek pot­
tery with the common name of kernos (κέρνος or 
κέρχνος in Greek). They are believed to have been 
in ritual use, as has also been presumed for the 
three kernoi from Grave IV/20 in Novo mesto.69
They are predominantly interpreted as cult 
vessels because of their similarity with the ves­
sels associated with the Eleusinian Mysteries in 
Greece.70 According to some authors, the kernoi 
from Dolenjska mainly occur as goods in the rich 
graves of women,71 who may have been either priest­
esses or members of leading families that played 
an important role in both the governing and cult 
practices of a community, as possibly indicated 
precisely by Grave IV/20.72 However, kernoi also 
occur in the graves of warriors, while the goods in 
the graves from Dolenjske Toplice do not indicate 
a distinguished standing of the deceased.
Kernoi are rare finds in the Dolenjska region.73 
The three examples from Grave IV/20 are almost 
identical (Fig. 3); they all have embossed shoulders 
of the main vessel and of the cups and the pedes­
66  Kromer 1959, Pl. 48: 3.
67  Ib., Pls. 17: 15; 22: 8.
68  Tecco Hvala 2012, 305, Fn. 1291; 307, Fn. 1306.
69  Guštin 2015, 78.
70  Dular J. 1982, 191, Fn. 30; Landolt, Fleischer 2014, 
286. Landolt and Fleischer cite several possible uses of 
kernoi: smaller ones could be drinking vessels, being handed 
from one participant to the next until empty, larger ones 
could be used in mixing drinks, they could also function as 
lamps with the wick inserted into the channels connecting 
the main container with the small cups.
71  Knez 1976, 608–609; Križ, Stipančić, Škedelj Petrič 
2009, 121.
72  Teržan 2003, 69, Fn. 20.
73  Dular J. 1982, 59–60, 190, Pl. 20: 173–174; Landolt, 
Fleischer 2014, Figs. 4: 21,27–30,41–43; 7: 29a–c; 9: 
21a–c,22; 10: 15.
tals have five triangular holes, above and between 
which are incised double V­shaped motifs followed 
by cordons below. Novo mesto also yielded two 
kernoi in Grave VII/20 at Kapiteljska njiva,74 and 
one very small kernos of the same general form 
at Okrajno glavarstvo.75
Elsewhere in Dolenjska, one kernos of an archaic 
form was found in the grave with a cuirass from 
Stična excavated by the Duchess of Mecklenburg,76 
three kernoi were unearthed singly in the graves 
at Dolenjske Toplice,77 while one cup of a kernos 
is known from Tumulus VI/1879 investigated at 
Ivanec near Družinska vas.78
The kernoi from Stična and from Grave IV/20 
at Znančeve njive have four cups on the shoulder, 
the two examples from Grave VII/20 at Kapiteljska 
njiva and all three from Dolenjske Toplice have 
three.79 The cups on one of the kernoi from 
Grave VII/20 of a woman buried at Kapiteljska 
njiva have a purely symbolic function, as they are 
completely closed and nothing could be poured 
either in or out.80
The above­enumerated kernoi show formal 
differences between different sites, which suggests 
local production. They even differ from grave to 
grave, which indicates either different potters or 
periods of production. In the decoration on the 
body of the main container and of the cups, the 
example from Stična stands apart and shows earlier 
formal elements. The body of two kernoi from 
Dolenjske Toplice is undecorated, while one of the 
vessels (Grave 1/7) has bosses along the maximum 
diameter, reminiscent of the very popular embossed 
decoration also found on the kernoi from Novo 
mesto. The cup of a kernos from Družinska vas 
may be embossed as well.
Kernoi are associated with both male (grave 
with a cuirass from Stična, Grave 1/7 from Do­
lenjske Toplice) and female burials (both graves 
from Novo mesto). The double Grave 2/35 of a 
man and a woman buried at Dolenjske Toplice 
held pottery goods, weapons and two fibulae, as 
74  Križ 2008, fig. on p. 16; Križ, Stipančić, Škedelj 
Petrič 2009, 120–121, 281, Cat. Nos. 3–4.
75  Božič 2008, Pl. 1: 8.
76  Božič 2009, Fig. 8: 2.
77  Graves 1/7, 2/35 and 5/26: Teržan 1976, 395–396, 
Fn. 264 on p. 424, Pl. 2: 6; 398–399, Pl. 16: 4; 401, Pl. 35: 2.
78  Dular J. 1982, 59, Šmarjeta; Dular A. 1991, 29, 67, 
No. 22, Pl. 5: 7.
79  Teržan 1980, 345, Fn. 10. 
80  Križ 2008, fig. on p. 16, right; Križ, Stipančić, Škedelj 
Petrič 2009, 120.
192 Dragan BOŽIČ
well as a ceramic spindle whorl. Pečnik’s report 
on the grave reveals that all the goods lay beside 
one of the skeletons, which was presumably that 
of the man considering the weapons.81
Three of the above­cited graves with one or 
more kernoi are ascribable to individuals of a high 
social standing: the one at Stična because of the 
associated cuirass, Grave IV/20 from Znančeve njive 
because of the gold earrings and Grave VII/20 from 
Kapiteljska njiva because of the imported Greek 
kylix.82 To the contrary, the graves from Dolenjske 
Toplice were relatively poorly furnished. Both male 
burials had the standard goods of weapons (one 
or two spearheads, socketed axe) and pottery, but 
also a fibula and a bracelet (Grave 1/7), two fibulae 
(Grave 2/35), while Grave 5/26 only contained a 
kernos and a fibula pin.
The earliest kernos in Dolenjska was found to­
gether with a bell cuirass in Tumulus 52 at Stična; it 
is a cuirass type mainly used in the Stična phase.83 
All other graves with kernoi are considerably 
later. The hollow bronze anklet decorated with 
stripes of transverse incisions shows that Grave 
VII/20 from Kapiteljska njiva certainly postdates 
the Serpentine Fibulae phase.84 A Type X Certosa 
fibula dates Grave 1/7 from Dolenjske Toplice to 
the Negova phase.85 The javelinheads with a del­
toid lozenge­sectioned blade date Grave 2/35 from 
the same site to either the Certosa or more likely 
the Negova phase.86 Grave 5/26 from Dolenjske 
Toplice, with modest goods, is attributable to the 
Negova phase on indirect evidence, as all other 
graves from Tumulus 5 date to this phase.87
The kernoi from Grave IV/20 at Znančeve 
njive can be dated on the basis of the decorative 
details. Their pedestals closely resemble those 
on three embossed pedestal vases of Type 4 after 
81  Teržan 1976, 398–399, Pl. 16.
82  Križ, Turk 2003, 68, fig. on p. 71; Križ, Stipančić, 
Škedelj Petrič 2009, 295, No. 2; Križ 2012, fig. on p. 38. 
Cf. Dular J. 1982, 234–235.
83  Teržan 2010, 281–287. The presumed grave group 
from Tumulus 52 comprises chronologically varied goods. 
Archival sources have allowed us to positively identify the 
cuirass and the kernos as the goods from this grave, while 
there is no evidence to suggest the later pedestal vases were 
as well. Teržan 2010, 283 and 287; Božič 2009.
84  Borut Križ from the Dolenjski muzej in Novo mesto 
kindly provided the photograph of the heavily damaged 
anklet.
85  Teržan 1976, 439.
86  Tecco Hvala 2012, 127, Fig. 50.
87  Teržan 1976, 439.
Dular88 found in Grave I/9 at Kapiteljska njiva 
(Fig. 7),89 with three triangular holes in the upper 
part and cordons below. These pedestal vases are 
richly decorated with swastikas of impressed dots 
along the maximum perimeter. Similar swastikas 
also adorn the pedestal vases from Graves I/31 
and III/3 at Znančeve njive, both of which date 
to the early part of the Certosa Fibulae phase.90 
The above­mentioned Grave I/9, from which only 
pottery goods survived, can also be dated on the 
basis of its position above Grave 4 that contained 
a pedestal dish with an embossed shoulder;91 as 
will be shown below, this item postdates the Ser­
pentine Fibulae phase.
An important feature on the kernoi from Grave 
IV/20 is their embossed body. Embossing on the 
pottery of the Dolenjska group mainly occurs on 
pedestal vases, bowls, dishes and pedestal dishes.92 
The reliable grave groups from Tumulus 48 at 
Stična93 and from the published tumuli at Kapiteljska 
njiva in Novo mesto94 show that embossing did not 
begin in the Serpentine Fibulae phase, as none of 
the groups includes embossed pottery.
Compelling evidence of the production and use 
of embossed pottery during the Certosa Fibulae 
and Negova phases is provided by the tumulus 
cemetery at Dolenjske Toplice and Tumuli I to 
IV at Znančeve njive in Novo mesto.95 All the 
graves from these tumuli date to the two phases 
and numerous contained embossed pottery.
One of the earliest burials with embossed pottery 
is that of a man in Grave 5/25 at Stična,96 which 
held a pair of serpentine fibulae with wings that 
are characteristic of the Serpentine Fibulae phase, 
but also three pedestal vases with an embossed 
pedestal of Type 11 after Dular97 and a wide 
pedestal vase with a low neck, which indicate the 
actual dating of the grave.
88  Dular J. 1982, 46–47, 184, Pl. 13: 124–126.
89  Knez 1993, 38, Pl. 12.
90  Knez 1986, Pls. 9: 12; 24: 18.
91  Knez 1993, Pl. 9: 12, App. 2.
92  Dular J. 1982, 85, Fig. 4C.
93  Only the graves with metal and pottery goods have 
been considered: Gabrovec 2006, Tumulus 48, Graves 12, 17, 
26, 40, 44, 48, 73, 75, 81, 109, 129, 131, 136, 138, 141, 143, 
147, 151, 152, 154, 162, 163, 164, 172, 173, 177, 178, 179.
94  Only the graves with metal and pottery goods have 
been considered: Križ 1997, Grave II/15; Križ 2000, Grave 
V/62; Križ 2013, Graves I/66 and I/72b.
95  Teržan 1976; Knez 1986.
96  Gabrovec 2006, 147–149, Pls. 124–126.
97  Dular J. 1982, 52, 185, Pl. 18: 154–156.
193Grave 20 in Tumulus IV: Hallstatt-period burial of a woman at Znančeve njive in Novo mesto
Fig. 7: Kapiteljska njiva in Novo mesto, Grave I/9 (from Knez 1993). Pottery. Scale = 1:4.
Sl. 7: Kapiteljska njiva v Novem mestu, grob I/9 (po Knez 1993). Keramika. M. = 1: 4.
194 Dragan BOŽIČ
The pedestal vases of Type 11 from this grave 
differ from those of Type 9 with black­on­red painted 
bands,98 characteristic of the Serpentine Fibulae 
phase, in a pronounced embossed thickening on the 
pedestal that is closely comparable to an example 
from Grave 2/46 at Preloge on Magdalenska gora 
attributed to the late part of the Certosa Fibulae 
phase.99 The Type 11 pedestal vases from Grave 
5/25 also have lids with holes along the rim that 
indicate an imitation of the metal lids unearthed in 
some of the graves of the same date.100 In its form 
and decoration, the wide pedestal vase with a low 
neck is fairly similar to the one from Grave 48/99 
at Stična, dated to the early part of the Certosa 
Fibulae phase.101 Bearing in mind the items last 
in date, Grave 5/25 from Stična is attributable to 
the transition from the Serpentine to the Certosa 
Fibulae phase.
Also dated to this transition is Grave III/22 of a 
man buried at Kapiteljska njiva in Novo mesto,102 
which held a rectangular shield boss, a rectangular 
belt plate, a spearhead and a bronze strainer,103 but 
also pottery goods that include the chronologically 
diagnostic embossed pedestal dish, a globular 
pedestal vase with a slightly everted rim and three 
knobs, as well as a conical lid with a three­pronged 
knob.104 A close parallel for the pedestal vase with 
three knobs was found in Grave I/19 at Kapiteljska 
njiva, which also contained an embossed pedestal 
dish.105 Of particular chronological significance is 
the conical pedestal vase lid with a three­pronged 
knob of Type 2 after Dular.106 Lids of this type 
are relatively rare and predominantly originate 
from Novo mesto, where they occur in a variety 
of shapes, but originate exclusively from the graves 
of the Certosa Fibulae107 and Negova phases,108 
becoming distinctly flat in the latter.
Graves 5/25 from Stična and III/22 from Ka­
piteljska njiva show a smooth transition from the 
98  Ib., 50–51, 185, Pl. 16: 142–144.
99  Tecco Hvala, Dular, Kocuvan 2004, Pl. 43: 13.
100  Ib., Pls. 25: 13; 42: 10; 43: 12; 44: 15.
101  Gabrovec 2006, Pls. 57: 17; 126: 25/18.
102  Križ 1997, 31 (Stična 1 phase), Pls. 49–51.
103  Egg, Kramer 2016, 152, Fig. 65: 1.
104  Križ 1997, Pl. 49: 3,7,6.
105  Knez 1993, Pl. 22: 5,7.
106  Dular J. 1982, 78–79, 198, Pl. 27: 268–270.
107  Graves I/31 and III/3 at Znančeve njive (Knez 
1986, Pls. 9 and 24), Grave III/20 at Kapiteljska njiva (Križ 
1997, Pl. 46: 1).
108  Graves III/19, XIV/33 and XIV/45 at Kapiteljska 
njiva (Križ 1997, Pl. 47: 1,2; Križ 2013, Pls. 46: 2,4; 56: 2,4).
Serpentine to the Certosa Fibulae phase and the 
presence of embossed pottery in them is seen as the 
introduction of novelties that went on to become 
popular in the Certosa Fibulae phase.
CONCLUDING REMARKS
Graves with goods from two successive phases 
represent a specific phenomenon, one which Ga­
brovec already noted in 1987. These graves shed 
light onto a transitional period in which new forms 
were introduced that went on to gradually replace 
the earlier ones.
The transitional period from the Stična 2 to 
the Serpentine Fibulae phase can most readily be 
observed in Tumulus 48 at Stična. Attributable to 
this transitional period are, for example, Graves 
36 (old element: boat fibula), 153 (old element: 
Type 8 pedestal vase), 157 (new element: serpen­
tine fibula with a saddle­shaped bow) and 167 
(new element: earrings). Another good example 
is Grave 5/4 also from Stična, which contained 
old elements in the shape of a serpentine fibula 
with antennae, tubular amber beads, hollow spiral 
bracelets of thick sheet metal and undecorated 
anklets, as well as new elements in the shape of a 
pair of long­footed bow fibulae, a pair of ribbed 
bracelets and ribbed anklets.
Tumulus 48 at Stična includes a chamber tomb 
(Grave 43) with ‘heirloom jewellery’ passed down 
through several generations.109 The grave goods 
have only partially survived and include two gold 
trefoils110 and a conically tubular amber bead (Fig. 6: 
5),111 such as were in use in the Stična 2 phase, 
while the lid with holes along the rim ranks among 
the characteristics of the Certosa Fibulae phase. Its 
chronological place towards the end of burial in 
the tumulus is corroborated by its position above 
Graves 25, 28 and 58112 that date to the Certosa 
109  Gabrovec 2006, 45–46, Pl. 29.
110  The two gold lamellae of Variant Ia after Teržan 
and Hellmuth (2010) are similar to the two from the 
well­known Grave 48/27 (Gabrovec 2006, Pl. 17: 15,16).
111  The bead bears chronologically diagnostic decoration 
of stripes of narrow ribs separated by wider low ribs, such 
as can be observed on the bracelets of thick sheet metal 
that characterise the Stična 2 phase. Identical decoration 
can also be found on the bronze socketed fittings of the 
bridle bit cheekpieces from Grave 125/22 at Stična, which 
is attributable to the same phase: Gabrovec 2006, 251, No. 
4, Fig. 62b; Teržan 2010, 286–287.
112  Gabrovec 2006, Pls. 14; 23; 35 and App. 1.
195Grave 20 in Tumulus IV: Hallstatt-period burial of a woman at Znančeve njive in Novo mesto
Fibulae phase. This wide span certainly indicates 
several generations of jewellery ownership.
Another example with heirloom jewellery is 
Grave 5/26 from Stična,113 which held two amber 
beads, a spindle whorl and three ceramic vessels, 
but a single metal good: a fragment of a boat fibula 
of Type 2b after Jerin. Such fibulae are typical of 
the Stična 2 phase,114 while the embossed pedestal 
dish suggests that the deceased was interred in the 
Certosa Fibulae phase.
The presentation of graves from transitional 
periods underlines the importance of seeing life 
in the Iron Age as a continuous and changing 
affair; the leading forms help us attribute grave 
groups to particular chronological phases, while 
the transitional graves enable us to establish clear 
connections between the phases and illuminate the 
time when new forms gradually ousted the old.
Later examples of such transitional burials are 
Graves 5/25 from Stična and III/22 from Kapiteljska 
njiva in Novo mesto, set to the transition from the 
Serpentine to the Certosa Fibulae phase; they also 
rank among the earliest graves with embossed ware, 
a technologically advanced form of pottery that is 
chronologically diagnostic and enables us to date 
Late Hallstatt burials and habitation layers. This 
pottery only came into general use in the Certosa 
Fibulae phase, as evidenced by the reliable grave 
groups from Tumulus 48 at Stična and Kapiteljska 
njiva in Novo mesto.
Graves with goods of markedly differing ages 
often raise doubts as to the reliability of the con­
text, especially when burials excavated prior to 
World War I are in question. We do, however, 
have several reliable grave groups that include 
inherited items of family heirlooms. Such graves 
are extremely valuable, as they allow us to observe 
the continuity within a community.
One example is Grave IV/20 from Znančeve njive 
in Novo mesto, of a woman buried in the Certosa 
Fibulae phase wearing valuable ‘antique’ jewellery 
(gold earrings and bronze spiral bracelets) alongside 
an amber necklace fashionable in her lifetime. She 
was also buried with three embossed kernoi, which 
show the deceased to be an important member of 
the Hallstatt society of her day.
113  Ib., 149, Pl. 126.
114  Ib., Pl. 126: 26; Tecco Hvala 2012, 211, 217, Fig. 
81: 10.
Acknowledgements
Petra Stipančić from the Dolenjski muzej in Novo mesto 
provided some documentation in connection with the grave, 
the information on the bracelets from the grave and their 
drawings by Maja Rudolf Markovič. Boštjan Laharnar from 
the Narodni muzej Slovenije supplied the information on 
the bracelets from Novo mesto, Stična and Vače. Karina 
Grömer from the Naturhistorisches Museum in Vienna 
provided the photographs and weights of the bracelets from 
Vače. Drago Valoh prepared the illustrations. To all these, 
but especially to Mitja Guštin, who has been of enormous 
help in preparing the contribution, my sincere thanks.
LIST of hollow bracelets of thick sheet metal
Variant 1 – Spiral bracelets
1. Novo mesto – Znančeve njive, Grave V/6 (Figs. 5: 1; 6: 1)
Diam. 8.5 cm. Narodni muzej Slovenije, Ljubljana, Inv. 
No. P 11453 (wgt. 234 g).
Gabrovec 1968, 164, Grave 6, No. 1, Pl. 8: 3; Cestnik 
2011, 172–173, No. 496.
2–3. Novo mesto – Znančeve njive, Grave IV/20 (Fig. 2: 4,5)
Diam. 9 cm. Dolenjski muzej, Novo mesto, Inv. Nos. 
896 (wgt. 257.5 g) and 897 (wgt. 272 g).
Knez 1976, 604, No. 3, Fig. 2: 3; Knez 1986, 91, No. 4, 
Pls. 39: 4; 74: IV/20; Cestnik 2011, 172, Nos. 494–495.
4–5. Stična, Grave 5/4 (Fig. 5: 3)
Diam. 8.4 cm. Narodni muzej Slovenije, Ljubljana, Inv. 
No. P 14504 and P 14506 (wgt. 232 g).
Gabrovec 2006, 134, Nos. 43–44, Pl. 111: 43,44; Cestnik 
2011, 173, Nos. 498–499.
6–7. Mecklenburg Collection (inventoried under Vir pri 
Stični, Grave 1/12 – Fig. 5: 2)
Diam. 8.4 cm. Peabody Museum, Cambridge (MA), 
Inv. Nos. 40­77­40/13928 and 13929.
Wells 1981, 84, Grave 12, Fig. 182g.
Variant 2 – Bracelets with overlapping ends
1–2. Reber above Klenik near Vače, Find 1878/10 (Fig. 5: 4)
Diam. 7.3 cm. Naturhistorisches Museum, Vienna, Inv. 
No. 3594 (wgt. 164.4 g and 163.7 g). 
Deschmann, Hochstetter 1879, 11–12, Pl. 6: 9; Cestnik 
2011, 182, Nos. 518–519. 
3–4. Vače (Figs. 5: 5; 6: 3)
Diam. 8.1 and 8.0 cm. Narodni muzej Slovenije, Ljubljana, 
Inv. Nos. P 290 (wgt. 214 g) and P 291 (wgt. 196 g).
Stare 1955a, 43–44, Nos. 572 and 573, Pl. 68: 3,4; Cestnik 
2011, 182, Nos. 521–522. 
5–6. Vače (Figs. 5: 6; 6: 4)
Diam. 7.5 and 7.4 cm. Narodni muzej Slovenije, Ljub­
ljana, Inv. Nos. P 308 (wgt. 72 g) and P 322 (wgt. 68 g).
196 Dragan BOŽIČ
Stare 1955a, 44, Nos. 574 and 575, Pl. 68: 5,6; Cestnik 
2011, 182–183, Nos. 523–524.
7–8. Vače (Fig. 5: 7)
Diam. 7.5 and 7.8 cm. Naturhistorisches Museum, Vi­
enna, Inv. No. 6898 (wgt. 103.2 g and 106.9 g).
Unpublished.
Cestnik 2011, 174, Nos. 510–511.
9–10. Mecklenburg Collection (inventoried under Stična, 
Grave VI/19 – Fig. 5: 8)
Diam. 8.8 cm. Peabody Museum, Cambridge (MA), 
Inv. No. 40­77­40/13774.
Wells 1981, 77, Grave 19, Fig. 150b.
SOURCES
Source 1 
Field diary of Tone Knez from the excavations of Tumulus 
IV at Znančeve njive (kept in the archaeological depart­
ment of the Dolenjski muzej in Novo mesto)
3 August 1968 – Saturday (19)
Excavation team: 6 prisoners + guard, Mitja Guštin.
Excavation work: We began excavating by removing 
the turf and topsoil in the southwest corner of Quadrant 
1. We soon came across the first ceramic find: a crushed 
large ceramic pot. This indicated that we opened a grave 
at the feet of the deceased, whereupon we proceeded by 
carefully removing the fill. By the afternoon, we had fully 
unearthed a very rich, completely preserved burial of a 
woman (Grave 20), which lay within the topsoil, barely 
25  cm under the turf ! It is a miracle that it remained 
undamaged by ploughing. A rain shower halted the exca­
vation, we only covered the grave goods and left them in 
situ. Work resumed after the rain; in extremely adverse 
conditions, in deep mud, we measured the grave, made 
drawings, photographs and finally lifted the goods and 
transferred them to the museum.
(...)
Weather: cloudy, rain shower, adverse working conditions.
Source 2
Field diary of Tone Knez from the excavations of Tumulus 
IV at Znančeve njive (kept in the archaeological depart­
ment of the Dolenjski muzej in Novo mesto)
Tumulus IV: NE quadrant = Quadrant 1, Scale = 1:100
Grave 20:
– amber necklace of large beads at the head
– coil of gold wire for fastening braids of hair on each 
side of the necklace
– solid bronze bracelet with long overlapping ends on 
each side of the body
– thinner and ribbed anklet at each lower leg
– heavily fragmented, scattered and crushed large graphite 
black pot, with three small vases attached at the belly, 
found at the feet.
Translation: Andreja Maver
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198 Dragan BOŽIČ
UVOD
Od avgusta 1967 do avgusta 1970 so bile na 
Znančevih njivah v novomeški Kandiji na desnem 
bregu Krke pod vodstvom Toneta Kneza, kustosa 
Dolenjskega muzeja, izkopane štiri halštatske gomile, 
označene s številkami od I do IV. K isti skupini 
gomil sodita gomila V na območju stadiona in 
gomila VI na parceli Vandot.1 Arheološke najdbe 
iz gomil I do IV na Znančevih njivah je Knez 
objavil pod imenom Novo mesto­Kandija. Pozneje 
sta Janez Dular in Sneža Tecco Hvala za te štiri 
gomile, bližnji gomili V2 in VI ter plano latensko 
grobišče severovzhodno od gomil predlagala skupno 
najdiščno ime Znančeve njive v Novem mestu. To 
uporabljamo tudi v tem prispevku.
Gomilno grobišče, ki ga je izkopal Knez, je bilo 
že v preteklosti deloma uničeno z oranjem, več 
grobov v severnem delu gomile III pa zaradi izkopa 
gradbene jame leta 1954. Gomila I je vsebovala 30 
grobov, v gomili II jih je bilo še 22, v gomili III 
samo še 20 in v gomili IV še 28.3 Zaradi ilovice, 
bogate z oksidi, se v grobovih niso ohranila okostja 
pokopanih, so se pa številni pridatki – v moških 
grobovih sulične osti, sekire, noži, pasne spone in 
pasne garniture, fibule in celo dve bronasti čeladi, 
ena dvogrebenasta in ena negovska, v ženskih pa 
fibule in nakit iz brona, stekla in jantarja, izje­
moma tudi iz zlata. V grobovih obeh spolov so 
bile odkrite tudi številne keramične posode. V 
nekaterih grobovih so ležale poleg keramičnih še 
bronaste posode, med katerimi je posebno pozornost 
vzbudilo pet figuralno okrašenih situl, pridanih v 
tri grobove. V najbogatejšem grobu IV/3 je bila 
najdena tudi konjska oprema.4
Posebno mesto pripada ženskemu grobu IV/20. 
Gre namreč za enega od treh grobov z zlatim nakitom 
(drugi tak grob je grob II/8 z zlatim diademom, 
1  Knez 1986, 20, 51, št. 6, 58, sl. 26 na str. 45; Dular, 
Tecco Hvala 2007, 177, 321, kat. št. 354, sl. 238.
2  V gomili V je bil že leta 1939 izkopan grob z oklepom, 
dve leti pozneje pa še grob s trinožnikom, oba pomembna 
predstavnika stopnje Stična 1 (Gabrovec 1960; Gabrovec 
1968; Gabrovec 1987, 42; Egg, Kramer 2016, 209–210).
3  Knez 1986, 64, 75, 83, 88, t. 62–65.
4  Ib.
Halštatski ženski grob 20 iz gomile IV na Znančevih njivah 
v Novem mestu
tretji pa grob II/19 z ostanki zlate pene5) in za 
edinega, ki je vseboval kar tri kernose.
Po mnenju Bibe Teržan so v gomilah I, II in III 
začeli pokopavati šele v certoški stopnji; najstarejši 
grob gomile IV, grob 20 s tremi kernosi, naj bi bil 
precej starejši, že iz stopnje Stična 2.6
Kot bomo videli v nadaljevanju, sodi po našem 
mnenju tudi grob IV/20 v certoško stopnjo. Grobna 
celota je povsem zanesljiva, saj izvira iz sodobno 
raziskane gomile. Pogled na tloris gomile z grobovi, 
razvrščenimi po starosti (sl. 1: b), kaže, da imamo 
v notranjem krogu drugega ob drugem pokopa iz 
certoške (grob 20) in negovske stopnje (grob 22).
Zgodnja datacija groba IV/20 v stopnjo Stična 2 
izvira iz tega, ker so pridatki, ki zajemajo jantar­
no ogrlico, obročast nakit in keramične posode, 
različno stari. Čeprav so zlata uhana in bronasti 
zapestnici res iz stopnje Stična 2, najmlajši pridatki, 
tj. jantarna ogrlica in nagubani kernosi, dokazujejo 
pokop šele v certoški stopnji.
OKOLIŠČINE ODKRITJA 
IN DOSEDANJE OBJAVE
Na grob 20 so naleteli 3. avgusta 1968 v jugo­
zahodnem vogalu severovzhodnega sektorja gomi­
le  IV. Njegovo dno je ležalo v humusu v globini 
25 cm pod rušo (vir 1). Pravokotna grobna jama 
velikosti 2,3 x 1,1 m je bila usmerjena skoraj na­
tančno v smeri sever–jug (sl. 1).7
Pokojnica, katere okostje se tako kot v drugih 
grobovih gomil na Znančevih njivah ni ohranilo, 
je imela glavo na severu. Na območju glave so 
našli ogrlico iz jantarnih jagod, od katerih so tri 
večjega premera (sl. 2: 1), in dva uhana iz zlate 
žice (sl. 2: 2,3). Na rokah je nosila okrašeni votli 
spiralni zapestnici iz debele pločevine (sl. 2: 4,5), 
na nogah pa narebreni nanožnici s presegajoči­
ma se koncema (sl. 2: 6,7). Pri nogah so bili trije 
enaki kernosi s črno in skrbno zglajeno površino 
(vir 2 – sl. 3). V prvi objavi je navedeno, da je bil 
5  Ib., 56, 75, 78, 81, št. 17, t. 18: 2; 75: II/8.
6  Teržan 2010, 204–205, op. 44.
7  Knez 1976, 602, sl. 1; Knez 1986, 88, t. 65. Povzemamo 
tudi po originalnem dnevniku za delovni dan sobota, 3. 
8. 1968: Vir 1 in 2.
199Grave 20 in Tumulus IV: Hallstatt-period burial of a woman at Znančeve njive in Novo mesto
blizu ene od zapestnic še amorfen košček brona. V 
drugi objavi, sicer brez tlorisa, ta ni več omenjen, 
omenjeni pa so odlomki svetlo modrih steklenih 
jagod in košček ploščatega železa (sl. 2: 8,9).8
Grobna celota je doživela že šest objav, v katerih 
so pridatki različno predstavljeni s kratkimi ali dalj­
šimi opisi, risbami in fotografijami.9 Zlata uhana, 
bronasti zapestnici in kernosi so bili predstavljeni 
še v drugih objavah,10 jantarna ogrlica pa je bila 
leta 1975 odtujena.11
Dosedanje datacije groba se razhajajo od stopnje 
Stična 2 do certoške stopnje.12 V nadaljevanju že­
limo posamezne pridatke analizirati z namenom, 
da bi ugotovili njihovo natančno starost, s tem pa 
tudi medsebojna časovna razmerja med predmeti, 
in na koncu opredelili čas pokopa.
ANALIZA GROBNEGA INVENTARJA
Jantarna ogrlica
Jantarno ogrlico je sestavljalo 27 različno velikih 
temno rjavih jantarnih jagod sploščeno kroglaste 
oblike13 s premerom od 15 do 30 mm.14 Med njimi 
so le tri večje jagode, katerih premer znaša med 
25 in 30 mm (sl. 2: 1).
Jantarne ogrlice starejše železne dobe imajo v 
dolenjski skupini različno velike in različno obli­
kovane jagode. V povprečju so manjše, s premerom 
8  Knez 1976, 604, št. 4, sl. 1: 4; 2: 4; Knez 1986, 91, 
t. 39: 5,6.
9  Knez 1976, 604, sl. 2 in 4; Knez 1986, barvna sl. na 
str. 15, 91, t. 39–40; 72: IV/20; 74: IV/20; 75: IV/20; 78: 
IV/20; Teržan 2003, 69, sl. 4; t. 1: 4,5; 4; Križ, Turk 2003, 
90–91, kat. št. 11–18; Bakarić, Križ, Šoufek 2006, 173–174, 
kat. št. 197–204; Križ, Stipančić, Škedelj Petrič 2009, 281, 
6.4, kat. št. 5–10.
10  Uhana: Knez 1971, 73, kat. št. 74, sl. 74; Križ 2008, 
sl. na str. 58; Križ 2012, sl. na str. 26; zapestnici: Knez 1971, 
73, kat. št. 73, sl. 73; Križ, Turk 2003, sl. na str. 55; kernosi: 
Knez 1971, 73, kat. št. 72, sl. 72; Križ 2012, sl. na str. 75.
11  Ogrlica je bila ukradena julija 1975 med ropom 
Dolenjske galerije, kjer so bile razstavljene najdbe iz gomil 
na Znančevih njivah. Po zaslugi uspešne policijske preis­
kave je bila januarja 1976 večina od skoraj sto ukradenih 
predmetov vrnjena Dolenjskemu muzeju, še vedno pa 
manjka okoli dvajset primerkov nakita, med njimi tudi ta 
ogrlica (Knez 1986, 28 in 64: “Vsi z * označeni predmeti 
so od leta 1975 izgubljeni”).
12  Stopnja Stična 2: Teržan 2010, 204–205, op. 44; ka­
časta stopnja: Gabrovec 1987, 60, op. 136, sl. 4: 21; certoška 
stopnja: Parzinger 1988, 42, t. 52: 2, faza II.
13  Po tipologiji v Gabrovec 2006, 12.
14  Podroben opis v Knez 1976, 604, št. 2, sl. 2: 1.
do 17 mm. Najmanjše imajo premer 2 ali 3 mm.15 
Sorazmerno maloštevilne imajo premer, ki prese­
ga 20 mm; le posamezne, praviloma ploščate, pa 
30 mm ali več (npr. jagoda z Libne 41 mm in dve 
jagodi iz groba 48/27 v Stični 30 oz. 31 mm).16 
Tudi sploščeno kroglaste jagode velikosti med 
25 in 31 mm, ki so s tremi primerki zastopane v 
grobu IV/20, niso prav pogoste. Poznamo jih še v 
grobu 2/h s Prelog na Magdalenski gori (sl. 4: 1), 
v grobovih 160 in 67 (sl. 4: 5) gomile 48 v Stič­
ni in v grobu kneginje V/5 s Kapiteljske njive v 
Novem mestu.
Starost groba 2/h s Prelog17 dokazujeta debeli 
narebreni nanožnici (sl. 4: 3,4) različice IIIb po 
Sneži Tecco Hvala.18 Debele zapestnice in nanožnice 
te različice se pojavljajo šele v grobovih starejšega 
dela certoške stopnje,19 kjer jih spremljajo značilne 
oblike tega dela: certoške fibule I.b, II. in V. vrste, 
trortasta fibula VII. vrste, drobne ločne fibule 
in votle narebrene zapestnice različice Brezje po 
Parzingerju.20
Za časovno opredelitev večjih sploščeno krog­
lastih jantarnih jagod so pomembni tudi grobovi 
gomile 48 iz Stične.
V ženskem grobu 160 je bila med številnimi 
jantarnimi jagodami le ena taka jagoda s premerom 
2,7 cm.21 Ta grob povezuje polkroglasta jantarna 
jagoda, okrašena z vrezi, z grobom 98,22 ki sodi 
zaradi steklenih jagod s plastovitimi očesci v cer­
toško stopnjo.23 Tovrstne jagode se sicer pojavljajo 
drugje tudi v mlajših grobovih, vendar v tej gomili 
po certoški stopnji niso več pokopavali. Za še ožjo 
datacijo groba 98 v starejši del certoške stopnje 
se lahko opremo na temno modri stekleni vazasti 
obesek, katerega dobro primerjavo najdemo v grobu 
121,24 ki ga v ta čas datirajo zgodnje certoške fibule 
in trortasta fibula. Grob 98 povezujejo z grobom 1 
jantarna bula in steklene jagode s plastovitimi oče­
15  Npr. Gabrovec 2006, 35, t. 21: 63–69.
16  Križ 2017, 99, kat. št. 12; Gabrovec 2006, 36, t. 22: 
75,79.
17  Tecco Hvala, Dular, Kocuvan 2004, 30–31, t. 12: A.
18  Tecco Hvala 2012, 301, sl. 111: 2,5,7.
19  Npr. Knez 1986, t. 18: 1; Dular J. 2003, t. 29: 10,11; 
70: 9,10,12,13; 72: 2,3; 73: 6,7; Gabrovec 2006, t. 4: 11,12; 
Pavlovič 2014, 497, sl. 28.7: 23,24.
20  Dular J. 2003, 136, sl. 79–80; Parzinger 1995, 32, 
sl. 12: 2 in seznam na str. 263; Tecco Hvala 2012, 313, sl. 
116: 2, 320, op. 1366: različica V4.
21  Gabrovec 2006, 111, t. 91: 9.
22  Prim. ib., t. 91: 7 in t. 55: 18.
23  Božič 2016, 162, vrsta 21.
24  Prim. Gabrovec 2006, t. 55: 98/5 in t. 71: 16.
200 Dragan BOŽIČ
sci.25 Sočasnost groba 160 z grobom 1 nakazujejo 
diskaste jantarne jagode, okrašene z radialnimi 
vrezi,26 z grobom 121 pa značilne steklene jagode 
s plastovitimi očesci in rumenimi bradavicami.27
V zgornjo skupino grobov iz starejšega dela 
certoške stopnje uvrščamo tudi grob 119–120,28 
ki med drugim vsebuje značilne votle narebrene 
zapestnice različice Brezje po Parzingerju,29 latvico 
4. vrste po Dularju,30 več različnih steklenih vaza­
stih obeskov, steklene in jantarno ogrlico ter dva 
jantarna distančnika. Z grobom 160 ga povezujejo 
latvica in jantarna distančnika.31
 Grob 6732 (sl. 4: 5,6) obsega poleg ogrlice iz 
19 velikih sploščeno kroglastih jantarnih jagod, 
katerih premer znaša od 19 do 27 mm, še debelo 
narebreno zapestnico z dotikajočima se koncema 
različice IIIb po Sneži Tecco Hvala, ki tudi v tem 
primeru omogoča datacijo te le delno ohranjene 
celote v starejši del certoške stopnje.
Grob 35 gomile V na Kapiteljski njivi v Novem 
mestu po bogastvu nakita iz zlata, stekla in jan­
tarja daleč prekaša vse druge ženske grobove v tej 
gomili. Poleg treh zoomorfnih in petih diskastih 
jantarnih jagod ter ogrlice iz manjših jantarnih 
jagod je vseboval še eno, narejeno iz 57 večjih.33 
Ta ima dve sploščeno kroglasti jagodi s premerom, 
ki presega 25 mm. Ti dve in ena manjša imajo v 
notranjosti poševno izvrtane kanale.34
Novomeški grob povezujejo s predstavljenimi 
grobovi starejšega dela certoške stopnje iz gomile 
48 v Stični velike jantarne jagode s poševno izvrta­
nimi kanali (grob 98), jantarni distančniki (grobova 
119–120 in 160), jantarne jagode, okrašene z vrezi 
(grobovi 1, 98 in 160), in diskasta jantarna jagoda 
z luknjico na sredini, okrog katere so križno raz­
porejene štiri manjše luknjice (grob 1).35
Tudi zlati valjasti uhani,36 ki so po okrasu 
podobni bronastim uhanom iz groba na Rojah 
25  Prim. ib., t. 55: 98/17,7,8 in t. 1: 17,15.
26  Prim. ib., t. 91: 6 in t. 1: 16.
27  Prim. ib., t. 91: 4 in t. 72: 46.
28  Ib., 87–89, t. 68–69.
29  Dular J. 2003, 136, sl. 79–80; Parzinger 1995, 32, 
sl. 12: 2 in seznam na str. 263; Tecco Hvala 2012, 313, sl. 
116: 2, 320, op. 1366: različica V4.
30  Dular J. 1982, 76–77, t. 26: 258–263.
31  Prim. Gabrovec 2006, t. 92: 160/15,26 in t. 69: 23,24.
32  Ib., 55, t. 35: 67.
33  Križ 2000, 64, t. 23: 10–14.
34  Ib., 38, barvna sl. na str. 63, 64, t. 23: 13; Križ 2017, 
37 zgoraj in 53.
35  Križ 2000, t. 23: 9–11,13.
36  Ib., t. 22: 6.
pri Trebelnem,37 potrjujejo predloženo datacijo 
novomeškega groba V/35.
Obravnavane grobne celote z Magdalenske gore, iz 
Stične in Novega mesta, ki vsebujejo večje sploščeno 
kroglaste jantarne jagode, katerih premer presega 
25 mm, in z njimi povezani grobovi nakazujejo 
datacijo takih jagod v starejši del certoške stopnje.
Zlata spiralna uhana
Preprosta spiralna zlata uhana s premerom 34 
oziroma 36 mm sta bila narejena iz 1 mm debele 
žice (sl. 2: 2,3). Žico so dvakrat prepognili v dvoj­
no žico tako, da je na obeh koncih nastala zanka, 
potem so to dvojno žico spiralno zvili.
V literaturi je ta oblika opredeljena kot uhani 
ali kot lasni obročki. Podobno obliko imajo tudi 
nekatere zapestnice. Ker ločevanje med uhani in 
lasnimi obročki, ki se v skeletnih grobovih pojav­
ljajo ob lobanji, ni mogoče, bomo v nadaljevanju 
uporabljali samo izraz uhani.
Sneža Tecco Hvala je pri obravnavi uhanov z 
Magdalenske gore spiralne uhane, zvite iz žice 
okroglega preseka, razdelila v vrsto 1 in vrsto 2. V 
prvo je uvrstila preproste uhane iz enojne žice, v 
drugo pa uhane iz dvojne žice, ki imajo na enem 
koncu zanko in so včasih tordirani ali pa okrašeni 
z vrezi, ki tordiranje posnemajo.38
Ugotovila je, da se uhani 1. vrste na območju 
jugovzhodne Slovenije pojavljajo že v prejšnjih 
stopnjah, a so posebno pogosti v stopnji Stična 2. 
Datacijo v to stopnjo dokazuje več ženskih grobov 
z Magdalenske gore, Libne ter iz Novega mesta 
in Stične.39
Za tri grobove iz stiške gomile 48 (147, 157 in 
162), ki naj bi sodili v stopnjo Stična 2, menimo, da 
so nekoliko mlajši. Grob 48/157 uvrščamo zaradi 
kačaste fibule s sedlastim lokom oziroma vrste IV 
po Sneži Tecco Hvala40 na prehod stopnje Stična 2 
v kačasto stopnjo, kar je ugotovil že Gabrovec.41 V 
isti prehodni čas sodita grobova 147 in 162 gomile 
48, v katerih so poleg starinskih žičnatih uhanov 
kačaste fibule, značilne za kačasto stopnjo.42
37  Dular J. 2003, t. 29: 1–3.
38  Tecco Hvala 2007, 478, sl. 1.
39  Ib., op. 3, 5 in 6.
40  Tecco Hvala 2014, 131–133, sl. 4.
41  Gabrovec 1987, 59; Gabrovec 2006, 109, t. 90: 157.
42  V kačasti stopnji popolnoma prevladajo uhani iz 
ploščate žice z enim ali dvema vzdolžnima žlebičema vrste 
3 po Sneži Tecco Hvala, ki imajo presegajoča se konca, 
okrašena s prečnimi vrezi (Stare 1955a, t. 67: 4–10,12; 
201Grave 20 in Tumulus IV: Hallstatt-period burial of a woman at Znančeve njive in Novo mesto
Za uhane 2. vrste predlagamo razdelitev v raz­
ličici 2a in 2b. Za uhane različice 2a je značilno, 
da imajo na enem koncu zanko, na drugem pa 
koničasta konca, ki sta lahko vzporedna oziroma 
prepletena.43
Uhani iz dvojne žice, ki imajo zanki na obeh 
koncih, predstavljajo različico 2b, ki ji lahko pri­
pišemo le malo primerkov: poleg zlatih uhanov iz 
novomeškega groba IV/20 (sl. 2: 2,3) samo še dva iz 
Fedranove zbirke44 in dva iz Mecklenburške zbirke, 
ki sta bila pripisana grobovoma z Magdalenske gore 
oziroma iz Stične.45 Enako sta oblikovani bronasti 
zapestnici iz stiškega groba 48/27.46
Datacijo uhanov različice 2b v stopnjo Stična 2 
potrjuje grob kneginje 48/27 iz Stične,47 posredno 
pa tudi uhana iz Fedranove zbirke, saj med bro­
nastim nakitom te zbirke (fibulami, ovratnicami, 
uhani, zapestnicami in nanožnicami) prevladujejo 
oblike stopnje Stična 2.48
Iz pregleda primerjav in spremnega gradiva iz­
haja, da sodita zlata spiralna uhana med najstarejše 
predmete v novomeškem grobu IV/20, izdelane že 
v stopnji Stična 2.
Za zlate spiralne uhane je Markus Egg poleg 
novomeškega para lahko navedel le še uhana iz 
knežje gomile v Strettwegu in uhane iz devetih 
grobov v Hallstattu.49 Grobovi iz Hallstatta sodijo 
večinoma v stopnjo Ha C, grob iz Strettwega pa v 
čas okrog 600 pr. n. št. To potrjuje, da med njimi 
in uhanoma iz novomeškega groba ni velikega 
časovnega razkoraka.
Votli spiralni zapestnici iz debele pločevine
V grobu IV/20 pokopana ženska je imela na rokah 
votli spiralni zapestnici, izdelani iz debele bronaste 
pločevine (sl. 2: 4,5). Obe sta poškodovani in merita 
9 cm v premeru. Manj poškodovana ima inv. št. P 
897 in tehta 272 g (sl. 2: 5), bolj poškodovana pa nosi 
inv. št. P 896 in tehta malo manj, 257,5 g (sl. 2: 4).
Gabrovec 1987, 59, sl. 4: 12a; Tecco Hvala 2007, 479, sl. 1: tip 
3; Tecco Hvala 2012, 328, sl. 122: 3, 351, op. 1521, faza 3).
43  Stare 1955a, t. 64: 12,13; Stare 1955b, t. 1: 8,9; Dular 
A. 1991, t. 2: 5.
44  Gabrovec 2006, 202, t. 175: 74,75.
45  Hencken 1978, 71, grob X/32–33, sl. 322g; Wells 
1981, 63, grob IV/32, sl. 87f.
46  Gabrovec 2006, t. 19: 46,47.
47  Tecco Hvala 2007, 479, op. 14.
48  Gabrovec 2006, 199–202, t. 172–175.
49  Egg 1996, 218–220.
Votli zapestnici imata stanjšana konca, ki se 
zaključujeta z diskasto razširitvijo. Med zelo rahlo 
izbočenimi širšimi rebri imata snope ozkih reber. 
Zunanji rebri vsakega snopa sta okrašeni s pošev­
nimi vrezi. Na eni zapestnici (sl. 2: 5) poševni vrezi 
pogosto potekajo prek zunanjega rebra snopa in 
prek notranjega rebra, ki je tik ob njem.
Spiralne zapestnice (“dvakrat spiralno uvite 
votle zapestnice z zoženima koncema”) iz debele 
pločevine z dolenjskih najdišč je skupaj s spiralnimi 
zapestnicami iz tanke pločevine prva obravnavala 
Biba Teržan in navedla zapestnice iz grobov IV/20 
in V/6 na Znančevih njivah v Novem mestu (sl. 
2: 4,5; 5: 1) in zapestnici iz groba 5/4 v Stični (sl. 
5: 3).50 V novejših obravnavah je take zapestnice 
umestila v stopnjo Stična 2.51
Halštatske zapestnice Dolenjske je v disertaciji 
obdelala Vojka Cestnik. Novomeški votli spiralni 
zapestnici iz groba IV/20 in vse druge votle zape­
stnice iz debele pločevine je uvrstila med masivne 
zapestnice z votlim jedrom.52
Votle zapestnice iz debele pločevine so malošte­
vilna, a značilna skupina predmetov. Zastopane so 
na le treh najdiščih dolenjske skupine. Kljub temu 
omogočajo podrobnejšo tipološko razvrstitev in 
tudi natančnejšo kronološko opredelitev.
Spiralne zapestnice iz debele pločevine imajo 
težo nad 200 g, pri zapestnicah s presegajočima 
se koncema pa teža variira med okrog 70 in okrog 
200 g, kar je odvisno od premera zapestnice in 
debeline pločevine (glej seznam).
Votle zapestnice iz debele pločevine lahko razde­
limo na spiralne zapestnice (sl. 5: 1–3; Novo mesto, 
Stična, Mecklenburška zbirka) in na zapestnice s 
presegajočima se koncema (sl. 5: 4–8; Vače in Mec­
klenburška zbirka). Natančnejši pregled zapestnic 
razkrije, da imajo med rahlo izbočenimi širšimi 
rebri snope ozkih reber (sl. 6: 1,3,4).
Povedali smo že, da sta na spiralnih zapestni­
cah iz groba IV/20 (sl. 2: 4,5) zunanji rebri snopa 
okrašeni s poševnimi vrezi, na eni od njiju (sl. 2: 5) 
pa pogosto zunanje in sosednje notranje rebro. 
Tudi spiralna zapestnica iz groba V/6 z Znančevih 
njiv (sl. 5: 1; 6: 1) ima na vsaj štirih mestih izbo­
čeno širše rebro obdano z rebroma, okrašenima 
s poševnimi vrezi, ki na sredini spremenijo smer.
Dodaten okras, ki pa se razlikuje od tistega na 
spiralnih zapestnicah, imajo tudi nekatere zape­
stnice s presegajočima se koncema. Gre za motiv 
50  Teržan 1974, 40, op. 27 in 28, sl. 4, črn trikotnik.
51  Nazadnje Teržan 2010, 204–205, op. 44.
52  Cestnik 2011, 169–191.
202 Dragan BOŽIČ
ležeče črke V, motiv črke X in rombičen motiv, 
vsi so narejeni iz več vzporednih črt (sl. 5: 6–8).
Za datacijo zapestnic iz debele pločevine sta na 
voljo le grob 1878/10 s Klenika pri Vačah in grob 
5/4 iz Stične. V najdbi 10 s Klenika pri Vačah iz 
leta 1878 sta za datacijo pomembna trakasta uhana 
vrste 5b po Sneži Tecco Hvala,53 katerih datacijo 
v stopnjo Stična 2 nakazuje grob 48/27 iz Stične.
Bogati grob 5/4 iz Stične vsebuje oblikovno in 
časovno različne predmete.54 Med stare iz sto­
pnje Stična 2 sodijo narebrene cevaste jantarne 
jagode, ki se v enaki obliki pojavljajo v grobu 
48/27,55 neokrašeni nanožnici s presegajočima 
se koncema56 in kačasta fibula s pestiči različice 
IIIa6 po Sneži Tecco Hvala.57 Novosti v grobu so 
narebreni zapestnici in nanožnice s presegajočima 
se stanjšanima koncema različice IIIc po Sneži 
Tecco Hvala58 in dolgonožni ločni fibuli z votlim 
lokom,59 ki so značilne za kačasto stopnjo. Zaradi 
tega ga upravičeno uvrščamo na prehod stopnje 
Stična 2 v kačasto stopnjo. Glede na datacijo groba 
1878/10 s Klenika pri Vačah menimo, da sta tudi 
votli spiralni zapestnici v grobu 5/4 iz Stične (sl. 
5: 3) del starejšega nakita.
Posredno nam omogoča datacijo votlih zapestnic 
iz debele pločevine tudi okras snopov ozkih reber 
med širšimi, rahlo izbočenimi rebri. V povsem enaki 
obliki se ta okras pojavlja na polnih zapestnicah 
s presegajočima se koncema iz grobov stopnje 
Stična 2 (sl. 6: 2).60
Dobre primerjave za rebra, okrašena s poševnimi 
vrezi, ki uokvirjajo snope na spiralnih zapestnicah 
iz Novega mesta (sl. 2: 4,5; 5: 1; 6: 1), najdemo 
na dveh polnih zapestnicah iz groba 48/87A iz 
Stične,61 datiranega v stopnjo Stična 2.
53  Tecco Hvala 2007, 481, sl. 1; Deschmann, Hochstetter 
1879, 11–12, t. 6: 10.
54  Gabrovec 2006, 133–135, t. 109–111; Gabrovec 
1987, 59.
55  Prim. Gabrovec 2006, t. 109: 8 in t. 22: 81.
56  Ib., t. 110: 23,27; prim. Tecco Hvala, Dular, Kocuvan 
2004, t. 3: A.
57  Tecco Hvala 2014, 127, 129, sl. 3a, 146.
58  Tecco Hvala 2012, 301, sl. 111: 3,6; Gabrovec 1987, 
59, sl. 4: 13.
59  Gabrovec 2006, t. 47: 4; 78: 7; 109: 1,2.
60  Glej npr. Kromer 1959, t. 27: 4; Gabrovec 2006, t. 51: 
87A/3; 112: 5/1; Kruh 2010, 89, grob 5; Križ 2013, 30, sl. 
20; t. 12: 3,4; 19: 5,9. V Brezjah pri Trebelnem jih najdemo 
tudi v precej mlajših grobovih (Kromer 1959, t. 24: 7; 26: 
11), kar je odraz dolge tradicije nošenja tega nakita ali pa 
nezanesljivih grobnih inventarjev.
61  Gabrovec 2006, t. 51: 87A/1,2.
Poleg tega imamo na nekaterih zelo debelih pol­
nih zapestnicah različice IIc po Sneži Tecco Hvala62 
(sl.  5: 9–11) okrasne motive, podobne tistim na 
obravnavanih zapestnicah iz debele pločevine. Gre za 
snope reber ali vrezov, katerih zunanja rebra oziroma 
pasovi so okrašeni s poševnimi vrezi in običajno 
sestavljajo motiv smrekove vejice. Poznamo pa tudi 
samostojno stoječa rebra, okrašena s poševnimi 
vrezi, in večje osrednje motive v obliki ležeče črke 
V ali romba, narejene v podobni tehniki.
Pregled zapestnic na sl. 5 nam omogoča, da 
uvrstimo votli spiralni zapestnici iz novomeškega 
groba IV/20 v stopnjo Stična 2.
Narebreni nanožnici 
s presegajočima se koncema
Značilnost bronastih nanožnic iz groba IV/20 
je, da sta polni, narebreni in imata presegajoča 
stanjšana konca (sl. 2: 6,7). V dolenjski halštatski 
skupini so sorazmerno številne in sodijo v različico 
IIIc po Sneži Tecco Hvala.63
Gabrovec je na podlagi zanesljivih grobnih celot 
gomile 48 v Stični narebrene zapestnice s presegajo­
čima se stanjšanima koncema opredelil kot novost 
kačaste stopnje.64 Sneža Tecco Hvala pa je njihov 
začetek postavila že v stopnjo Stična predvsem na 
podlagi nekaterih grobov z oblikami stopnje Stična 
2,65 katerih sestava ni nujno zanesljiva, ker so bili 
izkopani pred prvo vojno. Vsekakor v nekaterih 
inventarjih najdemo tudi mlajše oblike (npr. pi­
javkasto fibulo66 in valjaste uhane67), ki datacije v 
stopnjo Stična ne potrjujejo. Zanesljivi grobovi iz 
Stične (48/36, 5/4 in 5/13) po našem mnenju sodijo 
na prehod stopnje Stična 2 v kačasto stopnjo. 
Narebrene zapestnice in nanožnice različice 
IIIc so značilnost kačaste stopnje, pojavljajo pa se 
tudi še v grobovih certoške stopnje.68 Nanožnici 
iz groba IV/20 sta torej lahko oblika kačaste ali 
certoške stopnje, ne pa stopnje Stična 2. 
62  Tecco Hvala 2012, 295, op. 1246, sl. 109: 9, 299, op. 
1274; Gabrovec 2006, t. 19: 42; 175: 77,78; Guštin 1976, 
45–46, t. 70: 14,15. Zapestnici z Libne, shranjeni v graškem 
muzeju Joanneumu (inv. št. 10253 in 10261), nista votli, 
kot piše Mitja Guštin in kot izhaja iz preseka ob risbi ene 
od njiju, ampak polni: Cestnik 2011, 271, št. 1029–1030.
63  Tecco Hvala 2012, 301, sl. 111: 3,6.
64  Gabrovec 1987, 59, sl. 4: 13.
65  Tecco Hvala 2012, 307, op. 1304. 
66  Kromer 1959, t. 48: 3.
67  Ib., t. 17: 15; 22: 8. 
68  Tecco Hvala 2012, 305, op. 1291; 307, op. 1306.
203Grave 20 in Tumulus IV: Hallstatt-period burial of a woman at Znančeve njive in Novo mesto
Kernosi in datacija nagubane keramike 
Večje posode z več pripadajočimi manjšimi 
čašami sodijo v skupino antičnega grškega po­
sodja s skupnim imenom kernos  (grško κέρνος 
ali κέρχνος, množina kernoi). V rabi naj bi bile za 
ritualne namene, podobno kot se je to domnevalo 
za znamenite novomeške kernose iz groba IV/20.69 
Prevladujoče mnenje je, da gre za kultne posode, 
ker so se podobne posode s čašicami uporabljale 
pri elevzinskem kultu v Grčiji,70 in da gre na 
Dolenjskem za pridatek pomembnejših ženskih 
pokopov.71 Morda svečenic ali žensk, pripadnic 
ene vodilnih družin, ki je imela v rokah poleg 
oblastnih tudi kultne funkcije, na kar morda kaže 
prav novomeški grob IV/20.72 Vendar je treba 
upoštevati dejstvo, da se kernosi pojavljajo tudi 
v grobovih bojevnikov in da npr. v grobovih iz 
Dolenjskih Toplic glede na ostale pridatke niso 
bile pokopane osebe visokega stanu. 
Kernosi so na Dolenjskem maloštevilni.73 Vsi 
trije kernosi iz groba IV/20 na Znančevih nji­
vah so si zelo podobni (sl. 3). Ramena posod in 
čašic so nagubana. V nogah je po pet trikotnih 
odprtin, nad njimi in med njimi so vrezani ve­
činoma dvojni kotni motivi, pod odprtinami pa 
je noga narebrena. Poleg teh treh primerkov sta 
v Novem mestu še dva podobna iz groba VII/20 
s Kapiteljske njive,74 eden, sicer izredno majhen, 
a po konceptu enak, pa izvira z izkopavanj za 
Okrajno glavarstvo.75
Kernos arhaične oblike je vseboval stiški 
grob z oklepom, ki ga je izkopala vojvodinja 
Mecklenburška,76 po mlajše oblike trije grobovi iz 
69  Guštin 2015, 78.
70  Dular J. 1982, 191, op. 30; Landolt, Fleischer 2014, 
286. Landolt in Fleischer sta navedla nekaj možnosti upo­
rabe kernosov (manjši bi lahko bili pivske posode, ki so 
si jih pivci podajali iz rok v roke, dokler niso bile prazne, 
večji posode za pripravo mešanih pijač, kernosi pa bi 
bili lahko tudi svetila, če bi bil v kanale med čašicami in 
posodo vtaknjen stenj).
71  Knez 1976, 608–609; Križ, Stipančić, Škedelj Petrič 
2009, 121.
72  Teržan 2003, 69, op. 20. 
73  Dular J. 1982, 59–60, 190, t. 20: 173–174; Landolt, 
Fleischer 2014, sl. 4: 21,27–30,41–43; 7: 29a–c; 9: 21a–c,22; 
10: 15. 
74  Križ 2008, sl. na str. 16; Križ, Stipančić, Škedelj 
Petrič 2009, 120–121, 281, kat. št. 3–4.
75  Božič 2008, t. 1: 8.
76  Božič 2009, sl. 8: 2. 
Dolenjskih Toplic,77 eno čašico s kernosa poznamo 
iz gomile VI/1879 v Ivancu pri Družinski vasi.78 
Kernos iz Stične in kernosi iz groba IV/20 z 
Znančevih njiv imajo po štiri čašice na ramenu, 
primerka iz groba VII/20 s Kapiteljske njive in vsi 
trije iz Dolenjskih Toplic pa po tri.79 Zanimivo je, 
da imajo na enem od dveh kernosov iz ženskega 
groba VII/20 na Kapiteljski njivi vse tri čašice 
povsem očitno samo simbolno vlogo, saj so pov­
sem zaprte, zaradi česar skoznje ni bilo mogoče 
ničesar ne vliti ne izliti.80
Že površen pogled na kernose kaže očitno na 
raznolikost v oblikovanju po posameznih najdiščih, 
kar smemo upravičeno povezati z lokalno izdelavo, 
pa tudi sicer se med seboj od groba do groba 
razlikujejo, kar kaže na različnega izdelovalca 
oz. različno časovno obdobje izdelave. Stiški po 
okrasu trupa posode in ostenja čašic povsem 
odstopa in kaže dejansko na starejše elemente 
oblikovanja posodja. Dva kernosa iz Dolenjskih 
Toplic imata gladko ostenje, le v enem primeru 
(grob 1/7) je najširši obod razčlenjen z bunčicami, 
ki nakazujejo sicer priljubljeno gubanje posod, 
tudi novomeških kernosov. Morda je nagubana 
tudi čašica iz Družinske vasi. 
Kernose najdemo tako v moških (grob z okle­
pom iz Stične, grob 1/7 iz Dolenjskih Toplic) kot v 
ženskih grobovih (oba grobova iz Novega mesta). 
Dvojni grob moža in žene 2/35 iz Dolenjskih Toplic 
je poleg keramičnih posod, orožja in dveh fibul 
vseboval še keramično vretence. Iz Pečnikovega 
poročila je razvidno, da so bili vsi pridatki pri 
enem okostju, glede na orožje pri moškem.81 
Tri od naštetih grobov z enim ali več kernosi 
lahko pripišemo osebam višjega družbenega polo­
žaja, stiškega zaradi bronastega oklepa, grob IV/20 
z Znančevih njiv zaradi zlatih uhanov in grob 
VII/20 s Kapiteljske njive zaradi uvoženega grške­
ga kiliksa,82 medtem ko so grobovi iz Dolenjskih 
Toplic razmeroma skromni. Oba moška grobova 
sta imela poleg običajnega orožja (ena oziroma dve 
sulični osti in tulasta sekira) in keramike še fibulo 
77  Grobovi 1/7, 2/35 in 5/26: Teržan 1976, 395–396, 
op. 264 na str. 424, t. 2: 6; 398–399, t. 16: 4; 401, t. 35: 2. 
78  Dular J. 1982, 59, Šmarjeta; Dular A. 1991, 26, 67, 
št. 22, t. 5: 7. 
79  Teržan 1980, 345, op. 10. 
80  Križ 2008, sl. na str. 16, desno; Križ, Stipančić, 
Škedelj Petrič 2009, 120. 
81  Teržan 1976, 398–399, t. 16. 
82  Križ, Turk 2003, 68, sl. na str. 71; Križ, Stipančić, 
Škedelj Petrič 2009, 295, št. 2; Križ 2012, sl. na str. 38. 
Prim. Dular J. 1982, 155–156. 
204 Dragan BOŽIČ
in zapestnico (grob 1/7) oziroma dve fibuli (grob 
2/35), grob 5/26 pa celo samo kernos in iglo fibule. 
Najstarejši kernos na Dolenjskem je bil najden 
skupaj z zvončastim oklepom v gomili 52 v Stični. 
Ta tip oklepa najdemo predvsem v stopnji Stična.83 
Vsi drugi grobovi s kernosi so precej mlajši. Grob 
VII/20 s Kapiteljske njive je zaradi votle bronaste 
nanožnice, okrašene s snopi prečnih vrezov, gotovo 
mlajši od kačaste stopnje.84 Grob 1/7 iz Dolenjskih 
Toplic uvršča certoška fibula X. vrste v negovsko 
stopnjo.85 Datacijo groba 2/35 z istega najdišča 
v certoško, verjetneje pa v negovsko stopnjo na­
kazujeta osti kopij z listom deltoidne oblike in 
rombičnega preseka.86 Grob 5/26 iz Dolenjskih 
Toplic s skromnimi pridatki lahko datiramo v 
negovsko stopnjo le posredno, saj so vsi grobovi 
gomile 5 iz tega časa.87
Za datacijo kernosov iz groba IV/20 na Znanče­
vih njivah so izpovedni posamezni okrasni detajli. 
Zelo podobne noge imajo trije nagubani ciboriji 
4. vrste po Dularju88 iz groba I/9 na Kapiteljski 
njivi (sl. 7).89 Vsaka noga ima zgoraj po tri triko­
tne predrtine, spodnji del je narebren. Ciboriji so 
bogato okrašeni, na največjem obodu s svastikami, 
narejenimi iz vtisnjenih pik. Podobne svastike se 
pojavljajo na ciborijih iz grobov I/31 in III/3 na 
Znančevih njivah, ki sodita v starejši del certoške 
stopnje.90 Za datacijo groba I/9, iz katerega se je 
ohranila samo keramika, je pomembna tudi njegova 
lega nad grobom 4 s skledo z nogo z nagubanim 
ramenom,91 ki je, kot bomo pokazali v nadalje­
vanju, mlajša od kačaste stopnje. 
Ena pomembnih značilnosti kernosov iz groba 
IV/20 je nagubanost ostenja. Nagubani okras se na 
keramiki dolenjske skupine ob kernosih pojavlja 
predvsem na ciborijih, skodelah, skledah in skledah 
z nogo.92 Da se nagubana keramika ni pojavila že 
v kačasti stopnji, govore zanesljive grobne celote 
83  Teržan 2010, 281–286. Domnevni grobni inventar iz 
gomile 52 vsebuje časovno raznolike predmete. Arhivski 
viri so pokazali, da sta bila v tem grobu zanesljivo oklep 
in kernos, medtem ko za pripadnost mlajših ciborijev ni 
dokazov. Teržan 2010, 283 in 286; Božič 2009. 
84  Fotografijo zelo poškodovane nanožnice nam je 
ljubeznivo posredoval Borut Križ iz Dolenjskega muzeja 
v Novem mestu. 
85  Teržan 1976, 385, 387. 
86  Tecco Hvala 2012, 127, sl. 50. 
87  Teržan 1976, 387. 
88  Dular J. 1982, 46–47, t. 13: 124–126.
89  Knez 1993, 38, t. 12. 
90  Knez 1986, t. 9: 12; 24: 18.
91  Knez 1993, t. 9: 12, pril. 2.
92  Dular J. 1982, 85, sl. 4C. 
iz gomile 48 v Stični93 in iz objavljenih gomil na 
Kapiteljski njivi v Novem mestu,94 v katerih ni 
nagubanih posod. 
Izdelavo in uporabo nagubane keramike v certo­
ški in negovski stopnji dobro dokazujejo gomilno 
grobišče iz Dolenjskih Toplic in gomile I do IV z 
Znančevih njiv v Novem mestu.95 Vsi tamkajšnji 
grobovi so namreč datirani v omenjeni stopnji, 
številni med njimi vsebujejo nagubano posodje. 
Med najstarejše grobove z nagubano keramiko 
uvrščamo moški grob 5/25 iz Stične,96 ki vsebuje 
par za kačasto stopnjo značilnih kačastih fibul s 
krilci. Vendar njegovo starost določajo trije ciboriji 
z nagubano nogo 11. vrste po Dularju97 in širok 
ciborij z nizkim vratom. 
Ciboriji 11. vrste iz tega groba se razlikujejo 
od ciborijev 9. vrste z rdeče­črnimi progami,98 
ki so značilni za kačasto stopnjo, po izraziti na­
gubani odebelitvi na nogi z dobro primerjavo v 
grobu 2/46 na Prelogah na Magdalenski gori,99 ki 
pripada mlajšemu delu certoške stopnje. Ciborije 
pokrivajo pokrovi z luknjicami na robu, kar kaže 
na posnemanje kovinskih pokrovov z obeski, od­
kritih v grobovih iz istega časa.100 Široki ciborij z 
nizkim vratom je po obliki in okrasu precej podo­
ben ciboriju iz groba 48/99 v Stični, datiranega v 
starejši del certoške stopnje.101 Zaradi najmlajših 
elementov postavljamo grob 5/25 iz Stične na 
prehod kačaste v certoško stopnjo.
Tudi moški grob III/22 s Kapiteljske njive v 
Novem mestu,102 ki vsebuje poleg keramičnega 
posodja pravokotno ščitno grbo, pravokotno pasno 
spono, sulično ost in bronasto cedilo,103 uvrščamo 
zaradi nagubane sklede z nogo, ciborija z okro­
glim trupom, le rahlo izvihanim ustjem ter tremi 
bradavicami in stožčastega pokrova s trirogeljnim 
držajem104 na prehod kačaste v certoško stopnjo. 
93  Upoštevali smo samo grobove s kovinskimi in kera­
mičnimi pridatki: Gabrovec 2006, gomila 48, grobovi 12, 17, 
26, 40, 44, 48, 73, 75, 81, 109, 129, 131, 136, 138, 141, 143, 
147, 151, 152, 154, 162, 163, 164, 172, 173, 177, 178, 179. 
94  Upoštevali smo samo grobove s kovinskimi in ke­
ramičnimi pridatki: Križ 1997, grob II/15; Križ 2000, grob 
V/62; Križ 2013, grobova I/66 in I/72b. 
95  Teržan 1976; Knez 1986. 
96  Gabrovec 2006, 147–149, t. 124–126. 
97  Dular J. 1982, 52, t. 18: 154–156.
98  Ib., 50–51, t. 16: 142–144.
99  Tecco Hvala, Dular, Kocuvan 2004, t. 43: 13.
100  Ib., t. 25: 13; 42: 10; 43: 12; 44: 15. 
101  Gabrovec 2006, t. 57: 17; 126: 25/18.
102  Križ 1997, 31 (stopnja Stična 1), t. 49–51. 
103  Egg, Kramer 2016, 152, sl. 65: 1. 
104  Križ 1997, t. 49: 3,7,6. 
205Grave 20 in Tumulus IV: Hallstatt-period burial of a woman at Znančeve njive in Novo mesto
Dobro primerjavo ciboriju s tremi bradavicami 
najdemo v grobu I/19 s Kapiteljske njive, ki vse­
buje tudi nagubano skledo z nogo.105 Za datacijo 
je pomemben predvsem pokrov ciborija 2. vrste 
po Dularju.106 Tovrstni pokrovi so sorazmerno 
maloštevilni. Še najbolje so zastopani prav v Novem 
mestu, kjer so sicer oblikovno precej raznoliki, 
pojavljajo pa se izključno v grobovih certoške107 in 
negovske108 stopnje, ko postanejo izrazito ploščati. 
Predstavljena grobova omogočata prepoznavanje 
tekočega prehoda iz kačaste v certoško stopnjo. 
Prisotnost nagubane keramike v teh dveh grobo­
vih razumemo kot začetek novosti, ki doživi svoj 
razcvet v certoški stopnji. 
SKLEPNE UGOTOVITVE
Poseben pojav, na katerega je že leta 1987 opo­
zoril Gabrovec, pomenijo grobovi s predmeti dveh 
zaporednih stopenj, ki nam omogočajo oblikovanje 
prehodnega horizonta z uveljavljanjem novih oblik, 
ki so šele postopoma v celoti izpodrinile stare. 
Za prepoznavanje prehodnega horizonta iz stopnje 
Stična 2 v kačasto stopnjo je dober primer gomila 
48 v Stični. Na prehod sodijo na primer grobovi 
36 (stara je čolničasta fibula), 153 (star je ciborij 
8. vrste), 157 (nova je kačasta fibula s sedlastim 
lokom) in 167 (nova sta uhana). Lep primer groba, 
ki sodi v isti prehodni čas, je tudi grob 5/4 iz Stične, 
v katerem so stare oblike kačasta fibula s pestiči, 
cevaste jantarne jagode, votli spiralni zapestnici 
iz debele pločevine in neokrašeni nanožnici, nove 
pa dolgonožni ločni fibuli, narebreni zapestnici in 
narebrene nanožnice. 
V gomili 48 v Stični imamo tudi primer grob­
nice 43 s “podedovanim nakitom”.109 Med delno 
ohranjenim grobnim inventarjem so dve zlati 
deteljici110 in stožčasta cevasta jantarna jagoda (sl. 
6: 5),111 ki so bile v rabi v stopnji Stična 2, pokrov 
105  Knez 1993, t. 22: 5,7.
106  Dular J. 1982, 78–79, t. 27: 268–270.
107  Grobova I/31 in III/3 z Znančevih njiv (Knez 1986, t. 
9 in 24), grob III/20 s Kapiteljske njive (Križ 1997, t. 46: 1).
108  Grobovi III/19, XIV/33 in XIV/45 s Kapiteljske 
njive (Križ 1997, t. 47: 1,2; Križ 2013, t. 46: 2,4; 56: 2,4).
109  Gabrovec 2006, 45–46, t. 29. 
110  Zlati lameli različice Ia po Teržanovi in Hellmuthovi 
(2010) sta podobni tistima iz znamenitega groba 48/27 
(Gabrovec 2006, t. 17: 15,16).
111  Jagodo časovno opredeljuje okras snopov ozkih 
reber med širšimi, rahlo izbočenimi rebri, kakršnega imajo 
zapestnice iz debele bronaste pločevine, ki so značilnost 
z luknjicami na robu pa sodi med značilnosti cer­
toške stopnje. Da gre za enega najmlajših pokopov 
v gomili, izhaja tudi iz njegove lege nad grobovi 
25, 28 in 58,112 ki sodijo v certoško stopnjo. Glede 
na predloženo datacijo groba 43 se je zlati nakit 
dedoval več generacij. 
Drug primer podedovanega nakita najdemo v 
stiškem grobu 5/26,113 ki je poleg dveh jantarnih 
jagod, vretenca in treh keramičnih posod vseboval 
en sam kovinski pridatek, odlomek čolničaste fi­
bule vrste 2b po Jerinovi. Take fibule so značilnost 
stopnje Stična 2,114 grob pa uvrščamo v certoško 
stopnjo zaradi nagubane sklede z nogo. 
S predstavitvijo grobov prehodnega horizonta 
smo želeli poudariti, da moramo gledati življenje v 
starejši železni dobi v tekočem razvojnem sosledju. 
Vodilne oblike nam pomagajo uvrstiti grobne inven­
tarje v posamezno kronološko stopnjo, medtem ko 
nam prav prehodni grobovi omogočajo vzpostaviti 
čvrsto povezavo med njimi in kažejo na obdobje, 
ko nove oblike izpodrivajo stare. 
Taka primera sta tudi grobova 5/25 iz Stične 
in III/22 s Kapiteljske njive v Novem mestu, ki ju 
postavljamo na prehod kačaste v certoško stopnjo 
in sodita med najstarejše grobove z nagubano kera­
miko. Ta predstavlja enega zahtevnejših keramičnih 
izdelkov, hkrati pa omogoča časovne opredelitve 
poznohalštatskih grobov in naselbinskih plasti. Gre 
namreč za keramično posodje, ki je v splošni rabi 
šele v certoški stopnji, kar jasno kažejo zanesljive 
grobne celote iz gomile 48 v Stični in s Kapiteljske 
njive v Novem mestu. 
Pojav predmetov z velikim časovnim razkora­
kom v grobnih celotah pogosto vzbuja dvome o 
zanesljivosti najdbe, zlasti kadar gre za grobove, 
izkopane pred prvo vojno. V nekaterih zanesljivih 
grobnih inventarjih pa imamo, kot smo videli v 
razpravi, podedovane predmete, ki sodijo po svojih 
značilnostih med “dediščino” pokojnega/pokoj­
nice. Tudi takšni primeri so zelo izpovedni, saj 
omogočajo ugotavljanje kontinuitete v skupnosti.
V primeru groba IV/20 z Znančevih njiv v Novem 
mestu imamo pokojnico, ki ji je bil v času pokopa 
v certoški stopnji nadet tako dragocen “starinski” 
nakit (zlata uhana in spiralni bronasti zapestnici) 
stopnje Stična 2. Natančno tako so okrašeni tudi bronasti 
tulasti nastavki stranic konjske brzde iz groba 125/22 iz 
Stične, ki prav tako sodi v to stopnjo: Gabrovec 2006, 250, 
št. 4, sl. 62b; Teržan 2010, 285–286. 
112  Gabrovec 2006, t. 14; 23; 35 in pril. 1. 
113  Ib., 149, t. 126. 
114  Ib., t. 126: 26; Tecco Hvala 2012, 211, 217, sl. 81: 10. 
206 Dragan BOŽIČ
kakor tudi za to stopnjo značilna jantarna ogrlica. 
Predvsem pa so za čas pogrebnih slovesnosti po­
membni nagubani kernosi, ki pokojnico uvrščajo 
med pomembnejše predstavnice halštatske družbe 
njenega časa. 
SEZNAM 
votlih zapestnic iz debele pločevine
Različica 1 – Spiralne zapestnice
1. Novo mesto – Znančeve njive, grob V/6 (sl. 5: 1; 6: 1)
Pr. 8,5 cm. Narodni muzej Slovenije, Ljubljana, inv. št. 
P 11453 (teža 234 g). 
Gabrovec 1968, 164, grob 6, št. 1, t. 8: 3; Cestnik 2011, 
172–173, št. 496.
 
2–3. Novo mesto – Znančeve njive, grob IV/20 (sl. 2: 4,5)
Pr. 9 cm. Dolenjski muzej, Novo mesto, inv. št. 896 (teža 
257,5 g) in 897 (teža 272 g). 
Knez 1976, 604, št. 3, sl. 2: 3; Knez 1986, 91, št. 4, t. 39: 
4; 74: IV/20; Cestnik 2011, 172, št. 494–495. 
4–5. Stična, grob 5/4 (sl. 5: 3)
Pr. 8,4 cm. Narodni muzej Slovenije, Ljubljana, inv. št. 
P 14504 in P 14506 (teža 232 g). 
Gabrovec 2006, 134, št. 43–44, t. 111: 43,44; Cestnik 
2011, 173, št. 498–499. 
6–7. Mecklenburška zbirka (inventarizirani pod Vir pri 
Stični, grob 1/12 – sl. 5: 2)
Pr. 8,4 cm. Peabody Museum, Cambridge (MA), inv. 
št. 40­77­40/13928 in 13929. 
Wells 1981, 84, grob 12, sl. 182g. 
Različica 2 – Zapestnice s presegajočima se koncema
1–2. Reber nad Klenikom pri Vačah, najdba 1878/10 (sl. 5: 4)
Pr. 7,3 cm. Naravoslovni muzej, Dunaj, inv. št. 3594 
(teži 164,4 g in 163,7 g). 
Deschmann, Hochstetter 1879, 11–12, t. 6: 9; Cestnik 
2011, 182, št. 518–519.
 
3–4. Vače (sl. 5: 5; 6: 4)
Pr. 8,1 in 8,0 cm. Narodni muzej Slovenije, Ljubljana, 
inv. št. P 290 (214 g) in P 291 (196 g). 
Stare 1955a, 43–44, št. 572 in 573, t. 68: 3,4; Cestnik 
2011, 182, št. 521–522. 
5–6. Vače (sl. 5: 6; 6: 5)
Pr. 7,5 in 7,4 cm. Narodni muzej Slovenije, Ljubljana, 
inv. št. P 308 (teža 72 g) in P 322 (teža 68 g). 
Stare 1955a, 44, št. 574 in 575, t. 68: 5,6; Cestnik 2011, 
182–183, št. 523–524.
7–8. Vače (sl. 5: 7)
Pr. 7,5 in 7,8 cm. Naravoslovni muzej, Dunaj, inv. št. 
6898 (teži 103,2 g in 106,9 g). 
Neobjavljeni. 
Cestnik 2011, 174, št. 510–511. 
9–10. Mecklenburška zbirka (inventarizirani pod Stična, 
grob VI/19 – sl. 5: 8)
Pr. 8,8 cm. Peabody Museum, Cambridge (MA), inv. 
št. 40­77­40/13774. 
Wells 1981, 77, grob 19, sl. 150b. 
VIRI
Vir 1 
Terenski dnevnik Toneta Kneza z izkopavanj gomile IV na 
Znančevih njivah (hrani Oddelek za arheologijo Dolenjskega 
muzeja v Novem mestu)
3. 8. 1968 – sobota (19)
Delovna ekipa: 6 obsojencev + paznik, Mitja Guštin. 
Potek dela: Danes smo pričeli z odkrivanjem ruše in 
humusne plasti v sektorju 1 v jugozahodnem vogalu. 
Kmalu smo naleteli na prve keramične najdbe: potlačeno 
veliko keramično vazo. To je bil znak, da smo našli grob 
pri nogah, nakar smo začeli previdno odpirati grob. Proti 
poldnevu smo grob popolnoma odkrili in pokazal se nam 
je zelo bogat, v celoti ohranjen ženski grob 20, ki je ležal 
še v humusni plasti, komaj 25 cm pod rušo! Pravi čudež 
je, da je grob pri oranju ostal nepoškodovan. Hud naliv 
nas je nato pregnal s terena, najdbe in situ smo pokrili. 
Po nevihti smo v skrajno neugodnih razmerah v hudem 
blatu grob izmerili, narisali ter fotografirali in nato najdbe 
dvignili in prepeljali v muzej. 
(...)
Vreme: oblačno, ploha, skrajno neugodno za delo. 
Vir 2 
Terenski dnevnik Toneta Kneza z izkopavanj gomile IV na 
Znančevih njivah (hrani Oddelek za arheologijo Dolenjskega 
muzeja v Novem mestu)
Gomila IV: SV sektor = sektor 1 M = 1:100
Grob 20:
– pri glavi jantarna ogrlica iz debelih jagod
– v isti višini na vsaki strani ogrlice po en svitek zlate 
žice za spenjanje kit
– vzporedno ob telesu na vsaki strani po ena masivna 
bronasta zapestnica, daleč presegajoča
– v spodnjem delu nog dve vzporedno ležeči, bolj tanki 
in narebreni nanožnici
– na koncu nog je bila na večjem prostoru močno raz­
lomljena, raztresena in potlačena velika črna keramična 
posoda, ki je grafitirana, na trebuhu pa ima 3 majhne 
vazice, ki so spojene z glavno posodo. 
207Grave 20 in Tumulus IV: Hallstatt-period burial of a woman at Znančeve njive in Novo mesto
Zahvala
Petra Stipančić iz Dolenjskega muzeja v Novem mestu 
mi je posredovala nekaj dokumentacije v zvezi z grobom 
IV/20 z Znančevih njiv, podatke o zapestnicah iz tega 
groba in novi risbi, ki ju je narisala Maja Rudolf Mar­
kovič, Boštjan Laharnar iz Narodnega muzeja Slovenije 
podatke o zapestnicah iz Novega mesta, Stične in z Vač, 
Karina Grömer iz Naravoslovnega muzeja na Dunaju pa 
fotografije in teže zapestnic z Vač. Vsem njim, sodelavcu 
Dragu Valohu, ki je pripravil slike, in Mitju Guštinu, ki 
mi je veliko pomagal pri pripravi članka, prisrčna hvala.
Dragan Božič
Znanstvenoraziskovalni center SAZU
Inštitut za arheologijo
Novi trg 2
SI­1000 Ljubljana
dragan.bozic@zrc­sazu.si