Published online by Cambridge University Press: 18 February 2014
Some recent literature on the problem of hoards is reviewed, dealingparticularly with the distinction between votive deposits and stores ofobjects. An alternative approach is developed, considering the long-termvariations in the nature of intentional deposits in European prehistory.Three stages are suggested. In the initial stage, a unitary system ofdeposits prevailed, especially of food and selected artefacts, includingmetal when available. In the developed stage, characteristic of the BronzeAge, a dual system allowed both votive deposition and accumulation andrecycling, especially of non-local metal. The final stage, in the later IronAge, saw renewed emphasis on votive deposits, especially on the borders ofemerging polities.