Stone and wood were worked on a small-scale basis in the settlements. There is evidence for iron industry only from La Tenc D. The eastern alpine region (Burgerland) had an important role in iron production - roasting hearths to separate the worst of the dross from the ore-bearing rocks. We have evidence that the iron-ore roasting took place on hearths located outside the settlements whereas the smelting occurred inside. A furnace was found at the Sopron settlement. In Burgerland (eastern Austria) there is evidence of the roasting hearths outside the settlements. The smithing activity appears to have taken place in the settlement also — metalworking tools support this. There is no direct evidence for the bronze industry, but it must be remembered that few settlements have been excavated.
A change in settlement structure occurred during the first century BC. Some of the Hallstatt period fortified sites which had been abandoned were settled again and refortified. We know of perhaps one fortified settlement which has no predecessor in the Hallstatt period. The appearance of these defended sites may be connected with the internal fighting between tribes (Dacian wars, Bureebistas, etc.) or with the Roman occupation from the south-west.
These fortified settlements function as centres for industry, administration, redistribution of products, trade and religion. This period marks the last flourishing of the iron industry, producing agricultural tools of a type used Into the medieval period. Coinage is also connected with the fortified centres, which are mint sites (Szalacska, Rcgbly/southcrn Transdanubia). Imitations of Philip’s tetradrachms in silver were the first coins minted by Celtic tribes - the Scordisci around Belgrade and the Boil around Bratislava. The inscriptions on these coins indicates a knowledge of Roman script (Figure 50.11).
The development of mass-produced pottery in a limited number of forms occurred in this period. Painted pottery resulted from western contacts (Manching, Basle). Pottery production was centred on oppida along the Danube, in contact with Mancbing and some of the Swiss sites. The most significant aspect of these well-developed industries is that they continue into the Roman period and are recognizable in tbe first century AD. Recently published work by D. Gabler indicates that some of the villages around the fortified oppida continued in operation into the Roman period.
Figure 30,11 Celtic silver coin, type of Rctc (first half of the first century Htt). (Courtesy of the Hungarian National Museum, Budapest.)
The possibility of synchronizing different types of evidence, the recently established chronological phases of the western and eastern find complexes, and the establishment of a relative chronology within each phase will continue to shed new light on the origin of the early La Tene culture.