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Nebra sky disk

Himmelsscheibe von Nebra

8 story sections
History & cultureBY TELLBY

Contents

8 sections · tap a section for its opening lines
  1. 1Orientation

    Welcome to the story of the Nebra Sky Disk, an object that has fundamentally changed our understanding of the intellectual and technical capabilities of Bronze Age Europeans. We are focusing on its discovery site on the…

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  2. 2The Illegal Discovery on Mittelberg Hill

    In the summer of 1999, two amateur treasure hunters were illegally using metal detectors in the Ziegelroda Forest on Mittelberg hill. When their device signaled a large object, they dug a hole and discovered a hoard of bronze…

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  3. 3The Sting Operation in Basel

    The recovery of the Nebra Sky Disk reads like a thriller. After passing through several hands on the black market, the disk was eventually offered for sale for the staggering sum of 700,000 Deutschmarks. …

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  4. 4Phase One — The Lunar and Solar Calendar

    In its first phase, created around 1800 to 1750 BC, the disk was a simple but powerful astronomical tool. It featured 32 small gold stars, a large circular sun (or full moon), and a crescent moon. …

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  5. 5Phase Two — The Solstice Arcs

    In its second phase, the disk underwent a significant alteration. Two horizontal arcs of gold were added to its sides, though one has since been lost. …

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  6. 6Phase Three — The Solar Boat

    The third phase of the disk's development saw the addition of a final golden arc at the bottom, interpreted by scholars as a 'solar boat' or sun ship. This motif is found in many ancient cultures, from Egypt to Scandinavia,…

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  7. 7The Burial and the Unetice Collapse

    Around 1600 BC, the Nebra Sky Disk was buried in its final ritual act. Before its deposition, 38 small holes were punched around its rim, often damaging the earlier gold inlays. …

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  8. 8Closing

    Our journey through the history of the Nebra Sky Disk brings us back to the present, standing at the intersection of ancient wisdom and modern science. This single object has shattered the myth that Bronze Age Europeans were…

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What is Nebra sky disk?

Nebra sky disk is a place with 8 story sections on Tellby. You can read the opening of each section on this page; the sound plays in the app.

Key facts
TypeHeritage
Story sections8
Text languageEnglish
Coordinates51.2839, 11.5200
Last updated
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