Suchergebnisse

The article deals with the Baltic-Oriental exchange system between early Piasts
State and north-western Early Rus' in the 9th—10th century as an element of a great
communication artery. Ladoga and Wolin played a leading role of nodal centers in this
communication. The inflow of Arabic dirhams to the Western Slavic lands was the main
material determinant of contacts. Another direction of these relations is demonstrated
by ceramic vessels specific to pottery of the North-Western Slavic territory detected in
north-western Early Rus'. The small group of Tornow type vessels is registered in
Gorodok on the Lovat' River in the mid-10th century. Its chronology corresponds to the
times of liquidation of strongholds in the Tornow-Klenica zone. It is interpreted as an
archaeological evidence of slave trade between the Piasts and Baltic-Oriental trade
diasporas. The material and religious culture and wooden building of the two settlements
is characterized by a number of similarities. Post-and-plank constructions erected at
the end of the 9th and the mid of the 10th century were attested there. The material
culture registered inside and around these wooden structures indicates that they could
have been the seats of "trade diasporas". The article is intended to open a broad
discussion about the cultural ties between the communities of Polish lands and Early
Rus' as well as the role of the Baltic-Oriental exchange system in the formation of
early states.

Archaeological investigations carried out at the early medieval cemetery in Ciepłe
in northern Poland have yielded arms and equestrian equipment deposited in chamber
graves belonging to the local elite. This study is based on elements of equestrian
equipment and horse harness which were found in graves 35, 42 and 43. Based on the few
metallographic analyses of European iron spurs, stirrups and bits dated between the 10th
and 11th centuries, it may be suggested that the artifacts from Ciepłe were forged from
bloomery low-carbon metal with low to medium phosphorus content. The objects and their
parts (bits) are single- and multiple-piece forgings of varying degrees of complexity.
The greatest skill was required in the manufacturing of stirrups, which in the case of
the Ciepłe set are all composite products, each welded from two or three pieces of iron.
Also included in this group are the bit sides from grave 43, both of which were made by
joining together two chunks of metal. The remaining items, i. e. mouthpiece links, side
plates, rings of horse bits, spurs, separators for stirrup leathers and bridle ferrules
are hot formed objects, forged from single pieces of iron. All of the non-ferrous metal
decorations of the equestrian equipment and horse harness were made in the so-called
false damascening technique. The surface of the plating was also sometimes decorated
with an additional negative drawing, sometimes lavish and rich in detail.