Formation of the younger Pre-Roman Iron Age cultural model in Wielkopolska (original) (raw)

M. Teska, A. Sobucki, M. Karwowski; The Cultural Situation in the Early Stage of the Younger Pre-Roman Period in Central Wielkopolska, [in:] M. Karwowski et al (eds.); Archaeological Studies of the Late Iron Age in Central Europe, Spisy Archeologického Ústavu AV ČR Brno 71, Brno 2021, 269-284.

The process of "Latenization" had a dramatic effect on the interior of the European continent. Its aspects can also be clearly seen in the present-day Wielkopolska region, which, at the threshold of the younger pre-Roman period, lost its earlier uniform nature. This happened because of the numerous interactions between communities that, based on the characteristics of their material activity, were connected with different archaeological entities which, nevertheless, constituted fully equivalent substrates and shaped the settlement situation in that period. It is nowadays assumed that in the early stage of the younger pre-Roman period, central Wielkopolska was subject to "Latenization" by the Jastorf Culture as a result of the direct presence of its representatives. This situation is clearly demonstrated by archaeological material, the quantity of which has significantly increased recently. The new materials also include a middle La Tène brooch from site 20/27 in Będlewo, which represents a variant of Blankenfelde-type brooches, these being particularly characteristic of the Jastorf Culture.

The Wielbark and Przeworsk Cultures at the Turn of the Early and Late Roman Periods. The dynamics of settlement and cultural changes in the light of chronology

2004

At the close of the Early Roman period the Wielbark culture was on the eve of its great expansion that led to the occupation of vast stretches of land between the Baltic Sea and the Ukraine. However, prior to this, it covered a relatively small area limited to Pomerania, Warmia (Ermland) and the northern part of Great Poland (Wołągiewicz 1981, 84 f. Fig. 3). Its neighbours were the Przeworsk culture on the south and south-east and the West Baltic culture on the north-east. These cultural areas were separated by wastes (Godłowski 1985, 64; Olędzki 1999, 49), which formed a protective belt that guaranteed their safety. The importance of such areas, purposefully laid to waste by Germanic tribes, was mentioned by Caesar in his Commentarii de bello Gallico (IV, 3). At that time the territory settled by the Wielbark culture was at least three times smaller than that of the Przeworsk culture (Fig. 1), though soon, i.e. since the end of phase B2 and early B2/C1, it was increasing rapidly. T...

Societies of the younger segment of the early Iron Age in Poland (500–250 BC)

The Past Societies. Polish lands from the first evidence of human presence to the early Middle Ages (ed. by Przemysław Urbańczyk). Volume 4: 500 BC-500 AD (ed. by A. Rzeszotarska-Nowakiewicz), 2016

In the territory of Poland the year 500 BC does not correspond to any archaeologically recognizable watershed. However, when looking upon the archaeological situation in Europe in the centuries prior and subsequent to this date from a broader perspective, one cannot help but observe a major shift. The impact exerted by the early Celtic culture that evolved in the northern foreland of the Alps makes itself felt among other peoples of Europe not until after 500 BC. Moreover, this is observed not only within societies occupying the southern reaches of our continent (namely, the much quoted Celtic raids in the Apennine and the Balkan peninsulas of the 4th and the 3rd c. BC), but also those established in northern and central Europe – the territory of present-day Poland included. Contents: 1. Introduction 2. The change. To the borders of a lowland ecumene 3. The time of change 4. Early connections with the Celts – southern Poland as a contact zone 5. The Jastorf world moving south 6. Autarchy and acculturation: the end of an epoch

Cultural Contacts of the Societies of South-Western Poland in the Early Iron Age

ΕΥΔΑΙΜΩΝ. Studies in honour of Jan Bouzek, Opera Facultatis philosophicae Universitatis Carolinae Pragensis vol. XVIII, 2018

We would like to present our observations on the cultural contacts in the south‑western part of Poland in the Early Iron Age. Our remarks are based on the recently excavated sites (Domasław, Milejowice, Stary Śleszów) and those already mentioned in the literature (Kietrz, Łazy, Witnica, Świbie). The formal study of some artefacts indicate that they are not typical for the region where they were found and the parallels point pointing to other origins, both closer (coast of Baltic Sea) and more distant (Hallstatt culture, Etruscan culture, Besarab culture). The emergence of new products resulted in more than their material, tangible presence. The introduction of culturally foreign wares led to other durable and far‑reaching changes in funeral practices, social structure, ways of organizing production, techniques of manufacturing and in architecture. This in turn led to a complete change of the prevailing cultural model, which manifests itself clearly, especially in the social zone. Undoubtedly, the observed changes represent contacts with the dominant cultural centres of Europe at that time, which led to the migration, not only of objects, but also ideas, beliefs and perceptions of the world. The transformation took place under the influence of strong interactions arising from the circle of the Hallstatt culture and from northern Italy, which remained in close contact with the Greek colonies.

Interpretation of cultural transformations in the Early Iron Agein South-Eastern Poland and Western Ukraine

2010

The present article examines the archaeological record from the Early Iron Age SouthEastern Poland and Western Ukrainę by means of migration models elaborated by R. Prien.The analysis shows that at the studied territory a migra tion might have taken place and it might have a twofold character: of a mass or elite migration (West-Podolian group) and a clearance/deportation (Tarnobrzeg group). STRESZCZENIE: W artykule tym źródła archeologiczne z wczesnej epoki żelaza z płd-wsch. Pol ski i zach. Ukrainy analizowane są przy pomocy modeli migracyjnych opracow anych przez R. Priena. Analiza ta wskazuje, iż w omawianym regionie możemy mieć do czynienia z migracjami o charakterze zbliżonym do modelu migracji masowej lub elit (grupa zachodniopodolska) i migracji typu deportacja/wygnanie (grupa tarnobrzeska).

Late Bronze and Early Iron Age communities in the northern part of the Polish Lowland (1000-500 BC)

The Past Societies. Polish lands from the first evidence of human presence to the early Middle Ages (ed. by Przemysław Urbańczyk). Volume 3: 2000–500 BC (ed. by Urszula Bugaj). Warszawa, 2017

Chapter 8 from the latest synthesis of the prehistory of Polish lands deals with the traces of Late Bronze Age and Early Iron Age populations of the Polish Baltic Sea coast (in its younger section known as “Pomeranian culture”). These are recognised for its cemeteries with stone-cist graves containing extraordinary face urns. The form of graves allows us to grasp the structure of nuclear families, what differs much from Urnfield culture cemeteries. Presented analysis revealed some crucial aspects of social characteristics of the societies in question. The main recognized factors of change in social organisation were economic and demographic conditions. At start, at the dawn of the Late Bronze Age, it was the pioneer economic exploitation of the area and after that, in the late phase of LBA - agricultural stability and “discovery” of amber in the coastal zone. Those circumstances allowed for unprecedented demographic growth and enhanced social competitiveness, what resulted in differentiation in economic strategies, intensification of exchange and long-distance contacts, increase in mobility and polygyny, and - to some degree - growth of both spatial and social hierarchization. Nevertheless, the organisation of population had not reached more complex form, persisting to represent small-scale society. Limited range of hierarchization was probably due to the very nature of goods that were the subject to exchange – food and staple products as well as amber. The chapter also contains concise, well illustrated appendix on Early Iron Age face urns in Pomerania.