The settlement mound Tabakoni, view from the Northeast 2. Finds of charred seeds of millet at the edge of a Late Bronze Age mass of daub 3. Denticulate silex insert of a composite sickle 4. Reconstructed upper part of a vessel found in settlement layers of the Late Bronze Age 5. Silex arrowheads Funding provided by Alexander von Humboldt Foundation 3 5 2 4 3r d -1s t M ill . BC

This paper discusses the practice of stuffing the sockets of metalwork implements prior to deposition with other objects, mostly
fragments of other metal items but on occasion also non-metallic objects. In the Carpathian Basin it is found during the earlier
part of the Late Bronze Age and in Britain and Ireland towards the end of this period. Seen against the backdrop of wider,
pan-European depositional practices, this peculiar custom in most cases can be interpreted as an attempt at preserving the
integrity of individual sets of items within larger communal offerings.

The hoard of bronze weapons found in 1961 at Peelhill Farm in South Lanarkshire remains one of the most remarkable discoveries of Late Bronze Age metalwork from Scotland, its importance reflected in the detailed account of the find published by John Coles and Jack Scott in 1963. In the present paper, the contents, location and significance of the discovery are reassessed in the light of more recent approaches to research on hoards. In particular, the renewed investigation provided fresh insights into the use and treatment of the artefacts prior to their deposition, while the local topography may have influenced the choice of location to a greater degree than previously assumed. Radiocarbon dates indicate a likely date in the 9th century BC. Taken together, Peelhill Farm and the related find of metalwork from Duddingston Loch, Edinburgh, comprise the northernmost representatives of a group of weapon-dominated hoards mainly recorded in southern Britain. In view of the bias towards mar...

In conflict archaeology, research has mainly focused on violent events so far. However, strategies of de-escalation are equally important and must be considered substantially when it comes to social consequences and economic costs for the communities involved. Successful conflict resolutions, like diplomatic relations or alliance formations, leave less clear material traces than acts of violence and are more difficult to prove without written sources. This session aims nevertheless to discuss possible archaeological evidence and thus highlight different perceptions and (peaceful) strategies of de-escalations: Which historical and modern concepts were perhaps already known to prehistoric societies? How was it possible to peacefully manage conflicts even without state structures? Did a principle of deterrence already exist to prevent assaults? What did security mean and how was an attempt made to establish such a sentiment? And how is our perception of the presence and future related to our reflection of past societies? Multidisciplinary contributions from archaeology (ca. 2000 BC-1000 AD), cultural anthropology, philosophy, sociology, and political science are very welcome.