Five thousand years ago, a new material, bronze, revolutionised the world. The exhibition “And then came bronze!” shows the fascinating era in which highly efficient tools and weapons were mass-produced for the first time and in which war became an established means of conflict resolution.
The exhibition also features the Bronze Hand of Prêles, a sensational archaeological find discovered in the Bernese Jura in 2017. The hand is the oldest bronze replica of a human body part in Europe.
The acquisition of raw materials for bronze production led to an unprecedented network of trade relations between the Near East, Egypt and Europe. The global world of the Bronze Age was marked by innovation and progress, but also by social inequality and violence. Powerful elites and hierarchies emerged.
A special highlight is the Bronze Festival on the weekend of 22 and 23 June, when the museum offers a wide range of activities. From 16 October to 27 November, experts will discuss topics relating to bronze and the Bronze Age.