# Pernicka 2020: Why the Nebra Sky Disc Dates to the Early Bronze Age. An Overview of the Interdisciplinary Results > Ernst Pernicka, Jörg Adam, Gregor Borg et al., 2020. 36 records on Mysteries Department cite it. The main source for the find context, the dating case… Source: https://mysteriesdept.com/sources/SRC0D2SB0A67Q0N/why-the-nebra-sky-disc-dates-to-the-early-bronze-age-an Publisher: Mysteries Department Licence: CC BY 4.0 (credit Mysteries Department and link the page) --- [Sources](https://mysteriesdept.com/sources)[Nebra Sky Disc](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/nebra-sky-disc)Pernicka 2020 **0** # Why the Nebra Sky Disc Dates to the Early Bronze Age. An Overview of the Interdisciplinary Results Ernst Pernicka, Jörg Adam, Gregor Borg et al., 2020. _Archaeologia Austriaca 104, 89–122_. The excavators' and analysts' full reply to Gebhard and Krause: the looters' testimony and the court findings, the 2002 excavation of the looters' pit, copper and gold enrichment in the soil below it, forensic comparison of soil adhering to the disc and a sword with the findspot soil, corrosion and damage, lead isotope ratios (Table 3), tin isotopes, Mitterberg copper and Cornish gold, and the typological date of the hoard. **Nebra Sky Disc** ArticleCopy of **[Soil samples Sp 1 (disc), Sp 2 (Sword II), Sp 3 (axe) and VM 1 (findspot)](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/nebra-sky-disc/artifacts/ART0D2SBJM41N3S/soil-samples-sp-1-disc-sp-2-sword-ii-sp-3-axe-and-vm-1)** doi: **[10.1553/archaeologia104s89](https://doi.org/10.1553/archaeologia104s89)** Checked against the original0 ## What it's used for here The main source for the find context, the dating case and the lead isotope table. ## Cited by on this site 36 records [Copper from the Mitterberg in the Salzburg Alps; tin and gold from Cornwall, the gold from the Carnon River.](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/nebra-sky-disc/answers/ANS0D2SBFPC2JHD/copper-from-the-mitterberg-in-the-salzburg-alps-tin-and-gold) Answer ANS [The disc is a modern forgery.](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/nebra-sky-disc/answers/ANS0D2SBBSC10GK/the-disc-is-a-modern-forgery) Answer ANS [The disc shows the night sky with the Pleiades and served as a memory aid and leap rule for reconciling lunar…](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/nebra-sky-disc/answers/ANS0D2SBCGT36ZC/the-disc-shows-the-night-sky-with-the-pleiades-and-served-as) Answer ANS [The disc was made in the Early Bronze Age, perhaps 1800 to 1700 BC, used and altered for generations, and…](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/nebra-sky-disc/answers/ANS0D2SB93E73C6/the-disc-was-made-in-the-early-bronze-age-perhaps-1800-to) Answer ANS [Soil samples Sp 1 (disc), Sp 2 (Sword II), Sp 3 (axe) and VM 1 (findspot)](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/nebra-sky-disc/artifacts/ART0D2SBJM41N3S/soil-samples-sp-1-disc-sp-2-sword-ii-sp-3-axe-and-vm-1) ART [The Nebra Sky Disc (HK 2002:1649 a)](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/nebra-sky-disc/artifacts/ART0D2SBHMW7D8B/the-nebra-sky-disc-hk-2002-1649-a) ART [Two flanged axes, a chisel (HK 2002:1649 b) and two spiral arm rings](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/nebra-sky-disc/artifacts/ART0D2SBJCA1ZVV/two-flanged-axes-a-chisel-hk-2002-1649-b-and-two-spiral-arm) ART [Two swords with gold-decorated hilts (HK 2002:1649 e, h)](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/nebra-sky-disc/artifacts/ART0D2SBJ4G1W5H/two-swords-with-gold-decorated-hilts-hk-2002-1649-e-h) ART [Soil samples Sp 1 (disc), Sp 2 (Sword II), Sp 3 (axe) and VM 1 (findspot): document](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/nebra-sky-disc/copies/CPY0D2SBKKC32JG/soil-samples-sp-1-disc-sp-2-sword-ii-sp-3-axe-and-vm-1) CPY [Lead isotope ratios of the Nebra hoard (Freiberg 2003, Mannheim 2007)](https://mysteriesdept.com/datasets/DAT0D2SBGXE2FVH/lead-isotope-ratios-of-the-nebra-hoard-freiberg-2003) Dataset DAT [From the Mittelberg the sun sets behind the Brocken at the summer solstice and behind the Kyffhäuser on 1 May.](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/nebra-sky-disc/evidence/EVD0D2SBD0E20HA/from-the-mittelberg-the-sun-sets-behind-the-brocken-at-the) Evidence EVD [Metal type, patina, technology and the isotope and lead-210 analyses establish the disc as ancient; the 2020…](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/nebra-sky-disc/evidence/EVD0D2SBC161QRS/metal-type-patina-technology-and-the-isotope-and-lead-210) Evidence EVD [Soil adhering to the disc and Sword II matches the findspot sample almost completely; soils from similar…](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/nebra-sky-disc/evidence/EVD0D2SB9TW255J/soil-adhering-to-the-disc-and-sword-ii-matches-the-findspot) Evidence EVD [The Regional Court of Halle found, with a probability close to certainty, that the disc was found with the…](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/nebra-sky-disc/evidence/EVD0D2SB9B836TY/the-regional-court-of-halle-found-with-a-probability-close) Evidence EVD [The associated swords, arm spirals and chisel all belong to phase Bz A2c, about 1600 BC.](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/nebra-sky-disc/evidence/EVD0D2SBAAG7625/the-associated-swords-arm-spirals-and-chisel-all-belong-to) Evidence EVD [The copper matches Mitterberg ores, mined mainly in the Bronze Age, and the gold and tin match Cornwall,…](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/nebra-sky-disc/evidence/EVD0D2SBA2P7CMN/the-copper-matches-mitterberg-ores-mined-mainly-in-the) Evidence EVD [The disc's uneven corrosion is explained by upright burial; its lead isotope variability by the variable…](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/nebra-sky-disc/evidence/EVD0D2SBB9R092S/the-discs-uneven-corrosion-is-explained-by-upright-burial) Evidence EVD [The looters' pit was found where they said, with their bottle shards and pickaxe marks, and copper (138 µg/g)…](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/nebra-sky-disc/evidence/EVD0D2SB9K27BDF/the-looters-pit-was-found-where-they-said-with-their-bottle) Evidence EVD [The seven-star cluster is clearly separated from the evenly distributed other stars.](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/nebra-sky-disc/evidence/EVD0D2SBCRM4GJJ/the-seven-star-cluster-is-clearly-separated-from-the-evenly) Evidence EVD [The ship motif added in phase III is central in Bronze Age imagery and absent in the Iron Age; the simple…](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/nebra-sky-disc/evidence/EVD0D2SBBHJ0CAX/the-ship-motif-added-in-phase-iii-is-central-in-bronze-age) Evidence EVD [Trace elements and lead isotope ratios match Mitterberg copper ores.](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/nebra-sky-disc/evidence/EVD0D2SBFY60RKQ/trace-elements-and-lead-isotope-ratios-match-mitterberg) Evidence EVD [Basel police seize the disc in a sting with the state archaeologist](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/nebra-sky-disc/events/EVT0D2SB6DG5HMN/basel-police-seize-the-disc-in-a-sting-with-the-state) EVT [Pernicka and twelve co-authors publish the interdisciplinary reply](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/nebra-sky-disc/events/EVT0D2SB7MJ35Z9/pernicka-and-twelve-co-authors-publish-the-interdisciplinary) EVT [The Regional Court of Halle finds the disc came from the hoard on the Mittelberg](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/nebra-sky-disc/events/EVT0D2SB6X453Q5/the-regional-court-of-halle-finds-the-disc-came-from-the) EVT [The State Office excavates the looters' pit](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/nebra-sky-disc/events/EVT0D2SB6NA63RR/the-state-office-excavates-the-looters-pit) EVT [The disc enters the UNESCO Memory of the World register](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/nebra-sky-disc/events/EVT0D2SB74Y55KP/the-disc-enters-the-unesco-memory-of-the-world-register) EVT [The disc is buried with swords, axes, a chisel and arm spirals on the Mittelberg](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/nebra-sky-disc/events/EVT0D2SB74Y4PSS/the-disc-is-buried-with-swords-axes-a-chisel-and-arm-spirals) EVT [Two looters dig up the hoard on the Mittelberg and sell it within days](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/nebra-sky-disc/events/EVT0D2SB65P2FHJ/two-looters-dig-up-the-hoard-on-the-mittelberg-and-sell-it) EVT [Ernst Pernicka](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/nebra-sky-disc/people/FIG0D2SB4PT4W00/ernst-pernicka) FIG [Henry Westphal](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/nebra-sky-disc/people/FIG0D2SB4YM4JW4/henry-westphal) FIG [Mario Renner](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/nebra-sky-disc/people/FIG0D2SB56E14ZW/mario-renner) FIG [The Nebra Sky Disc](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/nebra-sky-disc) The mystery article MYS [Landesamt für Denkmalpflege und Archäologie Sachsen-Anhalt](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/nebra-sky-disc/organisations/ORG0D2SB5XW46HB/landesamt-fur-denkmalpflege-und-archaologie-sachsen-anhalt) ORG [What does the image on the disc represent?](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/nebra-sky-disc/questions/QST0D2SB8C05M85/what-does-the-image-on-the-disc-represent) Question QST [When was the disc made and buried?](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/nebra-sky-disc/questions/QST0D2SB8463DKB/when-was-the-disc-made-and-buried) Question QST [Where did the copper, tin and gold come from?](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/nebra-sky-disc/questions/QST0D2SB8VM1B5G/where-did-the-copper-tin-and-gold-come-from) Question QST ## Cite it ``` Pernicka, E., Adam, J., Borg, G., Brügmann, G., Bunnefeld, J. H., Kainz, W., Klamm, M., Koiki, T., Meller, H., Schwarz, R., Stöllner, T., Wunderlich, C. H., & Reichenberger, A. (2020). Why the Nebra Sky Disc Dates to the Early Bronze Age. An Overview of the Interdisciplinary Results. Archaeologia Austriaca 104, 89–122. https://doi.org/10.1553/archaeologia104s89 ``` [Read it free at doi.org](https://doi.org/10.1553/archaeologia104s89) Key **SRC** 0D2SB0A67Q0N Kind Journal article Rights publisher (Austrian Academy of Sciences, all rights reserved; free PDF) Kept 27 Oct 2026, for editors Checked Against the published article Added by [apollo](https://mysteriesdept.com/u/apollo) The record Bibliographic records are CC0. Take this one as CSL-JSON, BibTeX or RIS. [CSL-JSON](https://mysteriesdept.com/sources/SRC0D2SB0A67Q0N/why-the-nebra-sky-disc-dates-to-the-early-bronze-age-an/csl.json)