Vessel · Chalcolithic
Bell Beaker
2800–1800 BCE, Bell Beaker
The Bell Beaker is the inverted-bell drinking cup that gives its name to the Chalcolithic Beaker phenomenon across western and central Europe, about 2,800 to 1,800 BCE. It was placed in single graves with the dead and decorated in horizontal zones by comb, cord or incision. Regional styles track the spread of the tradition.
| Object | Vessel |
|---|---|
| Dates | 2800–1800 BCE |
| Period | Chalcolithic |
| Cultures | Bell Beaker |
| Regions | Europe — Western & Central, Europe — Northern & British Isles, Europe — Mediterranean |
Diagnostic traits
Inverted-bell drinking vessel decorated in horizontal zones with comb or cord impressions, often white-filled.
Identification
The S-profile bell shape and zoned decoration distinguish it from Corded Ware beakers, which are decorated only on the neck, and from later Food Vessels and Collared Urns. All-Over-Cord beakers are the earliest style; later British beakers have complex zones. Decoration is often white-filled.
Reproductions and fakes
Complete beakers are reconstructed from sherds with much fill and repainted zones; ultraviolet reveals it. Outright fakes are rare but nineteenth-century barrow finds have sometimes been improved.
Photographs
Elsewhere
- met: 465074
- Wikidata: Q470867
- Wikipedia: Bell beaker culture
Cite this article
Stratum Strata. "Bell Beaker" (Artifact type). Stratum Strata pack 2026.09, as of 2026-09-21. https://stratum.black/strata/types/bell-beaker. Accessed 2026-09-21.
@misc{stratum-bell-beaker,
title = {Bell Beaker},
author = {{Stratum Strata}},
howpublished = {\url{https://stratum.black/strata/types/bell-beaker}},
year = {2026},
note = {Artifact type article, Stratum Strata pack 2026.09, as of 2026-09-21; sources: stratum, wikidata, commons, met. Accessed 2026-09-21.}
} Citations carry the pack version and the article's as-of date so they resolve to the same text later. The facts themselves belong to the sources listed below; cite those for the science.