Izvleček
V času nastajanja evropske civilizacije na območju Sredozemlja z grškimi mestnimi državicami in etruščansko kulturo celinsko Evropo obvladuje starejšeželeznodobna kultura ali halštatsko obdobje (8.−4. stol. pr. n. št.), ki ga zaznamuje železo, nova in dragocena kovina. Na območju Slovenije se je oblikovalo šest kulturnih skupin, ki se po razprostranjenosti ujemajo s sedanjimi slovenskimi pokrajinami. Med sabo se razlikujejo tako po načinu pokopa (skeletni in žgani, plani in gomilni) kot v materialni kulturi. Poudarek je na Dolenjski kulturni skupini, ki se povezuje s prebivalci Hallstatta v Alpah, z Etruščani, panonskimi ljudstvi in Grki. Vodijo jo knezi, prvi med enakimi, ki združujejo vojaško, politično, ekonomsko in duhovno oblast. Njihovi grobovi izstopajo s svojo bogato opremo. Kakovostno izdelanim domačim dodajajo tudi uvožene predmete. Ljudje prebivajo v utrjenih višinskih naseljih in posameznih kmetijah, ukvarjajo se s kmetijstvom ter železarstvom, steklarstvom, lončarstvom, tkalstvom in trgovino. O njihovem življenju največ povedo grobni pridatki, med katerimi izstopajo figuralno okrašene situle, ki s prizori iz življenja omogočajo vpogled v svet, ki bi nam bil sicer nedostopen.
Abstract
Slovenia in the Early Iron Age
At the time when European civilisation was emerging in the Mediterranean with the Greek city-states and Etruscan culture, continental Europe was dominated by the Early Iron Age culture or the Hallstatt period (8th − 4th century BC), which was characterised by the use of iron, a new and precious metal. In the area of Slovenia, six cultural groups were formed; their distribution matches that of the present-day Slovenian regions. They differed from one another in the burial method (skeletal and cremation, flat and tumulus) and in the material culture. The article focuses on the cultural group of the Dolenjska region, which is connected with the Hallstatt population in the Alps, the Etruscans, the Pannonian peoples and the ancient Greeks. It was led by elders, the first among equals, who combined military, political, economic and spiritual authority. Their richly adorned graves stand out. Imported products were added to the quality local products. The people lived in fortified high-altitude settlements and on individual farms; they were engaged in agriculture and ironworking, glassmaking, pottery, weaving and trade. The grave goods tell us the most about their lives, especially the situlae decorated with figurative art, whose scenes from everyday life provide an insight into a world that would otherwise be inaccessible to us.