In the Late Bronze Age, the world changed dramatically, perhaps this was the most dramatic transformation of human society after the adoption of agriculture. With the largescale production of bronze not only technology changed, but also long-distance trade with metals and other luxurious goods. It was not only the accumulation of wealth that changed the societies but most important the accumulation of knowledge. From numerous finds across Europe and the Mediterranean, we can observe the rise of mathematics and astronomy, art and poetry. As results of this accumulation of material and symbolic capital, the first real social elites are created.
The concept of social elites is relative – the members of the elite are defined by the society surrounding them. Moreover, according to the preserved goods, we could positively claim that the young man, buried in grave 7 in the Urnfield cemetery in Zavrč in Slovenia was a member of the local elite. He was one of the few in the Urnfield world that was buried with the complete panoply – with an axe, spear, knife and razor. All attributes of a male warrior were violently destroyed during the burial rite indicating that not only his body but also his insignia, had to be violently destroyed and transformed into another state of existence.
