Sprawozdania Archeologiczne

(Review) Marcin Maciejewski, János Gábor Tarbay, Kamil Nowak (eds), Hoards from the European Bronze and Iron Ages. Current research and new perspectives (= New Approaches in Archaeology 4). Turnhout 2024: Brepols Publishers, 175 pp.

Karol Jan Dzięgielewski — Wed, 03 Dec 2025 00:00:00 +0000

The metalwork hoard from Czarków, Gliwice District, Silesian Voivodeship: discovery context, elemental composition, and wear analysis

Kamil Nowak, Dawid Sych, Beata Badura, Paweł Derkowski — Wed, 03 Dec 2025 00:00:00 +0000

The Czarków hoard, discovered accidentally in 1875, probably during agricultural work, comprised 21 bronze
artefacts and ceramic vessel fragments, presumably the original container. The assemblage includes socketed axes of Lusatian and Middle Danubian types, a tanged sickle, and a spearhead.
Metallurgical analysis indicates the use of tin bronze with low tin and trace levels of arsenic, antimony, nickel, silver, and lead. Both local and non-local artefacts share similar metal compositions.
Use-wear and manufacturing traces confirm that all axes underwent finishing and use, with evidence of blade hammering and socket edge modification, particularly on the Lusatian types. Transverse grinding traces suggest resharpening prior to deposition.
Comparative studies date the hoard’s inventory to the Late Bronze Age HB2-HB3 phases (ca. 1000-750 BC).

Geometric-morphometric diversity of bronze axes from the Lusatian Urnfield cultures hoard from Rosko (north Greater Poland)

Agnieszka Pawlina, Marcin Maciejewski, Agata Haluszko — Wed, 03 Dec 2025 00:00:00 +0000

The hoard from Rosko (Site 47, Wielkopolskie Voivodeship, Czarnków-Trzcianka district) contained at least 71
bronze artefacts, mainly socketed axes, and is dated to HaB2-HaB3. This study focuses on analysing the shape of the axes, evaluating their morphological differences, and assigning these artefacts to the currently accepted typological classification by Kuśnierz. Absolute measurements and photographic documentation were required for geometric morphometric method (GMM) analyses, conducted on 66 axes. A key objective of the study was to compare the outcomes of GMM analyses using the landmark and outline methods. The results revealed intratypological differences among the Czarków type axes, variant C, suggesting that the casts were likely made using
more than one mould. Variations in shape, production techniques, and usage indicated that the axes could not be unanimously traced back to a single casting mould.

Manufacturing technology of banded pseudo-spiral bracelets in the light of experimental studies and computed tomography

Wed, 03 Dec 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Knowledge of manufacturing technology of items from various raw materials not only allows for a better understanding of the spheres of human culture associated with their production but also provides a basis for further conclusions on the functioning of prehistoric communities. Copper-alloy objects might be examined using a wide range of archaeometallurgical methods. In this paper, we would like to focus on the manufacturing technology of banded pseudo-spiral bracelets, using an archaeological experiment, macro- and microscopic analyses of traces on copper-alloy items and computed tomography of artefacts from the Lubnowy Wielkie hoard, dated to the Late Bronze Age, Montelius’ V period, as well as their reconstructions made during the experiment.

Bast cords from the Late Bronze Age and Early Iron Age in Poland, on the example of finds from Susz, Iława district

Magdalena Przymorska-Sztuczka — Wed, 03 Dec 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Artefacts made of organic materials from the 1st millennium BCE in Poland are relatively scarce, and products made of tree bast are even rarer than fabrics. There is limited evidence in the archaeological record for the production and use of bast cordage during this period. Tree bast cords have been preserved mainly in association with metal objects, like in the case of finds from Żelazo or Jodłowno. The remains of bast cordage were also identified among the hoard of bronze artefacts from Susz in northeastern Poland, which is the richest collection of bast cords in the region to date.

Quantity matters. Studies on defensive settlements of the Hallstatt Period in Greater Poland

Grzegorz Szczurek, Marcin Krzepkowski, Piotr Wroniecki, Artur Różański — Wed, 03 Dec 2025 00:00:00 +0000

The issue of defensive settlement during the Hallstatt period (HaC-HaD) in the area of Greater Poland constitutes an important, although still insufficiently recognised, research topic. Given current research, 21 well-documented defensive sites are believed to have operated in the region at the beginning of the Iron Age. The article’s findings indicate that there has been a significant underestimation of the phenomenon’s scale. Pilot studies limited to three neighbouring districts have identified at least three new probable fortified settlements. The research was preliminary and requires continuation to confirm its chronological attribution to the Hallstatt period reliably. In the authors’ opinion, applying analogous methodological assumptions in other areas of the region may yield comparable findings and thus significantly shape the catalogue of defensive settlements from the beginnings of the Iron Age
in Greater Poland. Considerable progress in these studies could indeed be achieved through systematic and reliable remote sensing prospection, as well as through a re-analysis of sites previously assessed negatively.

Old and new at Dąbrowa. Richly furnished Early Iron Age graves at a Lusatian culture cemetery in Wieluń district, central Poland

Radosław Janiak, Alicja Drozd-Lipińska — Wed, 03 Dec 2025 00:00:00 +0000

The Lusatian culture burial ground at Dąbrowa, Wieluń district, lies in the upper Warta River basin. Due to its location in the south-western part of central Poland, it accumulated imports from the Halstatt zone (bronze serpentine clasp, iron and bronze spearheads). This was evident in the inventories of two early Iron Age graves. Local artefacts were also discovered in the cemetery, which were imitations of imports (bronze clasps). This was demonstrated by the results of surveys conducted in 1927 and 1928. This makes it possible to identify representatives of the local elite among the buried. Research undertaken on the same cemetery in 2021 confirmed the presence of burials from the Halstadt period. However, their equipment was not as prestigious (swan-necked pins, iron sickles). It is worth noting that this cemetery was already established earlier, during the Younger Bronze Age.

Three lines of ditches and embankments and inside a void: Results of Archaeological Research at the Early Iron Age Site in Kościuki (Podlaskie Voivodeship, North-Eastern Poland)

Krzysztof Żurek, Adam Wawrusiewicz — Wed, 03 Dec 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Airborne LiDAR surveys have identified 27 Late Bronze and Early Iron Age fortified sites in the valleys of the Biebrza and Narew rivers in northern Podlasie, sharing similar locations, forms, and dimensions. In 2019, interdisciplinary geomagnetic and ground-penetrating radar (GPR) surveys, followed by excavations, were carried out on the site in Kościuki (Białystok district).
The site lies on a sandy elevation near a peat bog and consists of three concentric embankments and ditches about 100 m in diameter, enclosing a central area of only 20 m. Excavations revealed traces of palisade-topped ramparts and well-preserved wooden elements between the ramparts. Radiocarbon dates of the timbers indicate construction between the 7th and late 5th centuries BC.

No structural remains or artefacts indicating habitation were found within the enclosure, only a few ceramic sherds in the ditch fills. The monumental scale and inward-sloping palisades suggest a non-defensive role, perhaps as a permanent ritual or ceremonial centre rather than a military fortification.

Sofia S. Berezanska (15 May 1924 – 2 May 2024)

Halina Taras — Wed, 03 Dec 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Remarks on the research on the significance and organisation of space within the cemeteries of the Lusatian culture population in the Lublin region

Elżbieta Małgorzata Kłosińska — Wed, 03 Dec 2025 00:00:00 +0000

This text addresses the issue of the layout of space within the cemeteries of the Lusatian culture communities of the Bronze Age and Early Iron Age in the Lublin region. It was observed that the local, typically small necropoleis had a linear layout, with the graves arranged along the NE-SW axis. It can be assumed that the history of a cemetery started either from the east or at the most significant culmination within the area. The cemeteries were likely the primary focal points of attention for the local population within specific settlement regions.

Burial customs and cultural change. A case study from Central Germany during the transition from the Late Bronze Age to the Early Iron Age

Marta Korczyńska-Cappenberg — Wed, 03 Dec 2025 00:00:00 +0000

This paper presents the osteological, taphonomic, and archaeological analysis of a cremation grave from Markranstädt in northwestern Saxony – a region situated at the intersection of three cultural traditions during the final phase of the Late Bronze Age and the older phase of the Early Iron Age. Although the burial lacked distinctive grave goods, typochronological multivariate statistics provided a chronological and cultural framework for interpretation. Osteological analysis identified the deceased as an adult aged 30-40 years, exhibiting a notably tall stature and no pathological alterations in the skeletal remains. Taphonomic evidence reveals a deliberate and structured arrangement of the cremated bones within the urn, including the vertical, antithetical positioning of lower limb epiphyses and the horizontal placement of upper limb elements. These findings enhance our understanding of funerary practices in the region, highlighting the ritual complexity of cremation burials during this period of cultural transition.

Hoarded assemblages from the Bronze Age and Early Iron Age between the Vistula and the Bug: state of research

Halina Taras — Wed, 03 Dec 2025 00:00:00 +0000

The paper summarises the state of knowledge on hoarded assemblages in central-eastern Poland, covering various research aspects, including the state of laboratory investigation of these assemblages. The reasons for the relatively small number of finds of this type between the Vistula and Bug rivers are analysed, as well as the nature of individual hoards (reasons for deposition), the composition of their assemblage, and chronology. The provenance of metal objects composing the individual hoards, within narrower chronological ranges, is also discussed.

The Missing link. Late Bronze and Early Iron Ages settlements in the vicinity of the Gogolewo hoard discovery site

Marcin Maciejewski — Wed, 03 Dec 2025 00:00:00 +0000

The Gogolewo hoard is one of many assemblages of metal objects from the Late Bronze and Early Iron Ages that have been discovered in western Poland. Its composition is unremarkable, consisting of two sickles and a spearor javelinhead, with no imports or unusual objects. Although it has been mentioned in several publications, it has never been thoroughly studied. This text focuses on this deposit because, according to archival information, it was discovered in a ‘pile of stones’. For this reason, it was included in studies conducted as part of a project examining hoards found in such contexts. The article explores the relationship between Late Bronze and Early Iron Ages settlements and the cultural significance of the hoard’s deposition site during this period.

Burying iron at Tyniec, Maszkowice, and elsewhere: distinct regional patterns of metal deposition in the Early Iron Age of Southern Poland

Wed, 03 Dec 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Recent discoveries of hoards composed of iron objects in Lesser Poland suggest the existence of a specific cultural norm of deposition and a high valorisation of this metal at the onset of the Early Iron Age (750-550 BC). By broadening the scope of analysis to include single finds of ‘large irons’ and comparing them with burial assemblages, a contrasting picture of regional dichotomy emerges. It is manifested in differing practices of iron deposition among related communities of the period. Those inhabiting the mountainous zone (extending as far as the Vistula valley) buried iron as single depositions or in hoards placed in selected locations within the landscape. Those living in the upland areas to the north of the Vistula, on the other hand, deposited iron exclusively in graves. After presenting two hoards from Kraków-Tyniec and a group of artefacts from Maszkowice, we examine the broader context of these finds along with patterns in the distribution of hoards within the landscape.

A theoretical, inequality-based model of cultural change culminating in the emergence of Biskupin-type fortified settlements

Robert Staniuk — Wed, 03 Dec 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Early Iron Age (EIA) Biskupin-type fortified settlements are viewed as unique examples of high-density urbanism (HDU) with limited (if any) evidence of social inequality. This argument is supported by two lines of evidence: uniform house sizes and small-scale differences in burial rites of the associated Early Iron Age Lusatian Urnfield culture. These two observations are rooted in rudimentary archaeological empiricism, highlighting the pitfalls of induction-based inference for identifying social phenomena and essentialist notions in studies of social inequality, thereby overlooking the dynamics of social processes. This paper will review the state of research on Biskupin-type fortified settlements to discuss how an inequality framework can help conceptualise their emergence, florescence, and decline. Finally, I apply this framework to develop a qualitative, theoretical model of the trajectory of social changes that results in the emergence of these sites.

Comparison of palaeoecological and archaeological evidence of human activity from the Late Bronze Age to the Early Iron Age in Central Pomerania (northern Poland)

Joanna Święta-Musznicka, Kamil Niedziółka — Wed, 03 Dec 2025 00:00:00 +0000

This article presents a synthesis of palaeoenvironmental and archaeological data from the Bronze/Iron Age transition (1200-500 BC) in Central Pomerania. Based on pollen, non-pollen palynomorphs (NPPs), charcoal, and geochemical analysis of the sediments from Wierzchowo Lake, five stages of local environmental transformation have been distinguished. Anthropogenic influence on vegetation was relatively limited from the Middle Bronze Age to the Period V of the Bronze Age, according to Montelius (hereinafter referred to as PBA V). A substantial increase in settlement populations and significant environmental changes (deforestation, spread of ruderal habitats, and increased lake eutrophication) correspond to the transition between the PBA V and Hallstatt C phases. During the Hallstatt C/Władysławowo II A2 phase, a brief period of diminished settlement activity preceded the subsequent increase in human impact observed during the spread of societies linked to the Pomeranian culture. The final phase spans approximately 200 years of weakened settlements preceding the expansion. of groups associated with the younger pre-Roman Period.

Remarks on the diversity and relative chronology of the Pomeranian culture in its allochthonous zones

Bartłomiej Kaczyński — Wed, 03 Dec 2025 00:00:00 +0000

The article presents a new perspective on the differentiation and chronology of Pomeranian culture in allochthonous
zones, i.e. outside Pomerania. The first part focuses on the variation in the spread of the Pomeranian cultural
model, resulting from different rhythms of acculturation in territories formerly belonging to various Lusatian Urnfield zones and exposed to influences from diverse European directions. The second part proposes a new, and at the same time first for allochthonous areas, system of relative chronology of the Pomeranian culture, consistent with the latest schemes for the Hallstatt–La Tène zone. For regions outside Pomerania, two phases are distinguished: the Karczemki phase and the Pierzwin/Ulesie phase, further divided into six subphases, corresponding to Hallstatt and La Tène sub-periods. In the discussion of artefact sets assigned to specific intervals, attention is given to migration-related population movements, as well as to external relations that shaped the development and character of the Pomeranian culture in the Polish Lowland.

Preface

Halina Taras, Marcin Maciejewski, Piotr Włodarczak — Wed, 03 Dec 2025 00:00:00 +0000