Book of Abstracts

GDAŃSK 4 - 6 JUNE 2014
THE BALTIC SEA
A MEDITERRANEAN
OF NORTHERN EUROPE
in the Light of Geographical, Archaeological, Historical and Natural Science Research
from Ancient to Early Medieval (XI/XII c.) Times
BOOK
OF
ABSTRACTS
DTP
Urszula Pączek
Cover design
Urszula Pączek
Cover photo
Szymon Uścinowicz
Printed by
Polish Geological Institute - National Research Institute
Marine Geology Branch
5 Koscierska st., 80-328 Gdańsk, Poland
www.pgi.gov.pl
All Abstracts have been published as received, directly from authors’ manuscripts
Gdańsk, June 2014
2
CONFERENCE ORGANIZER
SCIENTIFIC ASSOCIATION OF POLISH ARCHEOLOGISTS GDANSK DIVISION
CO-ORGANIZERS
ARCHEOLOGICAL MUSEUM OF GDANSK
NATIONAL MARITIME MUSEUM IN GDANSK
POLISH GEOLOGICAL INSTITUTE - NATIONAL RESEARCH INSTITUTE
HONORARY PATRONAGE
MINISTER OF CULTURE AND NATIONAL HERITAGE
MARSHAL OF POMORSKIE VOIVODESHIP
MAYOR OF GDANSK
MAYOR OF GDYNIA
MAYOR OF SOPOT
SPONSORS
PORT OF GDYNIA AUTHORITY SA
BETA ANALYTIC LTD.
MEDIA
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Scientific committee
Geoff Bailey (The King's Manor University of York, United Kingdom)
Albertas Bitinas (Klaipeda University, Lithuania)
Zbigniew Bukowski (Polish Academy of Sciences, Poland)
Judyta Gładykowska - Rzeczycka (Polish Anthropological Association, Poland)
Jan Harff (University of Szczecin/Leibniz-Institute for Baltic Sea Research,
Poland/Germany)
Zbigniew Kobyliński (Polish Scientific Association of Archaeologists, Poland)
Barbara Kosmowska - Ceranowicz (Polish Academy of Sciences, Poland)
Regina Kramarska (Polish Geological Institute - National Research Institute, Poland)
Małgorzata Latałowa (University of Gdansk, Poland)
Jerzy Litwin (National Maritime Museum in Gdansk, Poland)
Harald Lübke (Schleswig-Holstein State Museums Foundation Schloss Gottorf, Germany)
Mirosław Makohonienko (Adam Mickiewicz University, Poland)
Daniel Makowiecki (Nicolaus Copernicus University, Poland)
Ryszard F. Mazurowski (University of Warsaw, Poland)
Jerzy Nawrocki ( Polish Geological Institute - National Research Institute, Poland)
Björn Nilsson (School of Historical and Contemporary Studies, Sweden)
Henryk Paner (Archaeological Museum of Gdansk, Poland)
Marian Rębkowski (Polish Academy of Sciences, Poland)
Alar Rosentau (University of Tartu, Estonia)
Szymon Uścinowicz (Polish Geological Institute - National Research Institute, Poland)
Andrzej Zbierski (Nicolaus Copernicus University, Poland)
Vladas Zulkus (Klaipeda University, Lithuania)
Organizing committee
Chairman: Olgierd Felczak (Archaeological Museum of Gdansk, Poland)
Secretary: Joanna Jarzęcka-Stąporek (Polish Scientific Association of Archaeologists, Poland)
Elżbieta Choińska-Bochdan (Polish Scientific Association of Archaeologists, Poland)
Zdzisława Ratajczyk (Archaeological Museum of Gdansk, Poland)
Aleksandra Szymańska (Archaeological Museum of Gdańsk, Poland)
Aleksander Kwapiński (Polish Scientific Association of Archaeologists, Poland)
Judyta Gładykowska-Rzeczycka (Polish Scientific Association of Archaeologists, Poland)
4
Bērziņš V., Lübke H., Berga L., Ceriņa A., Kalniņa L., Meadows J., Muižniece S., Paegle S., Rudzīte
M., Zagorska I.
AN OSCILLATING PATTERN OF SHORELINE DISPLACEMENT AND REPEATED
OCCUPATION AT THE STONE AGE SITE OF SISE, WESTERN LATVIA ...................................... 9
Bitinas A., Molodkov A., Buynevich I. V., Damušyte A., Dobrotin N., Gregorauskienė V., Mažeika J.,
Pupienis D.
AEOLIAN LANDSCAPE EVOLUTION IN THE CURONIAN SPIT, BALTIC SEA ....................... 10
Björk T.
SICKLE, ARM RING OR MEANDER DECORATED POTTERY. CULTURAL RELATIONS
VIEWED FROM FUNERALS IN THE SOUTHERN BALTIC AREA 150 BC – 170 AD. ................11
Englert A., Ossowski W.
A TRIAL VOYAGE IN WULFSTAN’ S WAKE. FROM HEDEBY TO GDAŃSK WITH THE
SKULDELEV 1 – RECONSTRUCTION, OTTAR. .............................................................................. 13
Fallgren J.H.
SETTLEMENT DEVELOPMENT ON ÖLAND AND GOTLAND 200 – 1350 AD .......................... 14
Fischer S.
THE OTHER NETWORK – THE BARBARIAN KLEPTOCRACY BETWEEN CENTER AND
PERIPHERY IN THE LATE 5TH CENTURY AD................................................................................. 15
Glykou A.
SEAL EXPLOITATION IN BALTIC SEA DURING THE MID - AND LATE HOLOCENE ............ 16
Gryguc G., Stančikaitė M., Mažeika J., Gaidamavičius A.
POSTGLACIAL ENVIRONMENT IN THE EASTERN LITHUANIA: MULTI-PROXY APPROACH
............................................................................................................................................................... 17
Harff J., Bērziņš V., Groh A., Kalniņa L., Rosentau A., Witkowski A.
NATURAL ENVIRONMENTAL CHANGE AND SOCIO-ECONOMIC RESPONSE DURING THE
LATE PLEISTOCENE AND HOLOCENE ALONG A TRANSECT TRENDING FROM THE
SOUTHERN TO THE NORTHEASTERN BALTIC SEA COAST ..................................................... 18
Janowski A.
SCANDINAVIANS AT THE SOUTH COAST OF THE BALTIC SEA IN THE EARLY MEDIEVAL
TIMES ................................................................................................................................................... 19
Jegliński W., Uścinowicz Sz.
ORIGIN AND DEVELOPMENT OF THE VISTULA RIVER MOUTH IN GDANSK ..................... 20
Jegliński W., Uścinowicz Sz., Koszka-Maroń D.
GEOLOGY AND DEVELOPMENT OF EARLY MEDIEVAL HILLFORT AREA IN SOPOT ......... 21
Jöns H.
STATUS, CHALLENGES AND PERSPECTIVES OF RESEARCH ON SUBMERGED
PREHISTORIC SITES IN BALTIC WATERS – RESULTS OF THE EUROPEAN NETWORK
SPLASHCOS ........................................................................................................................................ 23
Jöns H., Karle M.
EARLY MEDIEVAL TRADING NETWORKS AND HARBOURS ALNOG THE SOUTHERN
BALTIC SHORE ................................................................................................................................... 24
5
Kobyliński Z., Rabiega K.
BOAT BURIALS IN THE BALTIC SEA REGION: 45 YEARS AFTER MICHAEL MÜLLERWILLE’S “BESTATTUNG IM BOOT” ............................................................................................... 25
Krukowska O.
GLASS ORNAMENTS AS THE GARMENT DECORATION OF CITIZENS OF EARLY
MEDIEVAL GDANSK ......................................................................................................................... 26
Lübke H. Meadows J.
SUBMERGED PREHISTORIC SITES AND THEIR RELEVANCE FOR THE RELATIVE SEALEVEL CURVE OF WISMAR BAY, NORTH-GERMANY BALTIC COAST .................................. 27
Małka A., Kramarska R., Jegliński W.
THE FORMATION OF THE AMBER-BEARING DEPOSITS ON THE FOSSIL BEACHES IN THE
SOUTHERN PART OF THE GULF OF GDANSK IN THE HOLOCENE ......................................... 28
Martinsson-Wallin H., Wallin P.
LANDSCAPES AND HUMAN IN TRANSITION – A BALTIC SEA PERSPECTIVE WITH
GOTLAND ISLAND AS A HIGH-RESOLUTION CASE STUDY .................................................... 29
Mazurowski R.F.
A LATE NEOLITHIC CENTRE FOR THE EXPLOITATION AND TREATMENT OF AMBER IN
THE LOWER VISTULA BASIN (ŻUŁAWY REGION) ..................................................................... 30
Nikulka F.
CONNECTIONS BETWEEN NORTHERN GERMANY AND WESTERN POLAND: COMPLEX
BELT FITTING OF THE PRE-ROMAN IRON AGE .......................................................................... 32
Piličiauskas G.
NEOLITHISATION OF COASTAL LITHUANIA .............................................................................. 33
Piwek A.
POMERANIAN, DANISH AND GERMAN ORNAMENTAL PATTERNS OF THE CISTERCIAN
CHURCH IN OLIWA ........................................................................................................................... 34
Ravn M.
TRADITION AS PROCESS – RETHINKING VIKING AGE SHIPBUILDING............................... 35
Rosentau A.
ANCYLUS LAKE AND LITORINA SEA DISPLACEMENT AND STONE AGE SETTLEMENT IN
ESTONIA .............................................................................................................................................. 36
Söderström U.
UNVEILING A TRAGEDY: HOUSE 40 IN SANDBY BORG ........................................................... 37
Starski M.
LOCATION OF PUCK AND DEVELOPMENT CONDITIONS OF SMALL SETTLEMENT IN
GDAŃSK POMERANIA...................................................................................................................... 38
Stąporek M.
CONTACTS ACROSS THE BALTIC SEA, 3RD CENTURY BC – 6TH CENTURY AD ..................... 39
Szymańska A.
THE SOPOT HILLFORT – A BRANCH OF GDANSK ARCHEOLOGICAL MUSEUM ................. 40
6
Święta-Musznicka J., Latałowa M.
FROM WETLANDS TO URBAN VEGETATION – USING PALAEOECOLOGICAL DATA TO
RECONSTRUCT ENVIRONMENTAL CHANGES IN THE AREA OF GDAŃSK FROM THE 2ND
CENTURY A.D. TO MODERN TIMES............................................................................................... 41
Uścinowicz Sz., Miotk-Szpiganowicz G., Gałka M., Pawlyta J., Piotrowska N., Pomian I., Witak M.
MEDIEVAL PORT OF PUCK IN THE LIGHT OF MULTIDISCIPLINARY RESEARCH INTO
PALAEOCLIMATE AND SEA LEVEL CHANGE ............................................................................. 42
Victor H.
SANDBY BORG ON ÖLANG – A FROZEN MOMENT IN TIME ................................................... 43
Żołędziowski K.
NON-FERROUS METALWORKING FROM EARLY MEDIEVAL PORT OF TRADE TRUSO ..... 44
Žulkus V., Girininkas A., Daugnora L.
YOLDIA SEA – ANCYLUS LAKE SHORES AND THEIR SETTLEMENTS IN LITHUANIA’ S
TERRITORIAL WATERS..................................................................................................................... 45
7
8
AN OSCILLATING PATTERN OF SHORELINE DISPLACEMENT AND REPEATED
OCCUPATION AT THE STONE AGE SITE OF SISE, WESTERN LATVIA
BĒRZIŅŠ Valdis1*, LÜBKE Harald2*, BERGA Linda3, CERIŅA Aija3, KALNIŅA Laimdota3,
MEADOWS John2, MUIŽNIECE Sandra3, PAEGLE Santa3, RUDZĪTE Mudīte4, ZAGORSKA Ilga1
1
Institute of Latvian History at the University of Latvia, Latvia
Centre for Baltic and Scandinavian Archaeology, Schleswig-Holstein State Museums Foundation Schloss
Gottorf, Germany
3
University of Latvia, Faculty of Geography and Earth Science, Latvia
4
University of Latvia, Museum of Zoology, Latvia
2
*[email protected]
*[email protected]
The Kurzeme Peninsula in western Latvia lies at the very margin of the post-glacial
isostatic uplift zone. Here, land uplift has been comparable in magnitude to water-level
changes in the Baltic Sea basin, which means that these competing factors have together
shaped the pattern of shoreline displacement. The net result has been a complex sequence of
transgressive and regressive phases, in the course of which the shoreline has oscillated above
and below present sea level. During the transgressive phases of the Ancylus Lake and
Littorina Sea, large areas of the coastal plain were inundated and river valleys drowned. The
subsequent regressions, with a slow drop in the relative water level and an abundant sediment
supply, witnessed the formation of lagoons that subsequently developed into freshwater lakes
and peatlands.
Along with these cyclic environmental changes, the loci of Stone Age hunter-fisher
activity shifted. Particular sites repeatedly came into prominence as opportune settlement and
resource-use locations. A prime example is Sise, at the River Užava, which at the
transgression maxima was close to the point where the river entered the former Ventspils Bay.
This site has become a focus of archaeological investigation, along with radiocarbon dating,
sedimentological, palynological, plant macrofossil and mollusc analysis.
Excavation in 2012 brought to light wooden artefacts deposited in the river mouth
during the Ancylus Lake transgressive stage (mid to late 9th mill. BC). This location was reoccupied during the Littorina transgression, as indicated by the dates (6th mill. BC) obtained
for antler implements belonging to a major collection of finds recovered from the riverbed.
These include antler T-axes, demonstrating a link with the western Baltic region, along with
typical eastern Baltic artefact types and some unique forms, among which are ornamented
pieces and sculptural representations. Occupation at Sise continued in the Neolithic (ceramic)
period of the Stone Age.
9
AEOLIAN LANDSCAPE EVOLUTION IN THE CURONIAN SPIT, BALTIC SEA
BITINAS Albertas1*, MOLODKOV Anatoly2, BUYNEVICH Ilya V.3, DAMUŠYTĖ Aldona4,
DOBROTIN Nikita1, GREGORAUSKIENĖ Virgilija4, MAŽEIKA Jonas5, PUPIENIS Donatas6
1
Marine Science and Technology Centre, Department of Geophysical Sciences, Klaipėda University,
Lithuania
2
Institute of Geology, Tallinn University of Technology, Estonia
3
Temple University, USA
4
Lithuanian Geological Survey, Lithuania
5
Institute of Geology and Geography, Nature Research Centre, Lithuania
6
Vilnius University, Lithuania
*[email protected]
One of the unique places in Europe in both environmental and cultural terms is the
Curonian Spit – a massive sandy barrier separating the Curonian Lagoon from the Baltic
Sea. The spit, both the Lithuanian and the Russian parts, is included into the UNESCO list
of cultural heritage monuments. From the geological point of view it is still an "alive"
environment dominated by aeolian deposits.
Until recently, the assessment of various parameters of migrating dunes along the
Curonian Spit was based on comparative analysis of old cartographic materials or aeroand cosmic-images, as well as geodetic measurements that allowed to evaluate dune
palaeodynamics for the relatively recent historical period. New chronological framework
of paleosols by radiocarbon (14C) dating, as well as dating of sand layers by infrared
optically stimulated luminescence (IR-OSL), together with measurements of their magnetic
susceptibility, have advanced our understanding of aeolian landscape evolution. It also
allowed to estimate the rates of sand accumulation and peculiarities of dune paleodynamics
during both stormy and calm periods and to extend of the record of dune development to
mid-Holocene.
The paleosols representing past soil-forming generations in the Dead (Grey) Dune
massif located in the northern half of the Curonian Spit survived fragmentarily, mainly in
the southern part of the massif, along the eastern slope of the Great Dune Ridge. According
to the results of radiocarbon (14C) dating it is possible to distinguish four soil-forming
generations (age in calendar years BP): 5800–4500, 3900–3100, 2600–2400, and 1900 –
modern. The ancient dune massifs evenly covered the entire area of the Curonian Spit. The
Great Dune Ridge has been formed only starting from the XVI century due to extremely
high aeolian activity influenced by destructive human practices. The ancient forest fires
stimulated only local re-activation of aeolian processes and did not trigger significant
migration of the main dune massifs.
According to IR-OSL data from detailed sampled profiles between palaeosols of
different ages, the ancient periods of dune activity did not exceed a few centuries. It has
been found that soil-forming processes may significantly influence the results of IR-OSL
dating. Migration of chemical elements, including radioactive isotopes of U, Th, and K, via
relatively thick (until 2 m) palaeosol developed in aeolian sand have altered their
concentration along the vertical soil profile. In this way, the results of luminescence dating
of aeolian sand from palaeosol E horizon (eluvial) are older than the real age. These
findings also have important analytical implications for palaeodosimetric dating.
10
SICKLE, ARM RING OR MEANDER DECORATED POTTERY. CULTURAL
RELATIONS VIEWED FROM FUNERALS IN THE SOUTHERN BALTIC AREA
150 BC – 170 AD.
BJÖRK Tony*
Sydsvensk Arkeologi Ltd, Kristianstad, Sweden & University of Lund, Sweden
*[email protected]
Comparing prehistoric graves and cemeteries from different countries in the southern
Baltic area is a difficult task. Many materials are only published in languages like Swedish,
Danish and Polish, and thereby hard to include in transnational research. To get an overview
of burial customs and cultural relations in the area of southern Sweden, eastern Denmark,
northern Germany and northern Poland an attempt is made to grasp the topic from a small
selection of well investigated cemeteries.
Thirty cemeteries were chosen and they have been examined regarding size, chronology
and burial practices (like treatment of the body, grave forms and grave gifts). The material
was evaluated in particular regarding regional variations, taking into consideration previous
comparisons and conclusions made by other scholars. Although only tendencies can be
shown, as it is a limited number of sites, several differences are observed regarding types of
grave monuments, ratio of inhumations and cremations, arrangement of the bodies, kinds of
grave goods and so on. There were obviously both differences and similarities between the
areas. In inhumations the dead were placed on their back in some areas, but in crouched
position on the side in others. Furthermore ceramics are the most usual grave goods in the
whole studied area, but the vessels themselves varies a lot in shape and ornament style.
Another fairly common artefact in graves throughout the area is the s-shaped skinning knife.
Other artefacts, like scythes, arm rings, weapons or Roman objects, were more exclusive for
particular regions, subperiods and specific levels of society.
One of the main conclusions drawn is that some areas had clearly defined rules for
burial rituals – like Zealand in Denmark – with well determined rules for the proper sets of
grave goods and how to treat and arrange the dead body. In other areas there were several
options simultaneously, perhaps even conflicting influences, as in Scania in Sweden, northern
Poland or the island of Bornholm, with inhumations and cremations side by side and a wider
variety of choices in the compositions of grave goods. Bornholm is a special region in many
respects since it had a compositions and varieties of traits found in all the neighbouring areas.
This clearly shows that influences came from several directions. The geographic position of
Bornholm makes this easy to understand. At the same time this cannot be the only reason for
differences observed, since the area of Zealand developed a very strict set of burial practices
even if it had well developed contacts with neighbouring areas. Some of the regional
variations thus could be an effect of different strategies for accumulating and maintaining
wealth in different areas – for example as parts of various kinship and marriage systems.
The sets of grave goods and also the whole disposition or choreography of the
inhumation graves are further discussed as examples of regional variations on some common
themes. These are discussed in terms of the dead displayed as idealised metaphors, following
a rather strict pattern, which indicates a mental superstructure spread in the areas populated by
11
Germanic people. The main point of the different metaphors – for example the production
archetype, the status archetype or the warrior archetype – varied both in terms of chronology
and geography. The metaphors are used to problematize and discuss the social stratification
and the cultural relations in different parts of the Baltic Sea area. Albeit the obvious variations
there were several common traits that gives an impression of common governing ritual norms
throughout a large area around the southern and western parts of the Baltic Sea.
The conclusions drawn from this study are that there were several regional traits in the
burial practices in all the areas and factors mentioned above. But the similarities in the overall
picture give a very strong indication to common governing religious beliefs among the
Germanic tribes.
12
A TRIAL VOYAGE IN WULFSTAN’ S WAKE. FROM HEDEBY TO GDAŃSK WITH
THE SKULDELEV 1 – RECONSTRUCTION, OTTAR.
ENGLERT Anton1*, OSSOWSKI Waldemar2
1
2
The Viking Ship Museum in Roskilde, Denmark
National Maritime Museum in Gdańsk, Poland
*[email protected]
One of the earliest travelogues dealing with the Baltic Sea is Wulfstan’s account in the
Old English Orosius, written under the reign of King Alfred of Wessex in the late 9th century.
According to this source, an Anglo-Saxon traveller by the name of Wulfstan sailed seven days
and nights from Hedeby to Truso (modern Janów Pomorski), “running all the way under sail.”
Since the text refers to a large number of known place-names and since both harbours
are identified archaeologically, there is a certain probability that Wulfstan’s voyage took place
in the real world, and not only in a history book. Treated this way, Wulfstan’s account leaves
us with at least three questions:
1 What size of sailing vessel may Wulfstan have used?
2 How would he have navigated?
3 How realistic is the account with regard to speed and wind conditions?
In order to investigate these questions, the Viking Ship Museum, in collaboration with
the Polish Maritime Museum, sent its reconstruction of the 11th-century cargo ship Skuldelev
1, Ottar, on a trial voyage from Hedeby (Schleswig) to Gdańsk in July 2004.
The five men and three women on board covered a distance over ground of 390 nautical
miles in little more than four nights and days. This swift passage was made possible by a
steady westerly wind which blew during the first three days.
The trial voyage proved that is was possible to sail out through the narrow Schlei fjord
with a pure sailing vessel carrying a single square sail, and that a small crew could operate the
16-metre-long cargo vessel safely on the open Baltic Sea. Coastal navigation based on
experience, eyesight and lead-soundings would have been sufficient in the Viking Age, since
land was in sight during most of the daylight hours. Successive trial voyages have confirmed
these results.
In the light of this trial voyage, the nautical part of Wulfstan’s account proves to be
realistic. He could even have used a smaller and slower vessel than Skuldelev 1, and he may
have chosen a longer route in order to avoid pirates.
13
SETTLEMENT DEVELOPMENT ON ÖLAND AND GOTLAND 200 – 1350 AD
FALLGREN Jan-Henrik*
Department of Archaeology, University of Aberdeen, United Kingdom
*[email protected]
In this paper I will describe the settlement development on the two Baltic Sea islands of
Öland and Gotland from the 3rd century to the 14th century. On both islands there are a large
number of well-preserved house remains from Roman Iron age to the end of the Merovingian
period. These are often found together with preserved field-systems, making it possible to
divide the houses into different farm sizes and to be able to see the shapes and sizes of entire
villages during these time periods. The way people built their houses; farms and the layout of
hamlets and villages were very similar between the islands.
During the end of the Merovingian period and the beginning of the Viking age a new
building tradition was introduced to the islands. These new houses were built only with
wooden material and are therefore more or less impossible to detect on the surface. However,
despite these difficulties it is possible to show that the overall settlement pattern during the
Viking age and the Early Medieval period was identical to the previous periods.
Instead, the major shift regarding settlement structure between the two islands occurs
during the High Middle Ages and onwards. These differences can be linked to completely
different forms of land ownership and ownership categories on Öland and Gotland.
14
THE OTHER NETWORK – THE BARBARIAN KLEPTOCRACY BETWEEN
CENTER AND PERIPHERY IN THE LATE 5TH CENTURY AD
FISCHER Svante*
Kalmar County Museum, Sweden
*[email protected]
This paper focuses on the late 5th century, the period surrounding the fall of the West
Roman Empire. The material culture of the Late Roman world can be described as a large
shallow bowl, filled with many layers in a hierarchical order. The top layer of the bowl, i. e.
gold coinage, has the largest surface and the most extensive circumference, even if it grows
very thin at the extreme edges. But if the bowl is brought into motion, this need not be noticed
at the center. Rather it will be at the rim where the top layer is going to be spill over and cause
disruption. This means that specific events, such as the burial of gold coin hoards, at the
periphery can be used to understand the transformation at the center where change is normally
not detected due to the sheer depth and width of the layers. I work with contexts from Italy at
the epicenter, Belgium in the West Roman periphery, and Öland in Scandinavia in the distant
periphery of Barbaricum. The purpose is to explore the impact of direct contacts in the shape
of “the other network”, between power brokers at the Roman center and barbarian periphery
as evident in the so-called “gold hemorrhage”, the flight of Roman monetary capital. My
research aims at interpreting and synthesizing different forms of new evidence of the “gold
hemorrhage”, gold coin hoards that have come to light in the last decade. One specific aim is
to explore the late 5th century military and political hierarchy in Italy and Gaul during the
dissolution of the Western Empire. Who ruled the West at the time and how? It is usually
argued from written sources that barbarian warlords, kleptocrats, controlled Northern Italy
through puppet emperors, but there is very little tangible evidence to show what this really
implied. The overall aim is to create a new perspective of the Late Roman or Migration
Period, with the aim of integrating the epicenter of Italy and Gaul with the periphery of Öland
in Scandinavia. This research will provide answers as to how the decline of the Empire was
managed from the highest echelons of the imperial government at the center down to the
barbarian mercenaries from the distant periphery. A key to the understanding of political
events in Italy and the financial collapse of the Western Empire is the composition of solidus
hoards and their respective frequency of die-identities among Western solidus issues. In my
work on the Roman gold hemorrhage, I have since 2008 gathered some 7,300 individual
solidi in the LEO database. The method employed can be summarized in a classic phrase:
“Follow the money and you will find the villain”.
15
SEAL EXPLOITATION IN BALTIC SEA DURING THE MID - AND LATE
HOLOCENE
GLYKOU Aikaterini*
Archaeological Research Laboratory, Stockholm University, Sweden
*[email protected]
The presence of different seal species, harp seal (Phoca groenlandica), grey seal
(Halichoerus gryphus) and ringed seal (Phoca hispida), during different stages of the
Holocene in the Baltic Sea region has been a central archaeozoological topic during the last
decades. The harp seal has been most enigmatic, since it is no longer extant in the Baltic Sea
region, but that was particularly evident at numerous prehistoric occupation coastal sites
during the middle Holocene. Thus, the occurrence of this cold adapted species during a warm
climate phase in this region has led to controversy in the interpretation on why it was present
and why it disappeared. The alternative explanations to a change in population dynamics in
the two seal populations are related to paleoenvironmental changes affecting the ecology of
the seals e.g. feeding and breeding strategies, interaction between man and environment e.g.
different cultural frameworks and changes in exploitation patterns.
To solve this middle and late Holocene issue in the Baltic Sea we here propose to
undertake a systematic interdisciplinary study on the exploitation patterns of seals, in
particular harp seals and grey seals, by applying up-to-date archaeological, geochemical, and
archaeozoological methods. Our two main research objectives are a) reconstruction of the
palaeohabitat of grey and harp seals and b) exploration of the palaeoeconomical significance
of seal exploitation. By applying stable isotopic analysis we aim to address the following
issues a) exploitation of seals and seasonal hunting b) localization of breeding grounds of harp
seals in the Baltic Sea, and c) shifts in migration and foraging patterns of grey and harp seals.
16
POSTGLACIAL ENVIRONMENT IN THE EASTERN LITHUANIA: MULTI-PROXY
APPROACH
GRYGUC Gražyna*, STANČIKAITĖ Miglė, MAŽEIKA Jonas, GAIDAMAVIČIUS Andrejus
Nature Research Centre, Institute of Geology and Geography, Lithuania
*[email protected]
Complex investigations (pollen, plant macrofossils, LOI, 14C) data obtained from two
cores (Verpstinis, Lavariškės) were used to reconstruct the postglacial environmental
changes in Eastern Lithuania. The chronologic subdivision of the investigated sediments was
performed based on 14C radioisotope and biostratigraphic data. A performed study indicates
that the sediment accumulation in Verpstinis paleolake started during the Alleröd Interstadial.
Lavariškės bog originated slightly later, at the beginning of the Younger Dryas.
During the Alleröd, formation of a pine-predominating forest was established.
Meanwhile in the Younger Dryas, the forest cover thinned and open areas were occupied by
pioneer plant species such as Poaceae, Cyperaceae and Artemisia, indicating the begining of
the soil formation processes. A considerable number of cold resistant species (Betula nana,
Artemisia, Juniperus, Selaginella selaginoides) were present pointing on cold and dry climate.
Simultaneously, oospores of Chara and Potamogeton endocarps registered in the Lavariškės
sediments, indicate initial stage of palaeobasin development. At the beginning of the
Holocene, the diversity of open-land vegetation decreased. The lakeside was predominated by
light Betula forest. Both, the pollen and plant macrofossils show Picea immigration into the
region. Since about 10900 cal yr BP the conditions in the Verpstinis palaeobasin gradually
changed i.e. turned from oligotrophic to eutrophic. In Lavariškės palaeolake eutrophication
process was fixed latter, after 9500 cal yr BP. Remarkable changes of forest composition
started in both palaeolakes. Deciduous trees gradually spread in the sparse light forests of the
Verpstinis palaeolake environs after 10200 cal yr BP, whereas on the Lavariškės lakeside at
9800 cal yr BP. During the next stage of the Lavariškės paleobasin development the lake
water level decreased, especially after 8500 cal yr BP and bogging process intensified.
Meanwhile in Verpstinis palaeobasin overgrowing processes started latter, after 6000 cal yr
BP and bogging processes increased after 3000 cal yr BP. The differencies in paleobasin
evolution are determined by different local conditions of geological setting of palaeolakes.
17
NATURAL ENVIRONMENTAL CHANGE AND SOCIO-ECONOMIC RESPONSE
DURING THE LATE PLEISTOCENE AND HOLOCENE ALONG A TRANSECT
TRENDING FROM THE SOUTHERN TO THE NORTHEASTERN BALTIC SEA
COAST
HARFF, Jan1*, BĒRZIŅŠ Valdis2, GROH Andreas 3, KALNIŅA Laimdota 2, ROSENTAU Alar4,
WITKOWSKI Andrzej1
1
University of Szczecin, Poland
University of Latvia, Latvia
3
Dresden University of Technology, Germany
4
University of Tartu, Estonia
2
*[email protected]
The Baltic Sea serves as a model ocean that allows to study in an exceptional manner
the interrelation between geological, climatic and hydrogaphic processes, the evolution of
coastlines and the anthroposphere. Understanding the complex processes of interrelation
between geo-, eco-, and the socio-economic system requires the interdisciplinary cooperation
between geoscientists, climatologists, ecologists and archaeologists. The driving forces
having shaped the coastline of the Baltic Sea act on different time scales.
Three periods of different forcing can be distinguished:
- ice load period (Weichselian glaciation)
- melt water: dammed ice lakes (late-glacial to Boreal)
- Glacio-Isostatic adjustment (GIA) and climatically controlled eustasy (Atlantic)
- GIA, eustasy and NAO-variations (Subboreal to present age).
The spatially varying impacts of these forces can be studied on a transect striking from
the southeastern to the southwestern Baltic coast. The differences along this transact are
mainly determined by GIA effects and the geological build up of the coast. The transect from
the Estonian to the German coast trends from the uplifting southern Gulf of Finland (Estonia)
to the subsiding coastal areas of the Mecklenburgian Bay (Germany). The western Latvian
coast plays a key role in understanding the environmental changes during the Holocene as the
east-west striking GIA hinge-line crosses the coast at that area. Changes in the coastal
environments from the Late Pleistocene to the Holocene are well recorded by lagoon- and
nearshore lake-sediments and mires. Besides proxy-data of the natural paleo-environments,
lakes, lagoons and bay sediments host valuable archaeological finds reflecting the socioeconomic response of ancient communities to changes in climate and the natural environment.
In particular the adaption of survival strategies to the shift from freshwater to brackish marine
environment along with the Littorina Transgression can be traced by archaeological studies.
18
SCANDINAVIANS AT THE SOUTH COAST OF THE BALTIC SEA IN THE EARLY
MEDIEVAL TIMES
JANOWSKI Andrzej*
Polish Academy of Sciences, Poland
*[email protected]
It is absurd to believe that the former communities live in isolation without contacting
each other. Contacts help develop of the community and isolation condemned to oblivion and
extinction. One of the issues is particularly intriguing to identify the presence of
Scandinavians on the southern coast of the Baltic Sea. This problem is bothering researchers
for over 150 years. The post II world war period brought the negation of the theory of the
physical presence of Scandinavians on the southern coast of the Baltic Sea and the
marginalization of their impact on the culture of the indigenous people. This attitude changed
until the discovery of the late 20th century, which resulted in extremely different attitude. This
text is an attempt to look at the progress already made history and archeology in this area. In
particular, the results of excavations brought a range of new information and widened the
possible identification. Currently, the issue of the presence of Scandinavians can be seen in
several areas including, among others: wooden architecture, funeral rites and the imported
objects. A strong problem is the imitation associated with the so-called "Pomeranian school of
Scandinavian-Insular decoration”. Historical and archaeological sources are supplement by
the results of analyzes of biological sciences. The result is an image, which is a multi-colored
mosaic, extremely different from unequivocal affirming or negating the views of presence of
Scandinavians on the southern coast of the Baltic Sea.
19
ORIGIN AND DEVELOPMENT OF THE VISTULA RIVER MOUTH IN GDANSK
JEGLIŃSKI Wojciech*, UŚCINOWICZ Szymon
Polish Geological Institute - National Research Institute, Poland
*[email protected]
During the historical times Vistula river formed in the Gulf of Gdańsk three river
mouths. The oldest one is located in Gdańsk. To reconstruct the origin and development of
this outlet 27 sediment cores of a length between 2 and 25 m were taken from onshore and
offshore parts of outlet cone. 24 samples of dune sands from 18 sites were dated by the OSL
method. 56 shells and peats samples were dated using 14C isotope. Grain size distribution,
pollen and diatoms analyses were performed as well. For the last 500 years historical maps
were used.
According to the obtained results, at the end of the Atlantic period, when the sea level
was 6-5 m lower than the present day, the marine transgression entered the current land area
marking its range by marine sand and the oldest dunes embankments. According to
radiocarbon ages of marine shells and peats maximum of transgression occurred ca. 7000
years BP. During the next ca. 4000 years the formed bay was gradually filled by marine sand.
The oldest preserved dune ridges, currently located 2 km onshore, are oriented WSW – ENE.
They stabilized, acc. to OSL dating between 3950 and 3150 years BP.
The orientation of the dune ridges lying a little further north changes gradually to W-E
and WNW – ESE. According to OSL dating these dunes stabilized between 2760-2380 years
BP.
The youngest 14C ages of shells from marine sand and the oldest form the outlet cone
formed in front of dune ridge indicate that Vistula outlet in that place was formed between
3000-2500 years BP and accumulation of clastic material begun. Since that time the
origination of all younger dune series is in direct relation to the development of the Vistula
mouth cone and the subsequent dune ridges are characteristically bent in the sea direction.
Accretion of the outlet cone had not been steady in time. During the next 1500-1000
years outlet cone growing relatively fast and clastic material of volume ca. 97 mln. m3 was
deposited. This period corresponding with the dune ridges stabilized in succession acc. OSL
method between 2220 and 1675 years BP.
The next distinct seaward dune ridge was stabilized acc. OSL method between 15051099 years BP. In XV century on this dune ridge lighthouse was erected, what indicate the
occurrence of stagnation period when the position of seashore was stable during ca. 1000
years.
The second stage of intensive outlet cone development started ca. 1000-700 years BP.
The historical maps from the years 1594-1840 confirm this process. During that time
shoreline has displaced ca. 850 m and ca. 82 mln. m3 of sediments was deposited.
The development of the discussed Vistula river mouth cone ended in 1840 when the
new mouth has been formed 7 km eastward, and since that time mouth cone is eroded as a
result of lack of clastic material supplying the cone before. Since 1840 ca. 10 mln m3 of
sediments was removed by waves and coastal currents.
20
GEOLOGY AND DEVELOPMENTOF EARLY MEDIEVAL HILLFORT AREA
IN SOPOT
JEGLIŃSKI Wojciech*, UŚCINOWICZ Szymon, KOSZKA-MAROŃ Dorota
Polish Geological Institute - National Research Institute, Poland
*[email protected]
Early Medieval hillfort in Sopot is located on the edge of morainic upland, c. 20 m asl.
Morainic upland is built mainly of glacial till and fluvioglacial sand in lower part. The steep
slope of the moraine plateau falls to the level of about 3-2 m asl. The coastal accumulation
terrace stretches at the foot of the upland. It is built of lagoonal muds, marine sands with a
peats and aeolian sands at the surface. Width of the terrace is in nowdays c. 400 m.
Geological data and sea level proxies indicate that geological processes led to the
current situation can be presented as follows:
1. About 7000-6500 cal. yrs ago, when sea level was c. 8-7 m lower then present,
transgressing waters of Baltic Sea reached the footslope of morainic upland.
2. During the next 1000 years sea level rose to the level 4-3.5 m lower then present.
Morainc upland was eroded that time in a rate of 0.7-0.8 m/year. The cliffy coast and
erosional platform was formed.
3. Eroded cliffs (especially in the area of nowadays Orłowo Headland - north of the
discussed site) supplied enough sand to start forming the barrier in front of the cliffy
coast.
4. Between 5000-4000 years ago the barrier became enough developed and strong to form
the lagoon in front of the cliffs south from the Orłowo headland and allow mud
accumulation in the lagoon.
5. Barrier slowly migrated westward, in direction perpendicular to land. Between 4000 and
2000 years ago muds were accumulated in the lagoon. The sandy-muddy lagoonal
sediments occur at a depth from 7-10 m to 4-7 m below present sea level along ca. 10 km
of western coast of the Gulf of Gdansk. Those sediments are underlain by coarse- and
medium-grained, calcareous sands of Pleistocene age. Radiocarbon age of lagoonal mud
varies from 6029-5717 to 4527-4224 cal. years BP (68.2% prob.). Cerastoderma sp. and
Scrobicularia sp. shells taken from the same muddy layers were dated to 2045-1510 and
2339-1736 cal. years BP. This indicates that radiocarbon age of mud is aged so by about
3900-2400 years, most probably due to admixtures of older redeposited organic matter.
According to pollen analyses examined sediments were accumulated at an period not
earlier than 3700-3200 cal. years and not older than 1200 cal. years. This is in coherence
with radiocarbon age of marine shells. Diatom analysis showed that the most taxons in
this sediments are cosmopolitan, occurring in brackish reservoirs today. The spectrum is
dominated by diatoms characteristic mainly for muddy and sandy habitat. Increasing of
benthic species in the upper part of sediments indicates the shallowing of the lagoon. The
barrier migrated slowly landward (to the west) simultaneously to sea level rise and was
periodically teardowned during storms surges what the inserts of sandy layers and the
occurrence of brackish and marine diatoms in sediments indicate. The shallowing of the
21
lagoon was most probably accelerated by supply of sand from Vistula outlet, which was
formed south of the lagoon ca. 3000 years ago.
6. The lagoon was filled by sand completely ca. 1500-1000 cal. years ago and since that
time coastal terrace has existed. Locally peats were formed on marine sand due to ground
water discharge from the Pleistocene aquifers.
Finally, when the hillfort was created (1500-1000 y. ago) the swampy coastal terrace
occur in front of the dead cliff and a path of a few hundred meters was needed for starting to
sail and hunting on the open sea.
22
STATUS, CHALLENGES AND PERSPECTIVES OF RESEARCH ON SUBMERGED
PREHISTORIC SITES IN BALTIC WATERS – RESULTS OF THE EUROPEAN
NETWORK SPLASHCOS
JÖNS Hauke*
Lower Saxony Institute for historical Coastal Research, Germany
*[email protected]
From 2009 to 2013 the European Commission funded under its COST program the
research network SPLASHCOS - Submerged Prehistoric Archaeology and Landscapes of the
Continental Shelf -, that aimed to bring archaeologists, marine geoscientists, heritage
agencies, and commercial and industrial organizations together, who are interested in
researching, managing and preserving the archives of archaeological and palaeoclimatic
information locked up on the drowned prehistoric landscapes of the European continental
shelf (see http://www.splashcos.org/). Researchers from almost all European countries with
coastal areas became members of SPLASHCOS and contributed with their knowledge and
experience in discussions, field schools, seminars, projects and publications, addressing to the
scientific community as well as to the general public. Especially the web-based informationtool "Splashcos-viewer" offering basic scientific information, maps, images and references
about all sites the SPLASHCOS-network is working on, as well as addresses of institutions
and researchers in charge, is expected to raise the public awareness to the submerged part of
the common cultural heritage of Europe. In the presentation the aims, methods and outcomes
of this international and interdisciplinary network will be presented with special reference to
the Baltic sites.
23
EARLY MEDIEVAL TRADING NETWORKS AND HARBOURS ALNOG THE
SOUTHERN BALTIC SHORE
JÖNS Hauke1*, KARLE Martina1, MESSAL Sebastian2
1
2
Lower Saxony Institute for historical Coastal Research, Germany
German Archeological Institute, Germany
*[email protected]
In the Early Middle Ages the Baltic Sea region formed the zone of contact between the
Scandinavian kingdoms, the Frankish Empire, and the Baltic and Slavic tribal areas. In this
period a socially, ethnically, religiously and economically heterogeneous area came into being
that afforded excellent opportunities for accessing new markets and disseminating
innovations. Based on that, the Baltic region from the 8th century onwards witnessed
flourishing long-distance trade and the development and consolidation of a trans-regional
transport network. The central element in the organization of the exchange of goods in the
Early Middle Ages consisted of coastal settlements that specialized in trans-regional trade and
crafts and were established throughout the Baltic region from the 8th century onwards. Their
harbors functioned as links between different regions and landscapes as well as between land
and sea traffic systems.
Considering the high social and economic significance of the harbors the limited
knowledge about their construction and origination is astonishing, so that new research on
that field can be regarded as a desideratum. Since 2012 the project “Early medieval Baltic
coast harbours between the Wismar and Gdańsk Bays” has started a systematic and
interdisciplinary investigation of the harbour structures of early medieval emporia in the
research area. The project is funded by the German Research Foundation within the Priority
programme “Harbours from the Roman Period to the Middle Ages” (http://www.spphaefen.de/en/)
Within the project the extent to which topographical features were decisive for the
setting of these settlements' harbours shall be clarified, it shall be analyzed how the harbours
were linked to their respective settlements, what social and economic function the harbours
possessed within the settlement structure, and how exactly the loading and unloading of the
boats and ships proceeded. Of particular interest is the question of whether riverbank or
shoreline reinforcements, moles or wharves were built and repaired and if renovation or
modification work was carried out for this purpose. Against this background, reconstructing
the geographical features as well as the environmental processes – such as changes in sea
level, the local hydrography, regional/local siltation processes or the shifting of coastlines and
relevant waterways as a result of erosion – is of great importance.
The paper will focus on the geological, geophysical and archaeological research already
done on the well known sites Ralswiek on Rügen, Rostock-Dierkow and Usedom.
24
BOAT BURIALS IN THE BALTIC SEA REGION: 45 YEARS AFTER MICHAEL
MÜLLER-WILLE’S “BESTATTUNG IM BOOT”
KOBYLIŃSKI Zbigniew*, RABIEGA Kamil
Institute of Archaeology, Cardinal Stefan Wyszyński University in Warszawa, Poland
*[email protected]
In 1970, well-known German archaeologist Michael Müller -Wille published his
monumental work “Bestattung im Boot”, which collected all the known archaeological sites
containing burials associated with the symbolism of the boat: burials in boats and ships and
burials in stone settings in the shape of a boat. Between 1974 and 1995 he published articles
that complement his catalogue of boat burials. Today, almost 45 years after the seminal
publication by Michael Müller-Wille we would like to take a look at the current state of our
knowledge about the phenomenon of burials in boats and ships in Northern Europe. By 1970,
422 burials were discovered on nearly 300 sites. To date, the number of known sites where
burials were discovered in boats and ships has grown to nearly 400, while the number of
individual burials has increased to almost 650. In the light of discoveries made after the
publication of the work by Michael Müller-Wille this phenomenon occurred much more
frequently than previously thought also on southern shores of the Baltic Sea. Especially
interesting is the fact that new discoveries in the territory of Poland suggest that the custom of
burial in boat was known here already in the first centuries after Christ, probably as a result of
contacts across the Baltic.
25
GLASS ORNAMENTS AS THE GARMENT DECORATION OF CITIZENS OF
EARLY MEDIEVAL GDANSK
KRUKOWSKA Olga*
Archaeological Museum of Gdańsk, Poland
*[email protected]
The artifacts presented here were derived during several seasons of archeological
investigation of the sites in the oldest parts of Gdansk. The research was done in the different
parts of the town of Gdansk such as fishing and handicrafts’ districts, a marker place, a
harbour and a graveyard. Despite a great variety of glass artifacts recovered , there is still no
direct evidence for the local production of glass. Yet, a possibility the glass workshops existed
there has not been rejected.
Amongst the artifacts mentioned above the various kinds of beads are dominant whereas
only a few glass rings were excavated. Production of those simple, quiet small objects did not
involve many skills and abilities and as a result glass beads become popular and relatively
cheap elements of ornaments widespread among less wealthy inhabitants. That theory has
been proven thanks to the finds recovered in the handicrafts’ and fishing districts because
people must have been losing them while doing housework as a lot of beads were found in
between the buildings and on the premises.
Multicoloured beads together with glass rings and glass ring settings were recovered in
the graves at the graveyard located nearby the trade settlement of the town. regardless of the
age ,sex or wealth of the dead. Together with the pendants made of amber, silver, bronze and
tin glass beads were the parts of the head, neck, hands and garment ornaments such as
necklaces, bracelets , temple rings (which are parts of Slavic medieval woman dress. Most
made of metals such as copper alloys or iron, though silver and even gold were occasionally
used) and “diadems”. The beads were used to border garments, belts, leather sacks and knife
cases.
Amongst the items excavated in Gdansk the
spherical, undecorated beads
predominated. They were made of transparent glass, coloured glass such as yellow, purple or
green. Only a few examples of opaque glass beads were recovered and as the quality,
adornment techniques and the shape of those were different they are thought to be of foreign
origin.
The glass ware is a very special kind of finds. Several forms of decorations unalterably
lasted throughout the centuries. Some kinds of beads together with some other types of
artifacts are the vivid evidence for Gdansk broad contacts and relations with the far – reaching
trade centers of that time. Pomerania was the influence zone of both western and eastern
merchants.
26
SUBMERGED PREHISTORIC SITES AND THEIR RELEVANCE FOR THE
RELATIVE SEA-LEVEL CURVE OF WISMAR BAY, NORTH-GERMANY BALTIC
COAST
LÜBKE Harald1*, MEADOWS John1,2*
1
Centre for Baltic and Scandinavian Archaeology, Schleswig-Holstein State Museums Foundation Schloss
Gottorf, Germany
2
Leibniz-Labor für Altersbestimmung und Isotopenforschung, Christian-Albrechts-Universität zu Kiel, Germany
*[email protected];
*[email protected]
In 2005 members of the interdisciplinary SINCOS-research group published a new
relative sea-level curve for the Wismar Bay based on palaeo-environmental research and on
investigations of submerged prehistoric sites in the area (Lampe et al. 2005; Lampe et al.
2009; Jöns et al. 2009). Subsequently, research on submerged palaeo-environmental and
prehistoric sites in Wismar Bay and in the adjacent Mecklenburg Bay continued until 2009
(Lübke et al. 2011). The newly investigated sites were mainly north and west of Poel Island
and situated in a water depth between 12 m and 0 m below present MSL. The sites date from
the 9th up to the 3rd millennium cal BP. Because all the sites were placed close to the former
coastline, the underwater excavations delivered not only important information on the
prehistoric cultural history of the south-western Baltic coast but also on the coastal
development and the contemporary regional sea-level. In addition other tree stumps found at
various locations in the Mecklenburgian Bay were dated. Overall, more than 80 new
radiocarbon dates are available now which could not be considered in 2005.
In the present paper we will verify the relative sea-level curve published in 2005 by a
careful re-evaluation of the older data and an integration of the newly available data.
Basically, the previously published curve can be confirmed, but Bayesian modelling of the
radiocarbon dates allows more precise statements in some periods than was previously
possible.
References:
Jöns, H., Lübke, H., Lüth, F., Terberger, T. (2007), Prehistoric settlements and development of the
regional economic area. Archaeological investigations along the Northeast-German Baltic Sea coast. –
Ber. RGK 88, 2007, 77–116.
Lampe, R.; Endtmann, E.; Janke, W.; Meyer, H.; Lübke, H.; Harff, J.; Lemke, W. (2005): A new
relative sea-level curve for the Wismar Bay, N-German Baltic coast. - Meyniana, 57: 5-35.
Lampe, R.; Meyer, H.; Ziekur, R.; Janke, W.; Endtmann, E. (2007): Holocene evolution of the
irregularly sinking southern Baltic Sea coast and the interactions of sea-level rise, accumulation space
and sediment supply. – Ber. RGK 88, 2007, 117-148.
Lübke, H., Schmölcke, U., Tauber, F. (2011), Mesolithic Hunter-Fishers in a Changing World: a case
study of submerged sites on the Jäckelberg, Wismar Bay, northeastern Germany. In: J. Benjamin, C.
Bonsall, C. Pickard, A. Fischer (eds.), Submerged Prehistory, Oxbow Books (Oxford) 21-37.
27
THE FORMATION OF THE AMBER-BEARING DEPOSITS ON THE FOSSIL
BEACHES IN THE SOUTHERN PART OF THE GULF OF GDANSK IN THE
HOLOCENE
MAŁKA Anna*, KRAMARSKA Regina, JEGLIŃSKI Wojciech
Polish Geological Institute – National Research Institute, Poland
*[email protected]
The Baltic amber that accumulated in sediments of the Holocene was valued and
appreciated due to its availability, prevalence and rich coloration. The development of the
Gulf of Gdansk shore and formation of amber-bearing sediments in the Holocene were
determined by repeated transgressions and regressions of the Baltic Sea and the resulting
coastal sedimentation process that continue up to the present. Contemporarily, amber
(succinite) occurs in the upper Holocenic deposits in the areas of Littorina transgressions.
This transgression affected the shallow water zone of the southern part of the Baltic Sea,
which from the early Pleistocene were developing in a continental environment. The
formation and development of a Littorina Sea resulted from the Holocene Climate Optimum
(HCO) about 7000 – 6500 BP. The conducive conditions for formation of amber-bearing
sediments occurred in the Littorina and Post-Littorina Period.
Succinite was primarily deposited in deltaic sediments in late Eocene. In the Holocene
amber was washed out from the Sambian cliffs (from ‘Blue Earth layers’) and then
transported by costal currents to the southern parts of the Gulf of Gdansk and deposited with
detritus, on the beaches. Amber accumulation is closely connected with storm wave swash
zones and frequently inundated flood plains. Additionally amber could also be deposited in
the areas where currents were rapidly slowing down in bars, meanders, alluvial cones margins
as well as in the areas of river backflows.
Amber-bearing coastal deposits occur mostly at the depth 4–10 m and form nests and
elongated lenses from a few to 100–200 m long. Succinite occurs in the littoral fine and
medium-grained sands with some amount of silt and large clasts of plant detritus, preventing
the amber from escaping. On the fossil beaches in the Vistula delta amber-bearing zones are
elongated parallely, perpendicularly or diagonal, along storm water channels.
‘Wisłoujście’ – the richest documented Holocene amber deposit (about 178 t) is
situated in the fine and medium-grained alluvial cone sands of ‘Martwa Wisła’. The
sediment’s age has been estimated at the middle Subboreal Period (3860 ± 75, 3555 ± 65)
and early Subatlantic 2380 ± 55 years BP). The recent research results indicate that the dates
may be inacurate.
In the coastal scattered succinite deposits the not weathered transparent amber prevails,
and primary varieties outnumber secondary varieties.
28
LANDSCAPES AND HUMAN IN TRANSITION – A BALTIC SEA PERSPECTIVE
WITH GOTLAND ISLAND AS A HIGH-RESOLUTION CASE STUDY
MARTINSSON-WALLIN Helene*, WALLIN Paul
Department of Archaeology and Ancient History, Uppsala University, Sweden
*[email protected]
This paper will provide some initial results on the significance of cultural and
environmental change and human response in a Baltic Sea Island environment from Early
Neolithic to the Bronze Age. Located in the Baltic Sea proper, Gotland Island is used as a case
study since it comprise of a well- defined research area including a limited variety of discrete
landscapes and an array of prehistoric remains ranging over the past 8000 years. Many of the
islands archaeological remains have been surveyed and excavated and data is relatively
abundant, but the full potential of this material for comprehensive and multidisciplinary
studies on socio-environmental dynamics have not been realized before. Dated archaeological
remains and portable material culture such as pottery will be analysed and compared with new
detailed palaeo-environmental records to establish a detailed shore-line displacement and
climate-vegetation model. Our high-resolution multi-proxy approach, which will identify
material from mires, and lake areas is used to understand large scale environmental dynamics
during the prehistory. A pottery study of style and temper, a series of radiocarbon dates, and
isotope analyses of selected skeletal remains will reflect on migration and interactions during
the Early and Mid-Neolitic. The project target several issues but initial results from tree
research issues will be presented.
1. A model the shoreline displacement of the Lina Mire area from the colonization
time in the Mid-Mesolithic to the Bronze Age
2. An isotope analysis of human bone remains from two cultural contexts during the
mid-Neolitic
3. Pottery analysis from two cultural contexts during the mid-Neolitic
29
A LATE NEOLITHIC CENTRE FOR THE EXPLOITATION AND TREATMENT OF
AMBER IN THE LOWER VISTULA BASIN (ŻUŁAWY REGION)
MAZUROWSKI Ryszard F.*
The Institute of Archaeology, University of Warsaw, Poland
*[email protected]
On behalf of the Institute of Archeology at the University of Warsaw, the author has
conducted archaeological research on the Late Neolithic Rzucewo culture and belonging to its
the so-called Niedźwiedziówka Settlement Micro-Region (NSM) since 1980. The NSM is
located in the Vistula Żuławy Lowlands, near the villages of Niedźwiedziówka, Stare Babki,
Wybicko, Wiśniewo and Bronowo, Stegna municipality, in the county of Nowy Dwór
Gdański. Over the last 20 years this research has been carried out together with the Malbork
Castle Museum, under the framework of the long-term collaboration agreement with the
Institute of Archaeology at the University of Warsaw. As shown through geological and
archaeological investigations, in the Late Neolithic period one of the branches of the mouth of
the Vistula used to flow near to the above-mentioned villages, and the Vistula Lagoon receded
northeastwards. The sandy backwaters ( dunes ) formed on both sides of the river-bed of the
ancient branch became a convenient place for several hundred seasonal camps to be set up.
2
With an area of around 30km , these camps set up by Rzucewo people arriving from the
Elbląg Upland in order to gather and work with amber (succinite). The interest in the alluvial
areas of the Żuławy Lowlands was related to the high popularity of amber among Late
Neolithic populations in the region, stretching all the way to the Carpathian Arch. In addition
to the convenient exchange route provided by the Vistula River, the rapidly growing demand
for amber in places far away from the Baltic created extraordinarily conducive conditions for
its increased role in the economy of the coastal settlements on the Bay of Gdańsk and the
Vistula Lagoon. The seasonal camps in the Żuławy Lowlands and long-term settlements in
the coastal areas demonstrate a successful attempt by the Rzucewo people to gain the
maximum economic advantage from amber, the most valuable natural resource in the area. It
also helped to develop long-term, large, and wealthy permanent settlements in the coastal
strips of the Elbląg and Gdańsk Uplands.
In addition to treatment ornaments for the exchange among the local populace, two
kinds of treasures discovered in the NSM sites suggest clearly that many valuable amber
lumps and large plates were meant for long-distance exchange with riverside settlements up to
400-450km away. The very important role in this undertaking belonged to the Vistula River.
Amber workshops were also discovered in the NSM seasonal camps; these have yielded
some 205,000 artifacts that are connected with the production of the ornaments and the daily
life of their original owners. Almost 170,000 of the finds are amber artifacts that were
discarded in the manufacturing process; 17,500 are semi-finished ornaments, finished
ornaments and raw material discarded in the pre-selection process. The assumption that these
finds come from a workshops is further confirmed by the small number of finished ornaments
(0.2%), in comparison to the number of semi-finished, discarded, or damaged products. Also,
30
this assumption can be confirmed by the presence of numerous flint, stone, horn and bone
tools that were used in the process of amber manufacturing.
In addition, the lack of any trace of permanent residential constructions in the NSM
sites confirms their seasonal use in the prehistoric times. Apart from open fireplaces,
sometimes also with a stone surround, and a few pits, other items found along the banks of the
branch of the Vistula’s mouth and it river-bed included sharpened stakes made from black
alderwood, and the foundations of primitive footpaths and jetties. These were used for
mooring boats and assised with all kinds of daily activities such as drawing water, washing,
and fishing.
The traces of amber use by the Rzucewo people discovered in the NSM seasonal camps
suggest unquestionably that this is the world’s largest known centre of Stone Age amber
exploitation and amber ornament production. The continuing destruction of the Neolithic
campsites and the theft of very valuable artifacts are reasons to continue the NSM excavation
work in the future. An important collection of the artifacts that have been discovered in the
Niedźwiedziówka Settlement Micro-Region are displayed in the Malbork Castle Museum.
A preliminary summary of the research project can be found in the following book (in
Polish): R.F. Mazurowski, Prahistoryczne bursztyniarstwo na Żuławach Wiślanych.
Późnoneolityczne centrum pozyskiwania i obróbki bursztynu w niedźwiedzióweckim
mikroregionie osadniczym (3300 – 2400 l. p.n.e.), Malbork, 2013 / (Translation: R.F.
Mazurowski, Prehistoric amber craft in the Vistula Lowlands. A late Neolithic center of
amber exploitation and manufacturing in the Niedźwiedziówka Settlement Micro-Region
(3300 – 2400 B.C), Malbork, 2013).
31
CONNECTIONS BETWEEN NORTHERN GERMANY AND WESTERN POLAND:
COMPLEX BELT FITTING OF THE PRE-ROMAN IRON AGE
NIKULKA Frank*
Department for Pre- and Protohistoric Archaeology, Hamburg University, Germany
*[email protected]
Looking for militaria at an so far unknown iron age burial place a detectorist found an
iron belt fitting deposited in a simple cremation burial. The site is situated 25 km in the north
of Schwerin, the capital of the state of Mecklenburg-Pommerania in northeastern Germany.
The State office for Cultural Heritage Management examined the site, documented the rest of
this grave and collected 2640 g of cremated bones belonging to four individuals. The belt
fitting has been composed of a set of iron plates of different size, some with bronze sheets on
top. A second belt consists of iron rings and little plates. Until now only one identical belt has
been found 1888 at Wąwelnica near Sczecin. The distance between these two sites is 200 km.
This gives interesting hints on iron age culture contact between Jastorf culture and WarnowOdermündungs-Gruppe around 350 b.c. (LtB1/KeilingIc/IIa). Typochronologically our belt
fitting is a missing link between late Hallstatt bronze belts (7.-6. century b.c.) and so called
Holsteiner Gürtel dating to the second or first century b.c.
32
NEOLITHISATION OF COASTAL LITHUANIA
PILIČIAUSKAS Gytis*
Lithuanian Institute of History, Lithuania
*[email protected]
There is abundant evidence in prehistory for a very different pattern of socioeconomic
development of coastal communities compared to inland ones. Coastal Lithuania is no
exception in this regard. The Baltic Sea, together with shallow and highly productive lagoonal
lakes, provided coastal people with plenty of food and a particularly valuable trade item,
namely amber. Moreover, the sea was a bridge between coastal people, who interchanged
ideas and material goods in great amounts and across long distances. Finally, considerable
fluctuations of the sea level during the Holocene to a large extent determined the way of life
and demography of the coastal population. What was the trajectory or perhaps trajectories of
the neolithisation process along the northern and southern Lithuanian coast? What are the
differences and possible parallels with similar processes in the western Baltic?
In 2013 a group of scientists initiated a special two-year research project entitled
‘Neolithisation of coastal Lithuania’ at the Lithuanian Institute of History. The idea was to
renew our understanding of the interplay between ecosystem, culture and economy on the
Lithuanian coast approximately in the period 4000-1000 cal BC. Revaluation of old
geological and archaeological data and ideas, prospection for new sites and study of the
settlement pattern, excavations at the most famous and recently discovered sites, stable
isotope analyses of human and animal bones, AMS dating of domestic species and stratified
sites, analysis of plant macro remains, lipid study of ancient ceramics etc. – all these have
become integral parts of the ongoing study.
The aim of this presentation is to present preliminary results of the project to an
audience interested in interactions between the Baltic Sea and Man during prehistory.
33
POMERANIAN, DANISH AND GERMAN ORNAMENTAL PATTERNS OF THE
CISTERCIAN CHURCH IN OLIWA
PIWEK Aleksander*
Gdansk University of Technology, Poland
*[email protected]
The complete Cistercian foundation in Oliwa has being built during the first three
quarters of XIII century. It started from a small oratory with staircase and probably a small
room. Next, the south part of transept with two chapels followed by the rest of the transept
with still more chapels and finally the main, three aisled body of western part of the church
was erected. Each of the newly organized part was furnished with architectonical details
which except of their repeatability showed differences in form.
It can be observed for instance along the course of the frieze running below the eaves.
Depending of the time of its building the forms of consoles and rhythm of arcades subjected
to the changes.
Decorative effect was achieved also by application of specific bond of bricks. Earliest
and most prominently ornamental kind of such ornamentation was used in the brickwork of
the face of the south part of transept ( 1226 – 1234 ) in a form of so called opus spicatum. In
further course of the wall (built after 1224 ) however the decoration was limited to only one
pattern determined by size of the niches.
Other form of decoration was made by profiled bricks extending from the face of walls
to create vertical rolls ( in the south part of the transept ) and niches of various shape and
filling used probably also in north wall of the transept.
Another element of decoration, this time used in the interior of the church, which was
changing with the time, were bases and heads of engaged columns. Their crockets, flat at the
beginning were gradually replaced by the convex ones. The heads underwent also a
transformations, especially in their middle parts. In south part of the transept they had
concave-convex surfaces, in the later, north part of the transept, low, trapezoidal form and
finally in the latest part – in the main nave – similar to the former but better elaborated shape.
The frieze with arcades like in Oliwa was quite common decoration, especially for
Romanesque churches made of brick. Less characteristic were decorations made of slanting
bonds and trapezoid bases and heads of engaged columns. Their provenance is regarded as
original to Pomerania, North Germany and Denmark.
34
TRADITION AS PROCESS – RETHINKING VIKING AGE SHIPBUILDING
RAVN Morten*
The Viking Ship Museum in Roskilde, Denmark
*[email protected]
Scholars have divided Viking-Age shipbuilding into traditions such as Nordic and
Slavic. This is done well knowing that the validity of concepts is challenged by the variety of
empirical evidence. Hence defining features should only be seen as general guidelines.
This paper analyses Viking Age shipbuilding with a different approach. Setting aside
well-known pivots of debate such as the defining features for specific shipbuilding traditions
and how to coin traditions, this paper addresses issues related to the fundamental processes
that constitute tradition. The purpose is to identify the essential components in shipbuilding
communities of the Viking Age and focus on shipbuilding as something conducted by
individuals constantly negotiating meaning and thus creating communities of practice and
identities.
A community of practice should be understood as a specific practice that is shared by
individuals and which is defined and delimited by its structure. Any community of practice
has its tradition, but neither tradition nor practice are static structures. They both change
internally through a dynamic process of external relations and internal interactions between
the individuals within the community of practice. These relations and interactions will be
analysed using educational theorist Etienne Wenger’s concepts of negotiation of meaning,
creation of community, and creation of identity. Through case studies shipbuilding traditions
are analysed as processes involving reification and participation. Analysing these processes
may explain why some techniques and methods change, while others stay the same for
hundreds of years.
35
ANCYLUS LAKE AND LITORINA SEA DISPLACEMENT AND STONE AGE
SETTLEMENT IN ESTONIA
ROSENTAU Alar*
Department of Geology, University of Tartu, Estonia
*[email protected]
Coastline change has to be regarded as global problem, influencing the human
populations not only in present days. In the early phases of cultural development, Mesolithic
and Neolithic human populations in the Baltic region experienced times of significant marine
transgressions and regressions owing to the melting of the continental ice sheet and glacial
isostatic land uplift. Geological–archaeological studies in the southern Baltic Sea area have
revealed a number of Mesolithic and Neolithic settlement sites in Denmark, Germany and
Sweden that now lie at the bottom of the present-day Baltic Sea as a result of Holocene sealevel rise. Prehistoric coastal settlements in the northern Baltic Sea areas have, however, been
uplifted and are located successively at different altitudes as a result of glacial rebound. In
transitional areas, prehistoric man experienced transgressions and regressions of the shifting
coastline owing to competition between glacial isostatic land uplift and eustatic sea level rise.
In current paper three case-studies from this transitional area are presented showing the
relationships between Stone Age human occupation and shore displacement in Estonia.
Reconstructed local shoreline displacement curves for the Ancylus Lake and Litorina Sea
stages are presented and associated with Stone Age settlement data from the Pärnu, NarvaLuga and Tallinn areas.
36
UNVEILING A TRAGEDY: HOUSE 40 IN SANDBY BORG
SÖDERSTRÖM Ulrika*
Kalmar County Museum, Sweden
*[email protected]
In the ring fort of Sandby borg, Öland, Sweden, new finds from the Migration period
have been made during the last couple of years. Hidden in the corners of five houses in the
central cluster are a number of spectacular finds of late 5th century relief brooches in
Germanic animal style I. This is a unique feature. Normally, brooches of this type are either
found as grave goods, stray finds or as cut up pieces in precious metal hoards in workshops.
With the brooches were also found lots of beads, many of them with an origin from south
Eastern Europe or Balticum/Russia. Other glass beads originate from the Late Roman world
around the Mediterranean. Each of the five deposits represents an aristocratic female’s attire.
The ring fort have been attacked and the fort seems to be scattered with bodies and parts of
bodies.
This poster focuses on one of the exavated houses, House 40. In this house, as in the
others, the hidden jewelry was tucked away in the darkest corner in the house, close to the
entrance door. They have been hidden there and then never been retrieved
In House 40, several bodies were also found. One of the dead is a young man who had a
mortal blow with a sharp weapon to his head. He was lying just inside the door. Next to him
lay another dead young man on his stomach. He was also killed. Further inside the house parts
of other bodies was found, next to spectacular finds of a glas mosaic spindle whirl/sword bead
which also originates from the Late Roman world around the Mediterranean. It has a clear
connection to the hidden jewelry.
In House 40 we can see the effect of the assault on the Ring fort on an indivdual basis.
37
LOCATION OF PUCK AND DEVELOPMENT CONDITIONS
SETTLEMENT IN GDAŃSK POMERANIA
OF SMALL
STARSKI Michał*
The Institute of Archaeology, University of Warsaw, Poland
*[email protected]
The purpose of the paper is an interdisciplinary analysis of sources, the result of which
will define location impact of Puck on development capabilities of a small town settlement
centre in Gdansk Pomerania. Features of Puck geographical environment and the key issue of
access to water together with formation of Puck Bay coastal line in early Middle Ages will be
presented first. These factors proved to be decisive for occupational activities and localization
of the settlement at its present place, as supported by the results of archaeological
investigations. The collected historical evidence allows to analyze formation processes and
development dynamics of a local settlement, with its subsequent transformation into a local
urban trade and administration centre. These processes were clearly dependent on location of
Puck itself, ultimately became a limiting factor in its further growth, and had directly affected
the rank and importance of Puck in late-medieval period.
38
CONTACTS ACROSS THE BALTIC SEA, 3RD CENTURY BC – 6TH CENTURY AD
STĄPOREK Marcin*
Badania Naukowe, Poland
*[email protected]
Territories around the Baltic Sea and its great islands such as Gotland, Öland or
Bornholm were inhabited by human populations since early holocene and the scandinavian
ice-sheet withdrawal. In the last centuries before Christ, at the beginning of the Iron Age, the
people around the Baltic Sea learned the construction of wooden-planked boats (of which the
best known example is the Hjortspring boat) which allowed permanent maritime contacts
between different provinces. During the pre-roman period of the Iron Age, in the time of
Roman Empire influence and the migration period, contacts could follow some various
patterns:
• cultural influences, borrowings and adaptations;
• unmediated exchange of goods between separate territories;
• contacts following the connections via long-distance trade routes;
• migrations of certain persons as well as those of entire populations.
In the time of the intensive development of the long distance exchange, flow of Roman
Imperial coinage and the numerous items made by craftsmen in the imperial provinces, the
earliest ports of trade, such as Lundeborg on danish island Fyn or hypothetical trade points of
the Gdańsk Bay increased in the Baltic region.
The connections trough the Baltic sea were still alive several years after the fall of the
western Roman empire, when Ostrogothic Kingdom in Italy raised. But during the 6th century
cultural changes and the abandonment of large territories on southern Baltic coast caused the
decrease of the connection network, which was revived later in the 9th century, the Viking
period of early medieval history.
39
THE SOPOT HILLFORT – A BRANCH OF GDANSK ARCHEOLOGICAL MUSEUM
SZYMAŃSKA Aleksandra*
Archaeological Museum of Gdańsk, Poland
*[email protected]
The fort located in lower Sopot at Haffner street, some 400 meters from the Baltic
shore, is the oldest monument of the town.
It is situated on the top of post-glacial hill separated from similar formations by deep
ravines on the bottom of which flow streams. From the west the castle was protected by moat
and from the sea by sheer cliff rising above wetlands. Archaeological and geological studies
of the area proved that at the time of the castle functioning the wetlands stretched almost to
the foot of the hill. The location probably explains lack of the wall as well as part of the castle
from the sea side destroyed by sea water erosion.
Prolonged archeological excavations (from 1961 to 1999 with some breaks ) conducted
by Gdańsk Archaeological Museum revealed remnants of a gate and palisade and fragments
of timber buildings as well as brought numerous small finds. The studies of the findings made
possible to reconstruct with some accuracy overall appearance of the castle and its workshops
from almost 1000 years before.
Nowadays there is an open-air museum open to many events and performances of living
history presenting the culture of early medieval Pomeranians and lately also finds from the
stone age of the area. At the foot of the fort, at the Haffner street a pavilion has been built
hosting a small museum as well as serving for meetings of scholars and lectures.
40
FROM WETLANDS TO URBAN VEGETATION – USING PALAEOECOLOGICAL
DATA TO RECONSTRUCT ENVIRONMENTAL CHANGES IN THE AREA OF
GDAŃSK FROM THE 2ND CENTURY A.D. TO MODERN TIMES
ŚWIĘTA-MUSZNICKA Joanna*, LATAŁOWA Małgorzata
Laboratory of Palaeoecology and Archaeobotany, Department of Plant Ecology, University of Gdańsk, Poland
* [email protected]
The multidisciplinary research in historical Gdańsk concerns the environmental history
of the area based on on-site pollen, non-pollen palynomorphs, macrofossil and geochemical
studies. The palaeoecological material collected in various parts of the city refers to the period
spanning from the 2nd to the 15th century. The analyses allow to reconstruct natural conditions
in the area of Gdańsk and gradual changes of the natural ecosystems against a background of
urban spatial development.
Our data indicate presence of widespread wetland and aquatic habitats in the area
subsequently settled during the Early and High Middle Ages. Patches of alder forest were an
important element of the local vegetation, gradually losing their area due to enlargement of
the urban structures. Shallow water bodies, fens and wet meadows existed in the marginal
parts of the town even in the modern times. Changes in the natural ecosystems started in the
10th century when the first early medieval settlements started to develop in the area of the Old
Town. During the 12th and 13th centuries, in the Main Town and in the northern part of
Granary Island, settlement was vigorously developing. Deforestation and restriction of
wetlands followed gradually in different parts of the growing town; in the southern part of
Granary Island it took place as late as the 15th century. The palaeoecological data show that in
the Early Middle Ages the settlement organization was still relatively loose, resembling rather
rural structure with well-developed ruderal plant communities and patches of semi-natural
vegetation. Already at that time, the area of Gdańsk was undergone strong anthropopressure
that resulted in eutrophisation and pollution of water and land habitats due to significant input
of organic waste. Poor sanitary conditions is confirmed by the presence of intestinal parasite
eggs and a high frequency of coprophilous fungi spores in the sediments. The increased
human activity also caused the enrichment of habitats by nitrogen and phosphorus and heavy
metals pollution.
Our study indicates spatial and temporal differentiation of land use within the
developing town and in its surroundings, as concerns some kinds of human activity and
animal grazing. A high pollen frequency of entomophilous plants in the cultural layers, e.g.,
Centaurea jacea-t., Trifolium repens and T. pratense-t. suggests their appearance, probably
through the transport of animal fodder to the sites and the presence of dung. The high
participation of cultivated plants and weeds illustrate the rise of economic activity. Due to the
nature of the habitat conditions in the town we assume that the fields were not situated in the
immediate vicinity of the palaeoecological sites. Cereals and other cultivated plants were
transported and stored in the town, mainly on the Granary Island.
Financial support was provided by projects no. 2011/01/B/ST10/04020 from the National Science Centre (years
2011-2014) and no. N305 081 31/3181 of the Ministry of Science and Higher Education (years 2008-2010).
41
MEDIEVAL PORT OF PUCK IN THE LIGHT OF MULTIDISCIPLINARY
RESEARCH INTO PALAEOCLIMATE AND SEA LEVEL CHANGE
UŚCINOWICZ Szymon1*, MIOTK-SZPIGANOWICZ Grażyna1, GAŁKA Mariusz2, PAWLYTA
Jacek3, PIOTROWSKA Natalia3, POMIAN Iwona4, WITAK Małgorzata5
1
Polish Geological Institute – National Research Institute, Poland
Adam Mickiewicz University, Poland
3
Silesian University of Technology, Poland
4
National Maritime Museum, Poland
5
University of Gdansk, Poland
2
*[email protected]
The drowned remnants of a Medieval harbor; a massive system of timber structures,
fascine, and stone, as well as earthen embankments are situated about 150 m away from the
present coastline of Puck Lagoon and scattered over an area of over 12 hectares. At present
the water depth there ranges between 1.5 and 2.5 m. The wooden constructions and wrecks
are dated from the middle of 10th century to the 14th century.
The reasons for the collapse of the Medieval harbour at Puck have been debated since
its discovery in 1977. Multidisciplinary study of a peat profile from the coast near the
drowned remains of a medieval harbour at Puck have allowed the reconstruction of the
environmental conditions at the time when the port was in operation. The research included
AMS 14C dating, and analysis of 13C and 18O isotopes, pollen, plant macrofossils, diatoms,
phosphorous, and heavy metals.
In the period around 800-900 AD, when the port was created, sea level was about 0,750,70 m lower than today and hydrodynamic conditions were relatively calm. Storms were
relatively infrequent and weak, as evidenced by a lack of traces for salt water incursion onto
peatland at this time Stable or slowly increasing level of water in the Puck Lagoon continued
until about 1100-1200 AD.
A decrease in port activity, during about 1300-1350 AD, occurred at a time of marked
climatic cooling at the beginning of the Little Ice Age. During the interval 1100 to 1400 AD,
the lagoon water level rose by about 0.4 m. From about 1250-1300 AD the frequency and
strength of storms also increased and the rise in sea level rise probably accelerated as well.
Perhaps ice floes drifting onto the shore during winter storms contributed to the partial
destruction of the port facilities. However, climate and hydrological changes were not then
sufficiently abrupt and catastrophic to destroy the port. The decline in port activity is
connected to a clear breakdown in human economic activity in the area, as reflected in the
results of pollen analysis and a drop in Cu and Pb content. The sediments of this period are
also characterized by a large amount of wood charcoal, suggesting the possibility that
conflagration may have helped destroy the port. Traces of fire on the port facilities support
this hypothesis.
42
SANDBY BORG ON ÖLANG – A FROZEN MOMENT IN TIME
VICTOR Helena*
Kalmar County Museum, Sweden
*[email protected]
The cultural transfers between the Roman Empire, continental Germanic tribes and the
Baltic island of Öland, Sweden are clearly exemplified by the large amount of Roman solidi
and other finds found on the island dated to the Migration period. All contacts have been
made by the Baltic Sea.
In the ring fort of Sandby borg, Öland, Sweden, new finds from the Migration period
have been made during the last couple of years. Hidden in the corners of the houses in the
central cluster are a number of spectacular finds of late 5th century relief brooches in
Germanic animal style I. This is a unique feature. Normally, brooches of this type are either
found as grave goods, stray finds or as cut up pieces in precious metal hoards in workshops.
With the brooches were also found lots of beads, many of them with an origin from south
Eastern Europe or Balticum/Russia. Other glass beads originate from the Late Roman world
around the Mediterranean. Each of the five deposits represents an aristocratic female’s attire.
They have been hidden there and then never been retrieved.
What makes this all the more strange is the presence of human bodies inside the central
houses next to the hiding places. One of the dead is a young man who had a mortal blow with
a sharp weapon to his head probably while kneeling – an execution. Only 1 % of the fort has
been excavated and the presence of remains of up to ten different individuals located all over
the fort indicates that there can be plenty of more dead scattered around the fort. It seems that
the hill fort has been attacked, seemingly at the later part of 5th century, an attack that ended in
a bloodbath and that no one survived to come back and collect the treasures or take care of the
dead bodies. There are no traces of any longer use or permanent settlement in the fort during
the late 5th century, nor has it ever been resettled at a later date, which is often the case in the
other ring forts, that may have three or more different settlement phases. We believe that the
attack was done in the aftermath of the falling Roman Empire. Some questions that are raised
are: who were the killed, who made the attack, where did the women with the jewelry come
from?
43
NON-FERROUS METALWORKING FROM EARLY MEDIEVAL PORT OF TRADE
TRUSO
ŻOŁĘDZIOWSKI Karol*
Antiquity of Southeastern Europe Research Centre, University of Warsaw, Poland
*[email protected]
During excavations in seasons 2000 - 2008 at early medieval port of trade Truso in
Janów Pomorski many of non-ferrous metal artifacts were found. There were mainly scrap
metal fragments, ingots, jewellery, dress accessories, weights and scales fragments. Most of
them were made of copper and lead and tin alloys. Small number of silver and gold artifacts
also were found. Moreover crucibles and tools which can be connected with metalworking
there were found. Chemical analysis of crucible fragments indicates that they were used for
melting copper alloy, especially brass. Alloy composition of ingots shows that leaded brass
and brass were very popular materials for jewellery production. Ingots were probably of
Frankish origin. Intensive casting activity is also confirmed by scrap material not only such
as: sprues, misrun or mismatched castings but also by big number of molten metal pieces. In
addition to casting in material from Truso there is also the evidence for smithing, soldering,
riveting and brass coating. One of the ceramic fragments, rough surface and piece of silver
coin inside, can be taken as the cupel for silver cupellation.
Most of artifacts are of typical Scandinavian types eg. oval, trefoil and equal-armed
brooches etc.. Some of them could have been made on site by mobile Scandinavian craftsmen,
as indicated by the piece of misrun trefoil brooch. In there were also artifacts of Frankish,
British and oriental origin. What is interesting only a few artifacts can be connected with
Baltic and Slavic tribes.
Dating of findings indicates that Truso was most dynamically functioning in the 9th
and 10th century, but some single artifacts can be dated to the 8th and first half of 11th
century.
44
YOLDIA SEA – ANCYLUS LAKE SHORES AND THEIR SETTLEMENTS IN
LITHUANIA’ S TERRITORIAL WATERS
ŽULKUS Vladas*, GIRININKAS Algirdas, DAUGNORA Linas
Klaipeda University, Lithuania
*[email protected]
The submerged prehistory of the eastern Baltic has attracted great archaelogical,
geological interest the last years. The exploration was concentrated in order to localize the
former Yoldia Sea and Ancylus Lake coasts, their seashore underwater landscape
reconstruction and their potential settlement development in Lithuania waters.
Studies in 2010–2012 revealed northern part of the Curonian plateau (underwater
peninsula) sea bottom formation and cost lines in the -15–43 m depths. According to
exploration of the 30 km2 area around 200 objects were identified as trees, more of them pine
(Pinus sylvestris) stumps in growth position, and trunks that have 15–57 cm range diameters.
In a similar -29 m depth near the tree groups in situ peat was found. According to
palaeobotanical data and trees radiocarbon dates the formation of sediments and Yoldia
shoreline was at the end of Preboreal – the first half Boreal (9200–8100 cal. BC). This is
related to the existence of the transition period from Yoldia Sea to Ancylus Lake.
The Late Paleolithic sites are found on the coastal Baltic Ice Lake. Later on, had to be
inhabited Yoldia coastal which shore is found in the Baltic seabed at a depth of -24–30 m.
Relict forest and -24–30 m depth riparian vegetation composition remains confirms that the
natural conditions were favorable to live and succeed in farming in Early Mesolithic Kunda
cultural communities. The traces of the Early Mesolithic settlements should be sought on the
Yoldia Sea coasts at a depth of -24–30 m.
Search for the traces of people that were living in the now flooded landscape of the
Yoldia-Ancylus period should be one of the most important objectives for future researches.
The most promising area is a region of the submerged palaeo-Nemunas delta on the
Curonian Plateau. In the year 2013 there will be continue side scan sonar, multi beam echo
sounder recording, sub bottom profiling of Sea bead and direct underwater exploration by
diving. From the Yoldia coast it has also been carried out specimens for the bioarchaeological
analysis.
45