In the Early Iron Age (8th – 4th century BC), Novo mesto was one of the largest centers in Central Europe. Among the most important finds of the time when European civilization and culture were being formed in the Mediterranean are bronze, figurally decorated situlae. The Situlae Festival is dedicated to these remarkable monuments, which undoubtedly testify to the life of the Hallstatt inhabitants of Novo mesto.
The Situlae Festival is a festival of Early Iron Age life and cuisine. Various ancient crafts, culinary workshops for adults and children, animations of various martial arts and a selection of food and drinks are on display. The clothes and equipment of that time, mystical music, dance and the pulse of Iron Age life are shown. The celebration is enriched by a professional guide of the rich archaeological heritage kept by the Dolenjska Museum Novo mesto, and an evening concert of music with a touch of Early Iron Age.
Due to the consequences of the coronavirus epidemic, Situlae Festival 2020, the fifth in a row, could not be carried out as before. The pulse of the past years was presented with a selection of photographs on the present billboards.
You are invited to the 6th Situlae Festival, which will take place on Saturday, June 26th, 2021.
5. Situlae Festival – exhibition
Festival of Iron Age Life and Culinary Arts
The Situlae Festival is dedicated to exceptional Situlae monuments such as situlae, belt buckles, belts, covers, which undoubtedly testify to the life of the Hallstatt residents of Novo mesto. Hallstatt Novo mesto was equivalent to the high civilizations of continental and Mediterranean Europe.
Situlae are bronze vessels for storing and serving drinks. They are made of thin, shiny metal and decorated with mythical and heroic scenes. 9 decorated and 7 unadorned bronze situlae originate from Novo mesto, which is why Novo mesto is called the Town of Situlae. The rich and vivid situlae narrative complements our knowledge of the life of a socially highly stratified prehistoric society and the existence of our own situlae workshop. Situlae monuments, as rich witnesses of the Early Iron Age, can be found only in the richest graves of Novo mesto and undoubtedly belong to the most important treasury of world cultural heritage.
The prince and princess represent the figures of the Early Iron Age and the elite of the prehistoric community from the end of the 5th and the beginning of the 4th century BC. Jewelry, utensils and weapons of the prince, princess and other entourage are modeled on archeological finds in the prince’s tombs of Kandija and Kapiteljska njiva. The original objects are safely stored in the Dolenjska Museum Novo mesto.
The shape of the clothes is taken from the depictions on the Situlae monuments. The dresses were colorful, trimmed and further adorned with patterned ribbons.
The princely couple is shown together with the guards, the priestess and the rest of the entourage.
The priestesses had a special position in Hallstatt society, which they also displayed with a bronze wand, called scepter.