{{multiple image| align = right | direction = horizontal | header = | header_align = left/right/center | footer = Breadloaf idols from Germany (left) and Italy (right).| footer_align = left | image1 = Brotlaibidol Mangolding-Regensburg.jpg | width1 = 114 | caption1 = | image2 = 'Enigmatic tablet' 1.png| width2 = 100 | caption2 = }} '''Breadloaf idol''' ('''''[[:de:Brotlaibidol|Brotlaibidol]]''''') is a temporary working name given by [[German people|German]] [[archaeology|archaeologists]] to hundreds of similar baked clay tablets of unknown purpose, found at several [[Bronze Age]] sites in [[Europe]] dated between 2100 and 1400 [[BCE]]. They are referred simply as "enigmatic tablets" ('''''[[:it:Brotlaibidole|tavolette enigmatiche]]''''') by [[Italian people|Italian]] archaeologists. ==Description== The tablets are generally [[rectangle|rectangular]] with rounded corners, a shape that inspired their current German name. A typical size is 15 by 7 [[centimetre|cm]] and 2 cm thick, but there is considerable variation around those numbers. Most are made of baked clay. The tablets typically have decorations on only one of the broad faces. Most have one or more straight groves across the smaller dimension, apparently drawn with a blunt stylus. The grooves sometimes continue down the sides of the tablet, and rarely a little on the back side. A variety of marks are stamped or punched over, between, above, or below those groves. The marks vary from simple punched dots or dot groups to stamped flower-like rosettes. Each tablet normally has only one type of mark, rarely two. Some of the marks that are found include. : A round dot or circle. : A circle with a dot at the center. : Two concentric circles. : Two concentric circles connected by spokes . : An X-like cross. : Two dots adjacent to each other on either side of a groove. : Two dots, each with a fan of outgoing rays. : An elongated rectangule. A large fraction of the known tablets were found split in two along the shorter dimension. The matching half is sometimes missing. == Occurrence == The first tablets were discovered in [[Hungary]] in the 1860s. The archaeological context of about 20% of the extant samples is unknown or uncertain. Of those with known context, most come from three regions: : South of [[Lake Garda]] and in the [[Po river|Po]] valley in northern [[Italy]], attributed to the [[Polada Culture]]. : The middle Danube basin ([[Austria]], [[Czechia]], [[Slovakia]]); most in in Unterwölbling V and Madarovce contexts, but one with [[Litzen]] pottery. : The lower Danube basin ([[Serbia]] and [[Romania]]), in the Žuto Brdo-Gârla Mare culture. Two other areas with multiple tablet finds are the [[Tisza River]] and its tributaries, mostly in [[Otomani Culture]] context; and an area in southwest Germany, in the [[Arbon Culture]] context. Isolated tablets have also been found in [[Germany]] and [[Poland]] (associated with the Urnfield culture), [[Bulgaria]], central Italy and [[Corsica]]. An early example from [[Rubiera]] was associated with [[Bell Beaker]] pottery. Six tablets were found in the area around [[Lake Bistreţ]] in 1991-1995. The tablets are associated with the [[Únětice Culture]].{{cn}} Practically all samples are are found in sites of ancient settlements (one was found in a cave, another in a [[necropolis]]). associated with domestic or other ordinary activity. == Theories == The purpose of the tablets is still wholly unknown. They were initially conjectured to be ritual objects{{cn}} but their occurrence within the sites has mostly excluded that possibility.{{cn}} The distribution of mark types across and within the tablets also seems to exclude a writing system.{{cn}} The same freatures makes it unlikely that they were an accounting system like the early Sumerian tribute/trade tally tablets.{{cn}} On the other hand, the way many tablets are split, and the absence of the matching half suggest a purpose related to trade or other social interaction,{{cn}} possibly similar to the [[tally stick]]s. Calendars, game pieces, and stamps for decorating ceramics or textiles{{cn}} have also been suggested. == Research == An international exibition, collecting a large number of tablets, was held at the [[Franfurt Archaeological Museum]] in 2024-2025. {{stub}} == References == Franfurt Archaeological Museum (2024): "[https://archaeologisches-museum-frankfurt.de/index.php/de/ausstellungen/aenigma-2-0 Aenigma 2.0 – Wer entschlüsselt den rätselhaften Code aus der Bronzezeit?]" ("Aenigma 2.0 – Who will decipher the mysterious code from the Bronze Age?"). Webpage of exhibition. Accessed on 2025-03-27. Grzegorz Osipowicz, Andrzej Bokiniec, Krzysztof Kurzyk, Daniel Makowiecki, Dorota Bienias, Tomasz Górzyński, Michał Jankowski, Krystyna Jędrychowska-Dańska, Małgorzata Kępa, Anna Kozłowska, Tomasz Kozłowski, Agnieszka Noryśkiewicz, Tomasz Płoszaj, Laurie J. Reitsema, Beata Stepańczak Krzysztof Szostek, Piotr Weckwerth, Henryk W. Witas (2019) "The Late Neolithic sepulchral and ritual place of site 14 in Kowal (Kuyavia, Central Poland)". ''Praehistorische Zeitschrift'', volume 89, issue 2 {{doi|10.1515/pz-2014-0018}} Monica Şandor-Chicideanu (2002) "[https://web.archive.org/web/20060824093254/http://www.archaeology.ro/mcs_brot.htm ]" ("New clay bread loaf boxes from the lower Danube basin"). Online article at the ''European Archaeology Online'' website. Dated 2002-02-20, archived on 2006-08-24.