A stone that once formed part of a barn’s foundations in the Czech Republic has turned out to be a rare Bronze Age tool used to cast bronze spearheads. Discovered in 2007 in the village of Morkůvky in South Moravia, the rectangular slab was later identified as a casting mould from the Late Bronze Age. The find is about 3,350 years old. Archaeologist Milan Salaš of the Moravian Museum in Brno led the research, which was published in the peer-reviewed journal Archeologické rozhledy in 2025. The mould’s carefully preserved impression reveals the shape of the weapon it produced, while analysis of the stone indicates that it had travelled a considerable distance from its geological source in what is now Hungary. The find offers a glimpse into Bronze Age metalworking and the movement of materials across Central Europe. The discovery highlights how overlooked objects can reveal ancient manufacturing techniques and trade networks, deepening understanding of technological exchange across Bronze Age Europe.
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