Příspěvek je souhrnnou archeologicko-historickou interpretací výsledků interdisciplinárních výzkumů, které proběhly v letech 2007–2012 v prostoru dolního Podyjí (Česká republika). Tato oblast patřila v 9. stol. k jádru tzv. Velké Moravy – raně středověké „říše“, jež v době svého největšího rozkvětu politicky a kulturně ovládala nejen dnešní Moravu a Slovensko, ale významně ovlivňovala celou středovýchodní Evropu. Velká Morava zanikla náhle na začátku 10. století. Článek se snaží zodpovědět na otázku, zda byl tento kolaps tak fatální, jak se dosud předpokládalo, jak na onu katastrofu reagovaly široké vrstvy obyvatelstva, jak vývoj ovlivnil sídlištní strukturu a kdy došlo k opětovné regeneraci společnosti. and The article presents a comprehensive archaeological-historical interpretation of the results of interdisciplinary research conducted in the lower Dyje (Thaya) River region in the Czech Republic in 2007–2012. In the ninth century this area belonged to the core of Great Moravia, an early medieval “empire” which at its peak not only enjoyed political and cultural control over today’s Moravia and Slovakia, but also significantly influenced the whole of central eastern Europe. Great Moravia collapsed suddenly at the beginning of the tenth century. The article attempts to clarify whether this collapse was as fatal as has been thought, how broad classes of the population reacted to this catastrophe, how development influenced the settlement structure and when the regeneration of society occurred.
This article deals with 29 Early Medieval finger-rings found, mostly in cemeteries, in Moravia (Czech Republic). They are made of gold, silver, gilded silver or gilded bronze. Each finger-ring consists of two parts – hoop and bezel – made of sheet metal and soldered together, and decorated with granulation, filigree, inlays of glass or semi-precious stones; only two finger-rings are cast as one piece. The finger-rings are classified into 8 types (A to H), some with subtypes. The author outlines the current state of chronology of Early Medieval jewellery in Moravia and discusses the dating of finger-rings: most of the precisely-datable pieces fall into the older period of the Great Moravian Empire, i.e. the first half of the 9th century. The main concern of the study is the question of the origin of Moravian finger-rings. The author sketches the current state of research of Early Medieval finger-rings in Central and South-eastern Europe (ca. 6th–12th century) and searches for parallels in the Moravian types. In Moravian material, he tries to identify structural and decorative elements that could distinguish imported pieces, their imitations and local products. However, in large measure the sorting of Moravian finger-rings into these three groups remains hypothetical. On the whole, it is evident that the finger-rings found in Moravian cemeteries are based on Mediterranean models. Probably the first specimens (or their immediate producers) came to Moravia in the 8th century, from Byzantine cities on the Adriatic coast, and local production of similar finger-rings in Moravian workshops followed soon afterwards.
The author presents a revised interpretation of the area of the NE gateway of the acropolis of the Great Moravian power centre Mikulčice-Valy and the adjacent fortification. The work is a response to a previously published picture of the overall find situation of this area (by B. Kavánová 2003), which, according to the author, does not match the infor mation available in the original documentation. The interpretation procedures clearly presented in the aforementioned monograph cannot be substantiated due to inadequate field work methods, the extent of the documentation compiled and the way in which this documentation is selected and designed This work also provides a critique of the interpre tation of the stratigraphic situation and the dating means and methods used. According to this revised interpretation, it is not possible to concur regarding the relevance of the evidence on which B. Kaváinová bases her hypothesis that there was more than one phase to the rampart. Due to this unsubstantiated interpretation, the chronology given for other settlement structures therefore lacks credibility. The text also includes a reconstruction of the passage through the fortification when the aforementioned gate was in use., Marian Mazuch., and Obsahuje seznam literatury
Studie shrnuje nejnovější výsledky interdisciplinárně pojatého výzkumu Masarykovy univerzity na Pohansku u Břeclavi, které patří k nejvýznamnějším raně středověkým centrům v ústřední oblasti tzv. Velké Moravy (9. st. n. l.). Přináší poznatky o přírodním prostředí zjištěné při výzkumu zdejšího opevnění v letech 2005–2006. Pozornost byla zaměřena na kvartérní uloženiny geologického původu a subfosilní půdy. V rámci palynologického studia byly zpracovány vzorky ze 3 profilů v řezu opevněním a 5 vrtů v jeho okolí. Petrografickými metodami byla zkoumána provenience stavebního kamene. Raně středověké centrum na Pohansku je popsáno jako komplexní kulturní systém, který byl významně formován vstupy z okolního prostředí (např. změny vodního režimu v nivě) a sám působil opačným směrem svými výstupy (např. masivní odlesňování krajiny). and The study summarizes the latest results of the interdisciplinary research conducted by the Masaryk University at Pohansko near Břeclav, one of the most significant Early Medieval centres in the core area of the Great Moravian Empire (9th century AD). It brings data on the natural environment as collected within the 2005–2006 study of the local fortification. A special attention was given to Quaternary deposits of geological origin and buried soils. Within a palynological study, samples from 3 sections in a profile across the fortification and from 5 boreholes in its neighbourhood were analysed. Provenance of the building stone was studied using petrographic methods. The Pohansko Early Medieval centre is described as a complex cultural system significantly shaped by inputs from the ambient environment (such as variations in water regime in the flood plain). At the same time, this system acted in the other direction by its outputs (e.g., large-scale deforestation of landscape).
The presented text attempts to assess the possibilities and limitations of processing Great Moravian currency bars (by domestic archaeologists traditionally called axe-shaped hryvnias) into the form of an end product – a tool in the form of an axe – using an archaeological experiment. In this manner, it is also testing the possibilities of the axe-shaped bars to remain in circulation as tokens of general-purpose money. The present experiment shows that the processing of these bars is considerably loss-making, which means that in the case of their circulation as tokens, their withdrawal from circulation for the purpose of their practical utilization would be unlikely. The text also attempts to model the genesis of axe-shaped currency, seeing their roots in Moravian social currency, which probably originally had the form of real axes. During the social and political changes of the Great Moravian period, this currency acquired the form of stylised semi-finished products and were probably also integrated in anonymous market transactions at least in part of Great Moravian territory.
The paper’s primary objective is to discuss the arrangements of grave pits at the Early Medieval agglomeration Mikulčice-Valy. They include steps, wooden structures, stone structures and special arrangements. The established facts about the form, frequency, etc., are then compared with the situation at other central fortified settlements in Great Moravia (Pohansko near Břeclav and Staré Město – Uherské Hradiště). The second objective of the book is to critically evaluate the phenomenon of so-called “tombs” at the burial site near the 3rd church on the acropolis of the Mikulčice fortified settlement. Since the introduction of this term in archaeological literature by J. Poulík in 1967, these find units have never been comprehensively presented and their interpretation as tombs with stone structures has not been adequately documented or backed by arguments. The paper is based on the original documentation of the research in 1956–1957; these find units are reinterpreted using analysis and comparison of the burial rite attributes of the graves. Based on the analysis of the find situation, the authors do not consider the term “tomb” as relevant at the Mikulčice agglomeration.
Archeologickým výzkumem v poloze Žabník, vzdálené 500 m na JZ od obvodového valu centrální části velkomoravského hradiště v Mikulčicích, byly v r. 1968 a 1976 zachyceny pozůstatky raně středověkého pohřebiště a sídliště. Podle vertikální stratigrafie bylo pohřebiště dvoufázové a sídliště jednofázové. Rámcové datování do 9.–10. stol. vyplývá z charakteru hrobových a sídlištních nálezů, přičemž významnou roli hraje keramika. Zatímco hrobové nádoby vykazují znaky velkomoravské produkce, sídlištní keramika představuje typologicky pokročilejší zboží povelkomoravského charakteru. Navíc sídlištní keramiku reprezentuje výrazný keramicky typ se specifickými morfologickými i technologickými znaky, který v rámci mikulčické sídelní aglomerace nebyl dosud ve výraznějším zastoupení zaznamenán – byl proto pracovně označen jako keramika „typu Žabník“. and In the years 1968 and 1976, the archaeological excavations at the site of Žabník, situated app. 500 m to the south of the perimeter wall of the central part of the Great Moravian castle of Mikulčice, revealed remains of an early medieval burial ground and settlement. According to vertical stratigraphy, the burial ground consisted of two phases and the settlement of just one. The approximate dating to 9th-10th century results from the nature of the grave and settlement finds. An important role is played by pottery. While the grave vessels bear witness of Great Moravian provenience, the settlement pottery is represented by typologically more advanced products of post-Great Moravian nature. Moreover, the settlement pottery represents a distinctive ceramic type with specific morphological and technological features that has not yet been documented within the Mikulčice agglomeration in a more numerous representation – that is why it has been preliminarily designated as the Žabník pottery type.
Multidisciplinární výzkum založený na korelaci a interpretaci dat získaných archeologickými a přírodovědnými metodami. Hlavním cílem je rekonstrukce interakce faktorů životního prostředí a životních podmínek lidských komunit od 6. do počátku 12. století. Studie vychází z výzkumu velkomoravského centra na Pohansku u Břeclavi, jeho okolí a zázemí. Strategie obživy a její vývoj v raně středověké společnosti byla studována na základě nálezů souvisejících se zemědělskou výrobou a následným zpracováním produktů. and Multidisciplinary research based on the interpretation of data acquired by archaeological and natural science methods and their correlation. The main objective is to reconstruct the interaction of factors of the environment and the living conditions of human communities and their development from the 6th until the early 12th century. The study will draw on research of the complex of the Great Moravian centre at Pohansko near Břeclav (South Moravia), its surroundings and hinterland. The subsistence strategy and its development in the early medieval society was studied on the basis of finds related to farming production and the subsequent processing of the products.
Práce se snaží přispět k odstranění diskrepance mezi datováním mužských a ženských hrobů na velkomoravských pohřebištích, její příčinou je mj. pozdní datování veligradského šperku. Zabývá se několika stratigraficky nízko uloženými hroby ze Starého Města Na valách, které obsahují vyspělý veligradský šperk. Některé jeho typy vykazují podobnost se šperkem známým z pozdně avarského prostředí, což ukazuje, že veligradský šperk existoval již od počátku velkomoravského období a zřejmě ještě dříve. Vedle Starého Města lze i na některých venkovských pohřebištích (Dolní Věstonice, Prušánky) vyčlenit skupinu ozdob, které tvoří náplň tzv. předköttlašského horizontu, známého z pohřebišť typu Sopronkőhida-Pitten-Pottenbrunn a datovatelného do 4. čtvrtiny 8. století. Sledováním výskytu ozdob typických pro tento horizont lze na raně středověkých pohřebištích na Moravě a jihozápadním Slovensku vyčlenit ženské hroby, které byly uloženy v průběhu staršího velkomoravského období. and On the female jewellery of the Early Great Moravian period. This article aims to contribute to removing the discrepancy between the dating of male and female graves from Great Moravian cemeteries, amongst the causes of which is the late dating of the Veligrad jewellery set. It considers several, stratigraphically low-lying graves from Staré Město – Na valách that contain mature Veligrad jewellery; several of the types display similarities to jewellery known from the Late Avar milieu, which indicates that Veligrad jewellery existed at the beginning of the Great Moravian period and apparently even earlier. It is not only to Staré Město but also to several rural cemeteries (Dolní Věstonice, Prušánky) that the group of decorations comprising the fill of the “pre-Köttlach“ horizon, known from cemeteries of the Sopronkőhida-Pitten-Pottenbrunn type and dated to the last quarter of the 8th century, can be assigned. By following the appearance of decorations typical of this horizon it is possible for Early Medieval cemeteries in Moravia and South- West Slovakia to distinguish female burials interred during the Early Great Moravian period.
In 2018, during a rescue archaeological excavation taking place in one of the gardens of Staré Město near Uherské Hradiště, 23 early medieval graves containing skeletal remains of 26 individuals were detected. The site is situated on the northern border of the well-known Great Moravian burial ground ‘Na Valách’. In a large number of the newly excavated graves, greater or lesser deviations from the usual funeral rite were recorded. While the established burial rite in Great Moravian society means the deceased lies on their back in the supine position with extended extremities and head towards the west, here we found skeletons in very different orientations, lying in a prone or crouched position, or, at least, with unusual positions of their upper or lower limbs. Additionally, some of the graves contained incomplete or no skeletons. There is also one double burial and a triple burial, and several graves in superpositions. In nine graves, objects of material culture were found, the most important of them come from the rider’s grave 20/2018. The presented study aims to interpret the burial contexts using the bioarchaeological approach, which is, however, affected by the quality of the preserved finds, especially skeletal remains.