Propylaeum

Mills produced in the quarry areas around Mayen and Lovosice were highly sought after in the Latène period due to their high quality. Again and again they appear in unexpectedly distant settlements. The region in between therefore lends itself to reconstructing the economic spheres of influence of both quarries.
By documenting as many mills as possible in this area and using petrographic analyses, it is possible to characterise these important quarries and identify other previously unknown sources. For the first time, sales areas and economic structures are documented in terms of cultural history and natural science. In addition to explanations of production, operation and utilisation, a compilation of the oldest mills in western Europe and the question of their inventors round off the study.