Anthropological Analysis of the Pre-Roman Period Cemetery of Różyny from the Pomerania Region

Total Page:16

File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb

Anthropological Analysis of the Pre-Roman Period Cemetery of Różyny from the Pomerania Region Słupskie Prace Biologiczne 8 ••• 2011 ANTHROPOLOGICAL ANALYSIS OF THE PRE-ROMAN PERIOD CEMETERY OF RÓŻYNY FROM THE POMERANIA REGION (POLAND) ANALIZA ANTROPOLOGICZNA SZCZĄTKÓW KOSTNYCH Z OKRESU PRZEDRZYMSKIEGO, Z CMENTARZYSKA W RÓŻYNACH, WOJ. POMORSKIE (POLSKA) Lidia Cymek 1 Jarosław Rożnowski 2 Franciszek Rożnowski 3 1 Akademia Pomorska Zakład Biologii Populacji i Dydaktyki Instytut Biologii i Ochrony Środowiska ul. Arciszewskiego 22b, 76-200 Słupsk [email protected] 2 NZOZ „Twój Lekarz” ul. Łunawska 1 86-200 Chełmno 3 ul. Drewniana 8/87, 76-200 Słupsk STRESZCZENIE W czasie badań prowadzonych w latach 2001 i 2002 na wielokulturowym cmen- tarzysku w Różynach, gm. Pszczółki w woj. pomorskim, datowanym na czasy od II okresu epoki brązu aż po wczesne średniowiecze, odkryto między innymi sześć unikalnych grobów ludności kultury oksywskiej. W grobach tych znajdowały się szkielety trzech mężczyzn (jednego w wieku 30-40 lat i dwóch zmarłych w wieku powyżej 50 lat), dwóch kobiet (jednej w wieku powyżej 30 lat i drugiej mającej po- wyżej 50 lat) oraz jednego dziecka (Infans II). Wysokość ciała zrekonstruowana na podstawie pomiarów kości długich wynosiłaby wg metody Pearsona: mężczyzn – 165,1 cm, 170,9 cm i 177,1 cm, natomiast kobiet 152,3 cm i 166,0 cm. Porównując dziesięć najczęściej analizowanych cech pomiarowych czaszek, stwierdzono, że czaszki trzech mężczyzn są niezwykle podobne pod względem dłu- gości (g-op), szerokości (eu-eu), szerokości czoła (ft-ft), wysokości (ba-b), wysoko- ści twarzy górnej (n-pr) i wysokości oczodołów, natomiast różnią się przede wszyst- kim szerokością twarzy (zy-zy) i szerokością oczodołów (mf-ek). Pod względem 37 wskaźników ilorazowych nie zaobserwowano większych różnic we wskaźnikach: szerokościowo-długościowym, twarzy górnej i wysokościowym średnim, z kolei w nosowym i oczodołowym różnice między mężczyznami są znaczne. Czaszka ko- bieca jest bardziej krótkogłowa niż męskie, ma wyższy wskaźnik oczodołowy i niż- szy wskaźnik wysokościowy średni. Czaszka dziecka pod względem trzech wskaź- ników jest niezwykle podobna do kobiecej. Porównanie czaszek z Różyn z charakterystykami ludności kultury wielbarskiej (z okresu rzymskiego), pogrzebanej na pobliskim cmentarzysku w Pruszczu Gdań- skim, pozwoliło stwierdzić, że męskie różnią się przede wszystkim długością (g-op), szerokością twarzy (zy-zy), wyższymi twarzami górnymi (n-pr), szerszymi oczodo- łami (mf-ek) i węższymi nosami. Pomiary czaszki kobiecej są bardzo podobne do charakterystyk kobiet z Pruszcza Gdańskiego. W pracy opisano także występowanie cech niemetrycznych na czaszkach (według metody Czarnetzky’ego), zaobserwowane zmiany chorobowe na kościach (w tym trepanację czaszki z grobu nr 68) oraz osobliwości w budowie niektórych kości. Słowa kluczowe: kultura oksywska, paleoantropologia, ludność okresu przedrzym- skiego, cechy czaszkowe i pozaczaszkowe Key words: Oksywie culture, paleoanthropology, pre-Roman populations, cranio- logical and postcraniological traits INTRODUCTION At the end of the III century or at the beginning of the II century before Christ was born, in the basin of the Odra and the Vistula, Przeworsk and Oksywie cultures came into existence on the foundation of Pomeranian culture. In the initial stage of its development Oksywie culture included only the area of the Vistula Pomerania. From there it expanded onto the area of Central Pomerania up to the Parsęta and the Drawa and later it reached further to the west. In the south its influence can be seen in Kujawy and Northern Mazowsze. At the same time Przeworsk culture, strongly connected to it, was created in the areas situated south of the region inhabited by the population of Oksywie culture. In the late pre-Roman period, in the area occupied by Przeworsk culture and Ok- sywie culture the prevailing form of burial was a pit grave and urn grave with a pyre. Skeleton graves were very rare. There were more of them in the areas of Przeworsk culture where they were a continuation of old funeral rites. With time skeleton graves expanded to the north, thus their appearance in the Lower Powiśle and also in Różyny. Later, i.e. in the Roman period when the Wielbark culture was formed, they were quite common therefore bi-ritual funerals were observed. MATERIALS AND METHODS During archeological works carried out in 2001 and 2002 in the areas where motorway A1 will be built in the future, in Różyny, Pomerania Province in Poland, 38 a part of a vast multicultural cemetery was discovered. It was used from the begin- ning of the Bronze Age to the early Middle Ages (Rożnowski, Gładykowska-Rze- czycka 1985). More than 400 graves were uncovered there including six unique skeleton graves from the pre-Roman period belonging to Oksywie culture (Tu- szyńska, Stąporek 2005). The significance of this discovery consists in the fact that skeleton graves of the population of the above mentioned culture from Pomerania had not been known until this research. The bone material was described and measured with the use of commonly ap- plied anthropological methods (Martin, Saller 1988, Piontek 1996, Malinowski, Bożiłow 1997). The paper also gives the appearance of non-metrical features in the skulls (according to Czarnetzky’s method). Also pathological changes of the bones and peculiarities of their structure were observed (Gładykowska-Rzeczycka 1989, Piekarz, Piontek 1999). The body height of men and women living in Pomerania in the pre-Roman pe- riod was reconstructed on the basis of measurements of long bones taken with the use of four different methods described in anthropological literature: Manouvrier’s table (Godycki 1956), Breitinger’s table (1937), Bach’s table (1965), Trotter and Gleser’s table – according to Olivier (Olivier 1960) and Pearson’s formula (Martin, Saller 1988). RESULTS Grave No. 7 The position of the skeleton in the grave hole proves that the dead was put on the back with the head towards the east and with the legs towards the west. The length of the skeleton “in situ” – 168 cm. The skull is lying on its right side. The maxilla teeth are clenched with the mandible teeth. The arm bones are placed parallelly to the torso while the bones of the left and right forearms, as they are bent in the elbow Table 1 Measurements of the bones of the non-cranial skeleton (according to Martin, in mm) of Oksywie culture population from Różyny (Pomerania, Poland) Tabela 1 Pomiary kości szkieletu pozaczaszkowego (według Martina, w mm) ludności kultury oksywskiej z Różyn (Pomorze, Polska) Grave No. 7 35 55 68 69 Sex Male Male Female Male Female Bone Left Right Left Right Left Right Left Right Left Right Traits 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 Clavicula M1 127 127 162 151 - - 157 167 - - M4 10 11 12 15 - - 11 13 - - M5 13 13 14 15 - - 12 15 - - M6 39 39 46 46 - - 38 41 - - 39 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 Humerus M1 307 315 337 344 - - 361 372 f. 293 f. 193 M2 300 - - - - - 354 369 - - M3 48 48 54 54 - - 47 - - - M4 63 - 62 61 - - 66 65 - - M5 22 22 23 24 - - 22 25 21 21 M6 18 19 20 19 - - 17 17 15 15 M7 67 71 68 74 - - 66 69 - - M9 44 45 51 51 - - 43 49 - - M10 41 43 - 46 - - - - - - M11 29 - 28 - - - 28 28 - - M14 26 26 27 26 - - 23 24 - - Ulna M1 275 271 285 285 - - 305 300 f. 208 - M2 241 240 252 252 - - 267 268 - - M3 35 34 42 42 - - 37 38 - - M6 26 26 26 26 - - 28 26 - - Radius M1 252 251 264 264 - - 275 f. 190 f. 193 - M2 238 236 248 247 - - 265 - - - M3 43 45 41 43 - - 42 - - - M4 18 17 17 17 - - - - - - M5 12 13 13 13 - - - - - - M4(1) 22 - 23 22 - - - - - - M5(1) - - 22 - - - - - - - Femur M1 448 435 463 474 408 402 512 516 f. 395 - M2 447 434 463 472 406 401 509 513 - - M3 426 426 - - 391 386 - - - - M4 424 414 454 460 395 390 485 - - - M6 27 29 33 31 24 22 28 30 26 - M7 26 28 33 31 30 31 29 28 25 - M8 85 87 84 85 82 79 90 90 - - M15 32 34 35 38 29 30 35 36 33 - M16 29 28 32 33 23 25 31 32 27 - M18 49 52 51 52 41 46 49 51 44 44 M19 46 48 50 50 40 45 - 51 44 44 M20 149 148 164 165 134 139 146 156 - - M21 79 78 82 81 69 69 - - - - Tibia M1 356 359 386 386 318 314 - - 383 - M1a 367 369 394 398 333 333 415 - 388 - M2 338 342 370 372 - - 394 394 369 366 M3 71 69 81 80 72 72 - - - - M6 52 51 51 51 47 51 - - - - M8 30 30 31 32 29 28 29 33 26 27 M9 25 24 23 25 21 20 20 19 18 - M10 82 84 94 97 82 82 81 84 - 40 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 Fibula M1 f. 326 346 374 370 326 f. 295 f. 380 f. 366 f. 277 f. 200 M2 15 17 18 16 17 15 14 - - - M3 11 11 14 15 12 12 12 - - - f. – fragment joints, are lying almost parallelly to the arm bones, on their inner side (the right ones almost on the arm bones, the left ones moved a bit to the centre). The hand bones are placed at the same level as the collarbones. The legs are straightened, the femurs al- most touch the inner condyles, whereas the further ends of the right tibia bone and the right fibula cross the bones of the left shin. Also the bones of the right foot lie above the bones of the left foot (Table 1). On the basis of the descriptive traits of the skeleton and measurements of the bones they are claimed to belong to a male who died at the age of 30-40 (Maturus I).
Recommended publications
  • 53119952.Pdf
    View metadata, citation and similar papers at core.ac.uk brought to you by CORE provided by Jagiellonian Univeristy Repository Acta Palaeobotanica 52(1): 105–125, 2012 Local Holocene vegetation changes and settlement history based on pollen analysis of Lake Kwiecko sediments, West-Pomeranian Lake District, NW Poland JACEK MADEJA Department of Palaeobotany, Institute of Botany, Jagiellonian University, Lubicz 46, 31-512 Kraków, Poland; e-mail: [email protected] Received 13 March 2012; accepted for publication 31 May 2012 ABSTRACT: The sediments of Lake Kwiecko, located in the eastern part of the Bytowskie Lake District (part of the West-Pomeranian Lake District, Poland), were studied by pollen analysis. Holocene vegetation history was reconstructed from the beginning of the Preboreal to the Late Middle Ages. On the basis of the curves of selected taxa and the occurrence of plant indicators of the presence of man 6 settlement phases were distinguished and correlated with archaeological data. The investigations have shown that the fi rst week palynological indications of human presence around the lake were connected with the Atlantic chronozone, while the strongest impact of man on vegetation was recorded in the Middle Ages and modern times. KEYWORDS: Holocene palynology, vegetation changes, settlement history, West-Pomeranian Lake District, Lake Kwiecko INTRODUCTION In spite of investigations carried out by many terrains (Tuchola Forest, South-Pomeranian palaeobotanists in north-western Poland, vege- Lake District) for instance by Berglund et al. tation history of the West-Pomeranian Lake Dis- (1993), Milecka (2005), Milecka & Szeroczyńska trict and particularly of the Bytowskie Lake Dis- (2005), and Lamentowicz et al.
    [Show full text]
  • Folia Praehistorica Posnanien Sia
    /Il/M 5*5òii [hc M y Cf b>U UNIWERSYTET IM. ADAMA MICKIEWICZA INSTYTUT PRAHISTORII FOLIA PRAEHISTORICA POSNANIEN SIA TOM XIH/XIV KSIĘGA PAMIĄTKOWA KAZIMIERZA SIUCHNIŃSKIEGO Redaktorzy J e r z y F o g e l , D o b r o c h n a J a n k o w s k a à WYDAWNICTWO POZNAŃSKIE POZNAŃ 2005 Adres Redakcji Instytut Prahistorii, Uniwersytet im. Adama Mickiewicza (Institute of Prehistory, Adam Mickiewicz University) ul. Św. Marcin 78, 61-809 Poznań, Poland tel. (0-61) 829 47 91 tel./fax (0-61) 829 47 88 e-mail: [email protected] Komitet Redakcyjny Aleksandra Cofta-Broniewska, Witold Hensel, Michał Kobusiewicz, Aleksander Kośko, Gerard Labuda, Lech Leciejewicz, Tadeusz Makiewicz oraz okazjonalnie Jolanta Małecka-Kukawka i Stanisław Kukawka Opinia wydawnicza Tadeusz Malinowski HVNZOd o j Konsultacja archeologiczno-translatorska Hanna Kóćka-Krenz Copyright © by Wydawnictwo Poznańskie sp. z o.o., 2005 Projekt okładki Piotr Sikorski / Redakcja bo o" Lidia Wrońska-Idziak Redakcja techniczna Lechosław Szymański ISBN 83-7177-388-9 ISSN 0239-8524 Wydawnictwo Poznańskie sp. z o.o. 61-701 Poznań, ul. Fredry 8 Dział handlowy teł. (0-61) 852—38—44, Sekretariat tei. (0-61) 852-66-05 fax (0-61) 853-80-75 e-mail: [email protected] Bibi. UAM S - ! —« I / 1/"* 'J CT" SPIS TREŚCI CASIMIRO SIUCHNIŃSKI IN MEMORIAM Dobrochna Jankowska, Kazimierz Siuchniński - uczony i wychowawca................ 9 Stanisław Kukawka, O Kazimierzu Siuchnińskim - wspomnienie po latach ........... 15 Jolanta Małecka-Kukawka, Dlaczego? ............................................................................ 23 STUDIA I MATERIAŁY Maria Magdalena Blombergowa, Michał Kuściński - pierwszy badacz Gniezdowa 29 Jerzy Fogel, Ziemiański mecenat archeologiczny w Wielkim Księstwie Poznańskim: Adolf Skarbek-Małczewski (1813-1887) z Kruchowa koło Trzemeszna, odkrywca słynnego a q u a m a n ile ..............................................................................................................
    [Show full text]
  • (Had) in Central Europe: New Opportunities for the Synchronization and Refinement of Dates
    SPRAWOZDANIA ARCHEOLOGICZNE I N S T Y T U T A R C H E O L O G I I I E T N O L O G I I P O L S K I E J A K A D E M I I N A U K SPRAWOZDANIA ARCHEOLOGICZNE KRAKÓW 2020 Copyright © by the Authors and Instytut Archeologii i Etnologii Polskiej Akademii Nauk 2020 Editor PIOTR WŁODARCZAK, [email protected] Editorial Secretary ANNA RAUBA-BUKOWSKA, [email protected] Editorial Committee SYLWESTER CZOPEK, SławoMir Kadrow, JANUSZ KRUK (CHAIRMAN), JAN MACHNIK, SARUNAS MILISAUSKAS, JOHANNES MÜLLER, JAROSLAV PEŠKA, ALEKSANDER SYTNIK, PRZEMYSŁAW URBAŃCZYK All articles in this volume of Sprawozdania Archeologiczne obtained approval of the following specialists: Makoto Arimura, Justyna Baron, Felix Biermann, Sebastian Brather, Igor Bruyako, Janusz Budziszewski, Kotera Chizuko, Alexandr Diachenko, Michał Dzik, Vladimir Erlikh, Mirosław Furmanek, Tomasz Gralak, Radosław Janiak, Andrzej Janowski, Paweł Jarosz, Sławomir Kadrow, Arkadiusz Koperkiewicz, Przemysław Makarowicz, Tomasz Nowakiewicz, Łukasz Oleszczak, Aleksander Paroń, Michał Pawleta, Tomasz Purowski, Joanna Pyzel, Antoinette Rast-Eicher, Vitaliy Sinika, Piotr Strzyż, Anita Szczepanek, Bartłomiej Szmoniewski, Maciej Trzeciecki, Stanislav Ţerna, Andrzej Wiśniewski, Barbara Witkowska, Marcin Wołoszyn, Jakub Wrzosek, Marta Żuchowska English proofreading MARK TOUSSAINT Technical Editor and Layout Joanna KULCZYŃSKA-Kruk Centre for Mountains and Uplands Archaeology, Institute of Archaeology and Ethnology, Polish Academy of Sciences Cover So-called Światowit from Wolin. Photo by Paweł Szczepanik Professor Jan Machnik. Photo by Krzysztof TUNIA Editor’s Address CENTRE FOR Mountains AND UPLANDS ARCHAEOLOGY, INSTITUTE OF ARCHAEOLOGY AND ETHNOLOGY, POLISH ACADEMY OF SCIENCES, 31-016 KRAKÓW, UL. Sławkowska 17 Volume financed by the Ministry of Science and Higher Education from the founds for science popularization activities, Contract Nr 651/P-DUN/2019 PL ISSN 0081-3834 DOI: 10.23858/SA/72.2020.2 Printed by PARTNER POLIGRAFIA Andrzej Kardasz, Grabówka, ul.
    [Show full text]
  • Wersja W Formacie
    A. OG ÓLNE 11. JANUS Eligiusz, ZABORSKA Urszula: Bibliographie zur Geschichte Ost- und Westpreussens 1996. - Marburg, 2002 I. BIBLIOGRAFIE rec.: RIETZ Henryk, Zs. f. d. Gesch. u. Altertumskde Erml. 2005 Bd. 51 s. 187-188 1. BABNIS Maria, GRZĘDZIŃSKA Kamila: „Dar Pomorza” w piśmiennictwie polskim. Libri Gedan. 2004 (dr. 12. KAEGBEIN Paul: Baltische Bibliographie : 2005) T. 22 s. 74-122. Sum. s. 122. Zsfg. s. 122 Schrifttum über Estland, Lettland, Litauen 2000 mit Bibliografia zawiera 757 poz. Nachträgen / Herder-Institut Marburg in Verbindung mit der Baltischen Historischen Kommission. - Marburg: Verl. 2. BARANAUSKAS Tomas: Lietuvos istorijos Herder-Inst., 2005. - XIX, 433 s. - (Bibliographien zur bibliografija 1998 / sud. [...]; Lietuvos Istorijos Institutas. - Geschichte und Landeskunde Ostmitteleuropas ; Bd. 35) Vilnius, 2005. - 333, [3] s. 3309 poz. 3412 poz. - Toż za 1999 r.: TUMELYTĖ Irena: Lietuvos istorijos bibliografija 1999. - Vilnius, 2005. - 229, [3] s.; 2268 poz. 13. KAEGBEIN Paul: Bibliografie historii krajów Rec.: KULIKAUSKIENĖ Jadvyga, Liet. Mokslų Akad. Biblioteka bałtyckich w przeszłości i teraźniejszości. Zap. Hist. 2005 T. 2001/2002 (dr. 2004) s. 141-142 [rec. dot. bibliogr. za 1997 r. w oprac. I. Tumelytė. - Vilnius, 2002] 70 z. 2/3 s. 149-154 3. BARANOWSKI Henryk, TANNHOF Werner: 14. KENÉZ Csaba János, ZABORSKA Urszula: Bibliographie zur Geschichte Ost- und Westpreussens Bibliographie zur Geschichte Ost- und Westpreussens 1997. 1981-1986 / bearb. v. [...] unter Mitarb. v. Kolja Alecsander - Marburg, 2004 Rec.: CZARCIŃSKI Ireneusz, Zap. Hist. 2005 T. 70 z. 4 s. 141-142. - Lotz. - Marburg, 2003 RIETZ Henryk, Zs. f. d. Gesch. u. Altertumskde Erml. 2005 Bd. 51 s. 187-188 Rec.: CZARCIŃSKI Ireneusz, Zap. Hist.
    [Show full text]
  • Architecture, Style and Structure in the Early Iron Age in Central Europe
    TOMASZ GRALAK ARCHITECTURE, STYLE AND STRUCTURE IN THE EARLY IRON AGE IN CENTRAL EUROPE Wrocław 2017 Reviewers: prof. dr hab. Danuta Minta-Tworzowska prof. dr hab. Andrzej P. Kowalski Technical preparation and computer layout: Natalia Sawicka Cover design: Tomasz Gralak, Nicole Lenkow Translated by Tomasz Borkowski Proofreading Agnes Kerrigan ISBN 978-83-61416-61-6 DOI 10.23734/22.17.001 Uniwersytet Wrocławski Instytut Archeologii © Copyright by Uniwersytet Wrocławski and author Wrocław 2017 Print run: 150 copies Printing and binding: "I-BIS" Usługi Komputerowe, Wydawnictwo S.C. Andrzej Bieroński, Przemysław Bieroński 50-984 Wrocław, ul. Sztabowa 32 Contents INTRODUCTION ....................................................................................................... 9 CHAPTER I. THE HALLSTATT PERIOD 1. Construction and metrology in the Hallstatt period in Silesia .......................... 13 2. The koine of geometric ornaments ......................................................................... 49 3. Apollo’s journey to the land of the Hyperboreans ............................................... 61 4. The culture of the Hallstatt period or the great loom and scales ....................... 66 CHAPTER II. THE LA TÈNE PERIOD 1. Paradigms of the La Tène style ................................................................................ 71 2. Antigone and the Tyrannicides – the essence of ideological change ................. 101 3. The widespread nature of La Tène style ................................................................
    [Show full text]
  • Pomerania “A Explore the Westpomeranian Region
    S / West Pomerania Explore “a the Westpomeranian Region ■ ■ u m m u J ROUTES . .IV _ * # LAKE DISTRICTS WESTPOMERANIAN ^ Pomerania VOIVODSHIP Poland: located between the Baltic Sea and the Carpathian Mountains and the Sudetes. Area of the country: 312 685 km2. Administrative division: 16 voivodships Currency: Polish zloty Longest rivers: the Vistula River, the Oder River Official language: Polish In European Union: since 2004 Poland shares borders with the following countries: from the West with Germany, from the South with the Czech Republic and Slovakia, from the East with Ukraine and Belarus, and from the North with Lithuania and Russia (the Kaliningrad District). The Westpomeranian voivodship is located in the North-West Poland, at the coast of the Baltic Sea. The voivodship shares borders with the Pomeranian Voivodship from the East, the Great Poland and the Lubuskie Voivodships from the South, and from the West with German Lands: Brandenburg and Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania. It covers the area of 22 892.48 km2. Szczecin is the seat of the voivodship authorities. Western Pomerania is the destination for holiday rest, a perfect place for active tourism, meetings with history, culture and tradition and finally a very attractive place for entertainment during numerous sports and tourist events. Explore Western Pomerania, the region located in the heart of Europe, in the North-West Poland, appealing with gorgeous sandy beaches, the Baltic breeze and much more! Discover how many attractions you may find in the land of lakes and rivers. Active tourists will be have an opportunity to practice sailing, windsurfing, kitesurfing, paragliding, canoeing, parachute jumping, and enjoy waterways, canoe trails, and golf courses.
    [Show full text]
  • From Magical Valorization to Radiocarbon Chronology
    ANALECTA ARCHAEOLOGICA RESSOVIENSIA VOLUME 11 RZESZÓW 2016 DOI: 10.15584/anarres.2016.11.5 Jacek Woźny* From Magical Valorization to Radiocarbon Chronology. Changes in Determining Age of Prehistoric Artifacts ABSTRACT Woźny J. 2016. From magical valorization to radiocarbon chronology. Changes in determining age of prehistoric artifacts. Analecta Archaeologica Ressoviensia 11, 79–98 Changes in determining age of prehistoric artifacts are closely linked to the search for objective grounds for reconstructing the history of human culture. In the Middle Ages, the origin of archaeological finds was explained by natural forces. For instance, it was thought that the Earth gives birth to vessels and keeps the bones of mythical creatures. For the religious worldview, it was the Bible that constituted the basis for perceiving the world. Chronology of ancient monuments referred to biblical events. Findings of antediluvian animals and plants were described. The existence of an antediluvian man was discussed. The age of these findings was estimated to reach several thousand years BC. Scientific methods of studying the chronology of prehistory developed in the mid-19th century, after the introduction of system of three ages by C.J. Thomsen. It was thought that social evolution was an objective source of cultural change, corresponding with K. Darwin’s ideas. Improvement of methods for determining the age of archaeological artifacts took place in the second half of the 20th century, thanks to C14 dating. Despite the conviction of archaeologists of the objectivity of radiocarbon chronology, it raises many objections and controversies. This proves that there is no single research method leading to objective knowledge about prehistory.
    [Show full text]
  • The Prehistory of Polish Pomerania
    THE BALTIC POCKET LIBRARY THE PREHISTORY OF POLISH POMERANIA BY DR. JÓZEF KOSTRZEWSKI PROFESSOR OF PREHISTORY*^!' THE UNIVERSITY OF POZNAŃ 1 9 TORUŃ (POLAND)3_6 PUBLISHED BY THE BALTIC INSTITUTE J. S. BERGSON, 4, VERNON PLACE, LONDON W. C. 1 THE PREHISTORY OF POLISH POMERANIA r Double face urn and bronze cauldron of provincial workmanship, found at Topolno, district of Świecie. I 4 Ki THE BALTIC POCKET LIBRARY THE PREHISTORY OF POLISH POMERANIA BY DR. JÓZEF KOSTRZEWSKI PROFESSOR OF PREHISTORY AT THE UNIVERSITY OF POZNAŃ 19 TORUŃ (POLAND) 3 6 PUBLISHED BY THE BALTIC INSTITUTE J. S. BERGSON, 4, VERNON PLACE, LONDON W. C, 1 Printed in Poland by “Rolnicza Drukarnia i Księgarnia Nakładowa Poznań, Sew. Mielżyńskiego 24 CONTENTS Page INTRODUCTION .....................................................................................5 CHAPTER 1. THE STONE AGE......................................................... 9 The Final Palaeolithic Period, p. 9. The Mesolithic Age, p. 10. The Neolithic Age, p. 13; Ribbon Ware, p. 14; Funnel Cup Culture, p. 16; Eastern Globular Amphora Culture, p. 19; The Corded Pottery Culture, p. 21; The Rzucewo Culture, p. 24; The Comb Pottery, p. 29; Finds of Copper, p. 30. CHAPTER 2. THE BRONZE AGE....................................................32 The Early Bronze Age, p. 32; The Iwno Culture, p. 33; Hoards, p. 34. The Second Bronze Age Period, p. 36. The Third Bronze Age Period, p. 37; The Cassubian Local Group, p. 38; The Chełmno Local Group, p. 40; Affinities of the Lusatian Culture, p. 41. The Fourth Bronze Age Period, p. 43; The Cassubian Sub-Group, p. 43,; The Chełmno Sub-Groun, p. 46. The Fifth (Latest) Bronze Age Period, p. 49; The Cassubian Sub-Group, p.
    [Show full text]
  • Radiocarbon Dating in Archaeological Sites Chronology
    4 Radiocarbon Dating in Archaeological Sites Chronology Danuta Michalska Nawrocka1, Małgorzata Szczepaniak1 and Andrzej Krzyszowski2 1Adam Mickiewicz University, Institute of Geology, 2Archaeological Museum, Poznań, Poland 1. Introduction Charcoal and bones are materials commonly used for the radiocarbon dating in geological and archaeological research. The difficulties with 14C dating of charcoal and wood may be associated with the origin of analysed fragments, the conditions of the sediments, such as pH or humidity. As far as bones are concerned, the difficulties with radiocarbon dating may be connected with their state of preservation, collagen presence and the possible contamination by carbon from other sources. In some cases, despite the standard method of chemical pretreatment, it may be necessary to customise the applied treatment to the investigated material. The results of radiocarbon dating of bones and wood were compared with the relative chronology established by archaeologists, based usually on the typology of artefacts or pottery. The presented results of analyses refer to the territory of Wielkopolska (Great Poland), including among others, prehistoric and early medieval settlement sites in Suchy Las, Łęki Wielkie, Szczodrzykowo, Trzcielin, Snowidowo, erniki and Zielęcin (fig. 1). Samples of bones and pieces of wood selected for dating come from different periods of time and various cultures distinguished in archaeology, from the Funnel Beaker culture and the Lusatian culture to the developed phases of the Early Middle Ages (fig. 2). The history of the settlement in Wielkopolska, a historical Polish district comprising the basin of the central Warta River, is quite complex (Kobusiewicz, 2008). The origins of occupation in the area, recognised by archaeologists, date back to the late Paleolithic, about 12-10 millennia BC.
    [Show full text]
  • About the Burial-Free Kurgans Once Again
    Sprawozdania Archeologiczne, 2017, 69, s. 421-431 SPRAWOZDANIA ARCHEOLOGICZNE 69, 2017 PL ISSN 0081-3834 DOI: 10.23858/SA69.2017.018 D I S C U S S I O N S A N D P O L E M I C S Radosław Janiak* ABOUT THE BURIAL-FREE KURGANS ONCE AGAIN ABSTRACT Janiak R. 2017. About the burial-free kurgans once again. Sprawozdania Archeologiczne 69, 421-431. One of the features of the burial mound necropolises of Pomeranian culture in the Kashubian Lake District is the presence, beside the mounds, of burial-free constructions. Their form resembles burial mounds or kurgans and their function can often raise questions. This may sometimes result from the fact that such structures are formed in distinct clusters in the cemeteries. At the current stage of research, it can be hypothesized that they represent an integral part of the necropolis. Key words: burial mounds, Kashubian Lake District, Pomeranian culture, Early Iron Age. Received: 02.02.2017; Revised: 19.03.2017; Accepted: 25.05.2017 The following text is a response to the comments by Rzepecki (2016) with regards to the selected issues included in my book titled “Burial mounds of the late Bronze Age and early Iron Age”, Łódź 2014. The discussed monograph presents the results of research on the place and role of the mound in the burial rites of societies of Lusatian culture, the Wielka Wies group, and the Pomeranian culture in the Kashubian Lake District. These societies placed the remains of their dead in mounds of stone, stone and earth, and in a few cases also just earth.
    [Show full text]
  • Die Pfeilspitzen in Polen (= Prähistorische Bronzefunde; Abteilung V, Vol
    Sprawozdania Archeologiczne, 2016, 68, s. 421-425 SPRAWOZDANIA ARCHEOLOGICZNE 68, 2016 PL ISSN 0081-3834 R E V I E W S A N D S H O R T R E V I E W N O T E S Jacek Górski (review) Marek Gedl, Die Pfeilspitzen in Polen (= Prähistorische Bronzefunde; Abteilung V, Vol. 6), 155 pp. with 34 tables. Stuttgart: Franz Steiner Verlag 2014. In 2014, archaeological literature was supplemented with yet another volume of the monumental “Prähistorische Bronzefunde” series, a monograph by late Prof. Marek Gedl on arrowheads from the territory of present-day Poland in the Bronze and the early Iron Ages. It is worth noting that Prof. Gedl had discussed other categories of artefacts: points, some kinds of pins, razors and sickles, within the series (Gedl 1980, 1983, 1984, 1993). The monograph has a lucid structure familiar to every reader of the PBF publication. The au- thor’s foreword (Vorwort, numbered separately with Roman numerals) is followed by the introduction proper (Einleitung), then description of the artefacts (Der Fundstoff), lists and indices (Verzeichnisse und Register), and finally plates presenting the finds and maps showing the geographical range of some types of the artefacts (Tafeln). The discussed ca- tegory, as the reader learns already from the foreword, is of little significance in determi- ning the periodization and chronology of the Bronze and the early Iron Ages, with the ex- ception of quite many arrowheads, mainly bronze ones, which have traits typical of the East European steppe environment (Gedl 2014, V). The introduction contains several subchapters on topics related to arrowheads: their production, ways of fastening, other accessories, morphology, terminology and typology, find spots, history of research, chronology, temporal and cultural affiliation, functions, and traces of use.
    [Show full text]
  • Ethnicity in Archaeological Studies, Based on a Case Study of East Pomerania During the Late Bronze Age and Early Iron Age (1100–400 BC)
    Miscellanea Anthropologica et Sociologica 2014, 15 (4): 139–155 Kamil Niedziółka1 Ethnicity in Archaeological Studies, based on a Case Study of East Pomerania during the Late Bronze Age and Early Iron Age (1100–400 BC) The study of ethnicity is an exceptionally controversial subject in current archaeologi- cal investigations. This issue has also frequently appeared in polish prehistoric literature from the very beginning of archaeology till the present. The problem is that archaeology in Poland is still under strong influence from a conservative, culture-historical paradigm. This methodological approach leads to the desire to make simple connections between material remains, discovered by archaeologists, with specific categories of ethnicity. If we add to this various efforts to use archaeology in the legitimation of modern ethnic and national claims, we can imagine how complicated these sorts of studies can become. The main aim of this paper is to show the history of investigations set to define the ethnic character of the people who inhabited polish lands in prehistory. The author will focus especially on the area of East Pomerania during the Late Bronze Age and Early Iron Age due to the live discussions among scholars concerning the ethnic origin of societies from that area. At the end of this article a new perspective in research into ethnicity will be outlined with special attention to the need for an interdisciplinary approach to this topic. Key words: ethnicity, archaeology, methodology, East Pomerania, prehistory Discussions about race and ethnicity have been one of the most important aspects of archaeological research from the beginning of archaeology as an academic sub- ject.
    [Show full text]