On the example of Ostrów Tumski in Wrocław (Silesia, Polish lands) an attempt of identification of places associated with trade and exchange in early medieval strongholds was made. The alleged marketplace existed in the stronghold from the end of the 11th century to the end of the 12th century. Its existence would be confirmed by the empty square between buildings, the accumulation of finds related to trade and exchange as well as spending free time. The connection of some buildings form Ostrów Tumski with commercial activities is also not excluded. On the basis of analogies from the main centers of the Piast state and selected sites from the Bohemian and Moravian territories, the potential location of the marketplaces was analyzed. Attention was drawn to the relationship between finds related to trade and exchange with other manifestations of economic activity (e.g. non-ferrous metallurgy). An attempt was also made to answer the question when and in what political and economic conditions such places could be created.
This study summarizes the current state of archaeological knowledge of Slavic settlement in the so-called Czech Silesia that is currently regarded as the southern part of the historical Upper Silesia located mostly in the territory of today’s Poland. It is in this region that the Slavic tribe of the Golensizi mentioned by the so-called Bavarian Geographer is generally agreed to have settled. The study focuses on the period between the 8th and 10th/11th centuries as older records of Slavic presence are now known yet. It is not only based on results of previous research, but also brings in new findings. Three basic settlement components are monitored: strongholds, burial grounds and open settlements, which together make up an interconnected structure. Attention is paid mainly to localities where a long-term archaeological research was carried out and that provided us with material of good informative value. The aim of this study is to offer a historical interpretation of events that happened in the region during the aforementioned period.
Předmětem výzkumu je pár náramků z Nového Knína, okr. Příbram, z nichž první se objevil v roce 1965, druhý v roce 2014. První náramek byl v minulosti charakterizován jako stříbrný, s analogiemi v skandinávském kruhovém šperku 10.–11. století. V roce 2008 byl podroben prvkové analýze RFA. Ukázalo se, že je složen ze slitiny mosazi s příměsí stříbra. Po překvapivém objevu druhého náramku byla realizována série přírodovědných a archeologicko-kulturně antropologických analýz, které v souhrnu přinesly chronologické a materiálové přehodnocení dosud publikovaných údajů, včetně jejich „nálezových“ okolností. Z výsledků analýz plyne, že oba šperky jsou téměř identické. Analýzy dále přinesly zjištění, že je nelze považovat za raně středověké, nýbrž za novověké až recentní výrobky patrně mimoevropského původu (Afrika?), nejspíš turistické suvenýry. and The subject of the investigation is a pair of bracelets from Nový Knín in the Příbram district, the first of which appeared in 1965, the second in 2014. In the past, the first bracelet was characterised as silver, with analogies in Scandinavian ring ornaments of the 10th–11th century AD. But when this bracelet was subjected to an elemental analysis XRF in 2008, it was found to be composed of an alloy of brass with an admixture of silver. Following the surprising discovery of the second bracelet, a series of scientific and archaeological-culturally anthropological analyses were conducted, the results of which led to a chronological and material re-evaluation of previously published data, including their ‘find’ contexts. The analyses indicate that the two ornaments are virtually identical and also reveal that they cannot be regarded as early medieval artefacts but rather as Modern to recent products that were likely made outside of Europe (Africa?), probably of a tourist souvenir
This study concerns glazed objects from two major centres in Silesia: Wrocław and Opole. All the glazed items from layers dated from the late 10th to the first half of the 13th century are appraised, i.e. ceramic and stone Easter eggs, knobbed rattles, ‘stars’ and pottery. Each category of artefacts is appraised separately as they differ from each other in terms of the production technique and presumably their provenance. Therefore, the locations of the workshops that produced these items is considered. Based on the collections from Wrocław and Opole, a different frequency of individual glazed items is observed, which is related to their specific distribution and most likely the different role of both centres. A separate issue is determining the value and social function of the glazed vessels, Easter eggs and rattles. In contrast, less emphasis is placed on their symbolic function, as this issue has been widely discussed by other researchers.
The study focuses on the early medieval large glass beads from the area of Poland, i.e. specimens whose diameter equals at least 1.5 cm but usually ca. 2 cm or more. The main aim of this study is to define their function, considering precise context of discovery of particular specimens, metric data and microscopic analyses. Another important task of the study is to determine whether large beads were local products or imports, and from which region and in what social circumstances they reached the studied area. Alongside macroscopic and stylistic features, chemical composition of glass that was used for production of the beads can be conclusive in this situation. In our opinion, it is a special category of finds that appeared in this part of Europe during the time of cultural and political transformation in the 11th–13th centuries. and Předmětem studie jsou polské nálezy raně středověkých velkých skleněných korálů, tj. exemplářů, jejichž průměr činí nejméně 1,5 cm, ale obvykle kolem 2 cm či více. Hlavním cílem je přispět k objasnění jejich funkce na základě nálezového kontextu, metriky a výsledků mikroskopické analýzy. Neméně důležité jsou otázky, zda se jedná o místní produkci či o importy, jaká je jejich geografická distribuce a sociální charakteristika prostředí, ve kterém byly nalezeny. Kromě makroskopicky patrných a morfologických znaků autorky hodnotí též chemické složení korálů. Docházejí k závěru, že velké korály reprezentují samostatnou kategorii nálezů a jejich výskyt odráží kulturní a politické proměny středoevropské společnosti v 11.–13. století.
In addition to providing subsistence and consumable resources, one of the most important features of water is the ability to provide transport and communication between geographically separated areas. In both uses, vehicles play a key role. While current research into boats and ships on the seas is relatively well recognised, recent results in the area of inland waterways seem to be barely taken into account in current investigations. Too foten scientist have to rely on an otdate state of research, but in fact several findings have laterl been re-edited and presented. This article provides an updated look at the subject of inland navigation in the Early and Hig Middle Ages and focuses especially on current pbuliactions or those that are difficult to obtain. Further, an overview on the state of research in neighbouring countries is offered, thereby presenting a fuller view of the subject´s potentional., Lars Kröger., and Obsahuje seznam literatury
One of the most important sites in terms of view of archaeobotanical grape pip occurrence is Mikulčice. Grape pips have been found there in large quantities and in different settlement contexts so it can be assumed that grape cultivation was an integral component of the inhabitants’ subsistence strategy. This site is key to answering the question of the occurrence of wild grapevine varieties in the riparian forests in Moravia. The material from Mikulčice has been subjected to a series of statistical analyses intended to ascertain the morphology of the grape pips and the cultural background of the viticultural tradition in Mikulčice.
Archaeological sources provide a wide range of information to help understand the social structure of human society in the past. In this paper, the authors deal with the information potential of grave pit modifi cations and wooden structures in graves at burial sites in the central region of Great Moravia (southeast Moravia, southwest Slovakia). The goal at this point is to defi ne the basic hypotheses and describe the methodological basis along with the research methodology. The authors treat the sources holistically, which means that one of the methodological foundations is the claim that the properties of the whole are not a simple sum of its parts. This means that all recognized elements of the funeral rite and their mutual relations and functions are the center of attention of this research. The primary basis for the research is the assumption that the presence of various wooden structures or wooden burial receptacles in the graves of the Great Moravian period is a common cultural occurrence. It further tests the hypothesis that there was intent behind choosing of these different wooden structures and grave pit modifi cations and their usage, as well as a potential differentiation based on age or gender in the frequency, quality and selection of these modifi cations/arrangements and structures. The main methodological tools are statistical and GIS analysis and the results are compared with published fi ndings from the wider Central European region., Marian Mazuch, Marek Hladík., and Obsahuje seznam literatury
Článek hodnotí výsledky systematických prospekcí s pomocí detektorů kovů z pomezí východních Čech a severozápadní Moravy za posledních patnáct let, doplněné o geofyzikální prospekci hradiště u Mařína. Dosavadní výzkum přinesl importy byzantského i karolínského původu (nákončí, průvlečka, hrot kopí) 7.–9. stol., nejpočetnější jsou lité ozdoby pozdně avarského typu z 8. století. Prostorová distribuce raně středověkých artefaktů mimo tradiční sídelní oblast vykazuje vazby na zaniklé komunikace, dochované v podobě úvozů. and The article evaluates the results of systematic metal detector surveys from the borderland between east Bohemia and northwest Moravia over the past fifteen years, supplemented with a geophysical survey of early medieval hillfort near Mařín (Svitavy district). The conducted surveys have produced imports of Byzantine and Carolingian origin (strap ends, loops, spear tip) from the 7th to 9th century, with cast ornaments of the Late Avar type from the 8th century occurring in the greatest numbers. The spatial distribution of early medieval artefacts outside the traditional settlement territory shows ties to defunct roads preserved in the form of sunken lanes.
This article is an archaeological report on the results of the excavation carried out around the fi lled-up river branch and bridge No. 1 in Mikulčice in 2012 (excavation B 2012). The main aim of the research was to complete the fi eld works at bridge No. 1, which was discovered during the large-scale excavations performed at the defunct river channel in front of the NW gate of the bailey in 1966-1968. At the same time, the question of how the river channel developed at the site of the bridge was investigated, as well as the topic of the settlement in the wider area between the bailey and the north-western suburb. Presented along with the interpretation of the movable fi nds from the defunct river branch were two possible variants on how the settlement developed in relation to the gradual fi lling-up of the river channel. After analysing the fi nd circumstances in area B 2012, the authors inclined towards the second variant and thus revised the existing theories concerning the evolution of sedimentation in the area of the extinct riverbed. This has helped to resolve some key questions regarding the existence and demise of the power centre in Mikulčice., Marek Hladík, Lumír Poláček., and Obsahuje seznam literatury