Roman Period and Great Migration Period in Bohemia by Zdeněk Beneš
Archeologie ve středních Čechách, 2024
The content of the presented article is an evaluation of a rescue excavation at the site of Poděb... more The content of the presented article is an evaluation of a rescue excavation at the site of Poděbrady-Velké Zboží, which took place in 2012. The site is situated on the very bank of the Elbe River, at an altitude of approximately 186m above sea level. The location of this prehistoric site was certainly chosen with this in mind, as it lies precisely on the edge of the river's floodplain. The excavation identified a total of 14 sunken features. These included a proven sunken-floored building – a pit house and a probable one; as well as a storage pit, settlement pits without any specific functions and postholes. The core of the finds assemblage recovered from this group of features seems to date back to the 2nd half of the 1st century AD and the 1st half of the 2nd century AD, i.e. to the R B2 phase. Attention was especially paid to the relatively well-preserved pit house no. 1, from the bottom of which samples were taken for geochemical analysis. In this paper, the function of pit houses was also discussed in general terms, not only of those found at this site, but also in a wider Central European context. According to the authors, these are buildings serving an economic purpose rather than a residential one.
The Vrbová Lhota Settlement - A Case Study of Germanic Elites in the 3rd Century AD in Central Bohemia, 2024
During the Roman Period, the region of the basin of the Výrovka Stream, a left-bank tributary of ... more During the Roman Period, the region of the basin of the Výrovka Stream, a left-bank tributary of the Elbe River on the border of the districts of Kolín and Nymburk, contains an extraordinary concentration of funerary sites of particular European importance and which belong to the representative part of the National Museum collection (Dobřichov-Pičhora, Dobřichov-Třebická). The determined settlements thus far are an unexploited source of knowledge about the development of these key regions in Bohemia during the Roman Period. In recent years, the assemblage from the Vrbová Lhota site stands out among the other settlement sites from the 3rd century AD. The collection of the finds is characterised by a large number of metal finds, among which Roman imports stand out: parts of bronze vessels, bells, brooches, fittings and a bronze anthropomorphic statue. Also known from the site are numerous indicators of non-ferrous metalworking activities – these are often interpreted as some of the evidence of the presence of elites, who were suppliers of raw materials (often of Roman origin), but also customers of the finale products. Additional evidence of the presence of local elites is a rich collection of bronze, silver and gold coins dated to the 2nd century up to the second half of the 3rd century AD. The aim of this study is to evaluate an unpublished set of finds along with new ones coming from surface surveys (2020–2021 seasons) and based on the results of the archaeometric study of selected metal finds. With the aid of archaeometry, we attempt to analyse the metallurgical activities at the site and their relationship with other sites in the Central European part of the Barbaricum.
Archeologické rozhledy, 2024
This exploratory archaeometric study investigates pottery from a Großromstedt culture associated ... more This exploratory archaeometric study investigates pottery from a Großromstedt culture associated with a significant migratory wave from the north into the Bohemian Basin at the transition from the Late La Tène to the Roman periods. The analysis of ceramics from the Mlékojedy settlement reveals evidence of techno logical discontinuity in two key chronological transitions. The first and more significant transition between the Late La Tène period and the Early Roman period (LT D/R A) is characterised by a change in the pottery forming method, with a turn away from the use of the potter's wheel. New pottery shapes and a new range of ornamentation are also introduced in this period, potentially indicating cultural import or/and popu lation migration. However, the technological changes in pottery production were not absolute, as certain processes persisted. The second technological discontinuity was found between phases R A and R B1 of the Roman period. It appears as a natural evolution of the ceramic technology, which was accelerated by the social changes. The findings suggest that the vast majority of pottery could have been produced from local sources. Early Roman period-Late La Tène period-XRF-XRD-ceramic petrography Tato průzkumná archeometrická studie zkoumá keramiku spojenou s významnou migrační vlnou ze severu do české kotliny na přelomu pozdní doby laténské a doby římské. Analýza keramiky ze sídliště Mlékojedy odhaluje doklady technologické diskontinuity ve dvou klíčových chronologických přechodech. K prvnímu a významnějšímu dochází mezi pozdní dobou laténskou a mladší dobou římskou (LT D/R A). Vyznačuje se změnou způsobu formování keramiky a odklonem od používání hrnčířského kruhu. V tomto období se také prosazují nové tvary keramiky a nová škála ornamentů, které mohou naznačovat kulturní import či/a migraci obyvatelstva. Technologické změny v hrnčířské výrobě však nebyly absolutní, neboť určité procesy přetr vávaly z předcházejícího období. Druhá technologická diskontinuita byla zjištěna mezi fázemi R A a R B1 doby římské. Vyznačuje se přirozeným vývojem keramické technologie, který byl pravděpodobně urychlen společenskými změnami ovlivněnými kontaktem s římsko-provinciální kulturou. Nálezy naznačují, že na prostá většina keramiky mohla být vyrobena z místních zdrojů. mladší doba římská-pozdní doba laténská-XRF-XRD-keramická petrografie
Živá archeologie - REA, 2023
The text discusses pottery firing in the Early Roman Period in Bohemia. The topic is not satisfac... more The text discusses pottery firing in the Early Roman Period in Bohemia. The topic is not satisfactorily explained, mostly because of a lack of archaeologically documented kilns. There is an obvious difference to the previous La Téne period, but also to the two-chamber vertical kilns from certain regions of central European Barbaricum, which were from the
3rd century AD adopted, probably from the area of Roman Provinces. We presume that pottery firing could take place in qualitatively different pyrotechnic facilities, some of which do not need to be archaeologically
recordable. Especially bonfire firing or firing in shallow clamps would not, in most cases, leave any traces. While looking at the homogeneously
fired fine table pottery of the Early Roman period there are doubts they could be produced without a closed kiln. A closed kiln would allow for fluent firing without drastic thermal shocks, which would damage such pottery. First of all, the article therefore critically discusses the archaeological features which have so far been interpreted as potential
pottery kilns. On the basis of analogues but also technological aspects it is possible to say that the one-chamber horizontal features from Roztoky u Prahy probably represent pottery kilns. These were used by the author
of the article as a model for their experimental firing. The firing took place in November 2022 in Prague – Hostivař and showed that the aim can be easily achieved in this type of device, without any damage to the ceramic
ware. We successfully achieved the desired reducing atmosphere which leaves an homogenous black surface, and without the use of graphite, as is sometimes stated in archaeological literature. The question as to if it is
possible for such a kiln to produce the fine black polished pottery typical for the Early Roman period, could not be solved by this experiment.
Ethnographic parallels and other published experimental firings showed that the same results can also be achieved in bonfire or clamp firings.
Archeologie ve středních Čechách, 2023
In 2014, a rescue excavation conducted at Týnec nad Labem (Kolín district) provided rich evidence... more In 2014, a rescue excavation conducted at Týnec nad Labem (Kolín district) provided rich evidence of settlement, especially in the outer bailey of the local late La Tène hillfort. It is the Roman period artefacts from Týnec nad Labem that are the subject of this paper. Their interpretative value is then significantly increased by an assemblage of equally datable artefacts recovered by surface prospecting on the opposite bank of the Elbe River (cadastral area of Kojice, Pardubice district). All these artefacts can be dated to stage B1 of the early Roman period. Thus, the Roman period activities at the hillfort of Kolo and in the settlement under it can be quite well fixed in time. At the same time, it can also be stated that, at least in the case of the archaeologically investigated outer bailey, a standard settlement can be ruled out. However, this does not exclude settlement activities in the hillfort of Kolo itself, which has only been investigated to a limited extent. The finds made on the opposite bank of the Elbe River, on an elevated hillside on the western edge of the cadastral area of Kojice, are chronologically comparable to the finds from the northern side. At this site, late La Tène period artefacts were found along with finds from the Roman period, so it seems that people were repeatedly attracted to this location. An exceptional find is a denarius struck by the Eravisci which is actually one of the few pieces of evidence for the use of coins during the early Roman period. The hillfort of Kolo had served a specific purpose during the final La Tène period, which was not needed in stage B1 of the Roman period any more. However, the hillfort's remains were without doubt still visible decades later which could have attracted a new population. The important communication function of the area around the ford across the Elbe River with good views to the east and west cannot be downplayed. Moreover, the two sites are visually linked and could have been easily mutually checked.
Študijné zvesti Archeologického ústavu Slovenskej akadémie vied, 2023
Ceramic spoons are well known since early prehistory, though their occurence in Iron Age of Centr... more Ceramic spoons are well known since early prehistory, though their occurence in Iron Age of Central Europe is restricted to the area of Jastorf Culture and derivated cultural groups. In this paper, a small number of this artefacts is presented, which come from the Early Roman Period settlement Mlékojedy and other sites in Bohemia as well. Almost all of them could be interpreted as signs of migrations from the late Jastorf Culture area into the Late La Tène Period or representatives of quickly evolving and dispersing Großromstedt Culture at the turn of Late La Tène and Early Roman Periods.
zborník slovenského národného múzea cxvi, archeológia 32, 2022, 2022
Abstract: Interdisciplinary view on forged gold ttings during the Migration Period in Kounice. ... more Abstract: Interdisciplinary view on forged gold ttings during the Migration Period in Kounice. Random find of a small piece of gold ftting in the cadastral territory of Kounice, district of Nymburk, is so far one of the few artefacts
of Eastern provenance produced with the so-called cloisonné technique in Bohemia. Thanks to the use of archaeometric methods a whole range of remarkable information was found – the utilised stones are garnets from the Central Bohemian Uplands; the manufacturing technique of this jewel is at a relatively low level and it shows perhaps also signs of repairing; the purity of used gold is also relatively low. In terms of style, this object corresponds to production from Black Sea Lowland, but with regard to manufacturing quality it reminds rather Pannonian workshops from about the 2nd third of the 5th century. In the Bohemian region this is an extraordinary find. Nevertheless, according to discovery circumstances, it is possible to think that it represents an accidentally lost piece in the roads between the quite densely populated areas of Prague eastern edge (on the west side) and the drainage basin of the Výrovka river (on the east side)
Archeologie ve středních Čechách, 2022
The subject of the submitted study is an assemblage of Roman period artefacts which was handed ov... more The subject of the submitted study is an assemblage of Roman period artefacts which was handed over to the National Museum (then the Museum of the Kingdom of Bohemia) in 1897. They were allegedly found at a construction site in the fast developing municipality of Královské Vinohrady (today the district of Prague-Vinohrady), where a new train shed for the city's rail line was being built. The assemblage was first published by J. L. Píč (1905, 304, tab. LVI), but his work unfortunately contained serious errors. The information about this assemblage was then uncritically copied for the next century, which sort of prevented scholars from fully using the information potential of this unique assemblage.
It results from a re-evaluation of the assemblage that most objects probably come from only one, rich cremation grave. Just a few artefacts may suggest that several more objects (e.g. the eight-shaped buckle from phase B1 of the Roman period) originating from other graves might have been added to it (actually, the finder also handed over several finds from earlier prehistoric periods at the same time, allegedly originating from the same site). The above grave contained a pair of spearheads, a pair of knives, a pair of edge fittings from drinking horns, a pair of fibulae, a sharpening stone or a touchstone with an eyelet for hanging and especially deformed remains of Roman provincial bronze vessels. The exceptional nature of the assemblage is also indicated by the presence of a bimetalic plate spur with four rivets and traces of silver damascening on the sleeve of the iron spike. Rich warrior graves from the turn of the 2nd century AD, or possibly from the following decades, represent a relatively unified cultural phenomenon, despite their broad geographical distribution.
slovenská archeológia – Supplementum 2, 2021
The gold-plated iron pins from the Great Migration Period belong to the rare finds, not only in B... more The gold-plated iron pins from the Great Migration Period belong to the rare finds, not only in Bohemia. The loose find from Tehov, distr. Prague-east, was therefore a surprise. Together with examples from Praha-dejvice, Mochov and Chotěšice it belongs to the Thuringian-Bohemian group of pins, which can be dated to the turn of 5 th /6 th c. until the 2 nd third of 6 th c. Nevertheless, all of the datable Bohemian finds belong to the phase e1 of the danubian periodisation. it reflects the specific relationship of Thuringia and Bohemia in this period, along with a number of fibulas and other artefacts. Gilded pins from Bohemia are good example of gold plating technique. The results of X-ray fluorescence proved that the gold used for gilding is of very high purity (89-93.2%). This is characteristic for jewellery made in Barbaricum during the roman and the great Migration Periods. The sources of that gold are usually sought in imports from roman or Byzantine empires, especially in the solidi coinage. the gold-plated iron pins are mostly not preserved in their whole length, because the iron part (roughly a half) has deteriorated. it is proved that tapered, corded end is in fact the head part of the pin, not the lower end. the function of these pins as a hair decoration is supported by the gold plating, because the item is too fragile to use for ordinary cloth fastening. solitary hair pins were used exclusively by women in Frankish, Baiuvaric, Alemannic, Thuringian and Langobardic areas. The gold or gilded examples belong to rare finds and in the majority of them was found in elite graves.
Droberjar, E. – Komoróczy, B. (eds.): Příspěvky k poznání barbarských komunit (Archeologie barbarů 2016 a 2018), 2021
The preliminary report summarizes several chronological and cultural
aspects of the archaeologica... more The preliminary report summarizes several chronological and cultural
aspects of the archaeological finds from the settlement dated to the Early Roman Period in Mlékojedy. The settlement was almost entirely excavated in 1972–1976. The analysis of an extensive set of finds from the settlement from the Early Roman Period in Mlékojedy provides the basis for various research questions. This article summarizes the finds providing the main chronological, but also cultural and historical support, especially in relation to the Late La Tène settlement structure of Bohemia. The collection of the fibulas is chronologically correlated with the finds from the nearby necropolis in Tišice that is considered to be funeral area of the same community as in Mlékojedy. There is no doubt that the community based in Mlékojedy and burying their dead at the nearby necropolis in Tišice was of culturally foreign origin (Elbe-Germanic Großromstedt culture). Nevertheless, it seems that in a new and culturally different environment, the new settlers have been able to communicate and maintain certain ordinary relationships with the autochthon (Celtic) populations. This can be evidenced by small objects of foreign cultural origin (spoon-shaped fibulae, wheel-thrown pottery). The settling of this community in the immediate vicinity of an important communication hub on the Elbe may be evidence of the gradually declining of the indigenous Late La Tène settlement, which disappears in the decades around the middle of the 1st century BC or transforms into a new culture under the influence of intense migratory movements and historical events. However, before the publication of all sources from Mlékojedy and especially other similar localities in the Czech Republic, these are still rather theoretical hypotheses. In the future, emphasis should be placed primarily on the analysis of the development of settlements in the centuries around the turn of the 1st century BC and the 1st century AD in specific regions. In this way, it will hopefully be possible to observe different variants of cultural and settlement changes, which may be somewhat different in different places.
Archeologie ve středních Čechách, 2021
The article deals with the evaluation of Roman Period archaeological situations and finds investi... more The article deals with the evaluation of Roman Period archaeological situations and finds investigated during a rescue excavation in 2016. The excavation was initiated due to the construction of underground utilities and roads leading to new family houses on the eastern edge of the village. A total of 82 features were investigated, out of which 14 were dated to the Roman Period and 6 to the Early Middle Ages, on the basis f recovered finds. Thanks to analysis of the finds, it was possible to outline and define the chronological development of the settlement in question. Its beginnings date back to the 2nd century AD (phase B2 of the Roman period) and it existed until the 3rd century (phase C1). The contents of one feature (no. 49) then correspond to the final Roman period (phase C3). It is quite interesting that the excavated section of the settlement almost exclusively contained features interpretable as storage or exploitation pits but no features that are traditionally considered as residential (sunken floor huts). It is probable that the excavated part of the settlement was used for specific purposes, such as exploitation and storage, and subsequently as a rubbish dump. Thanks to soil samples which were subsequently floated, a large quantity of material for archaeobotanical analysis was recovered (2611 plant macroremains). Thus almost a complete range of Roman period cereals was documented, which consists especially of archaic species characteristic of earlier agricultural prehistory (einkorn wheat, emmer wheat, spelt, barley) and one crop species spreading only at the close of prehistory (oat). It is a mixture characteristic of the Roman period, during which the range of cereals in Central Europe underwent a gradual transformation. The spectrum of tree species, ascertained on the basis of analyzed charcoal samples, conforms to the potential reconstructed vegetation. The study also includes analysis of imported Roman provincial pottery which is relatively abundant on the site, considering the general situation in Bohemia (16 fragments of at least 5 vessels).
Archeologie ve středních Čechách, 2021
The submitted text builds on an earlier article by a group of authors (Militká – Beneš – Šámal 20... more The submitted text builds on an earlier article by a group of authors (Militká – Beneš – Šámal 2018) and deals with an evaluation of new finds recovered through metal detector surveys in 2018 and 2019, but also through fieldwalking surveys in 1982 to 1984. The combination of obtained results contributed to deepening our knowledge of the development of prehistoric settlement in the cadastral area of Lipany, from the Late Palaeolithic period to the Migration period. The earlier periods are well documented by finds of chipped and ground stone
industries. Beginning with the Bronze Age, the number of bronze finds quickly increased. A large accumulation of bronze rings is especially worth mentioning, as it probably formed part of a scattered hoard dating from the Late to Final Bronze Age. The finds of Roman-provincial origin, which were discovered through metal detector survey in sector D, are remarkable and quite unique in Bohemia. The number of finds dating from the Migration period is also gradually increasing. The discoveries a rough, fragmented pot-shaped vessel and a fragment of a child's skull seem to be supportive of a hypothesis that a late Migration period cemetery was disturbed at location A.
Archeologie ve středních Čechách, 2020
This contribution presents the discovery of part of a sunken hut dating from the Early Roman peri... more This contribution presents the discovery of part of a sunken hut dating from the Early Roman period which was made at Všechlapy, Nymburk District, in 2016. The sunken hut contained a remarkable and, within the Czech Republic, unique specimen of a Roman provincial fibula. It is a late variant of the Aucissa type whose bow consists of two ribs connected with orbicular crosspieces. It probably got into the feature only after its popularity in the provinces had peaked. The ceramic finds in the grave only enable dating to the second half of the 1st century AD. A nearby site yielded a large assemblage of pottery fragments obtained through surface prospecting. The finds also include a Kostrzewski N-b type fibula which can be dated to the first half of the 1st century AD. Judging from the analyzed potsherds, the site used to be a multi-period settlement with the predominance of Early Roman Period finds. Another nearby location yielded a fragment of a two-piece fibula from the late or final Roman period which is difficult to identify more closely. Roman Period finds are an integral part of all recent excavations in the north of the present day Nymburk region, which was an attractive area in many prehistoric periods, from the viewpoint of human occupation. A combination of archival records, earlier isolated finds and results of recent, partly so far unpublished scholarly activities have created a surprisingly colourful map of human occupation in the catchment basin of the Klobuš Brook, north of Nymburk, during the Roman Period. Especially materials from stages B1 and B2 can be found in almost all sites occupied during the Roman Period, so this chronological horizon seems to be present in the whole region. In contrast to this, the very beginnings of the Roman Period in stage A and the continuation of settlement activities during stages C1, C2 and possibly also C3 are little known. This is especially due to the fact that pottery dating from later Roman periods is less often decorated and therefore underrepresented in finds from fieldwalking surveys. These stages are only better known thanks to metal detectors surveys and field excavations.
Archeologie ve středních Čechách, 2020
In 2009 and 2010, two rescue excavations took place on the eastern edge of the town of Kolín, how... more In 2009 and 2010, two rescue excavations took place on the eastern edge of the town of Kolín, however, already in the cadastral area of Nebovidy. In the area of settlements dating from the La Tène and Roman periods, two grave pits (features 5 and 9/11) with a total of three burials (K1, K2 and K3) were discovered. It is not likely they were spatially linked, but there is something they have in common – the absence of datable finds. A burial of an adult man, K1, in feature 5 was oriented rather unusually with the head towards the east. The position of the man's feet indicates that he was originally placed in a wooden case (coffin). Burials K2 and K3 were gradually deposited above each other in a single grave pit (features 9 and 11) in a way that an elderly woman (burial K3) was buried as first. She had no archaeologically detectable grave goods and was covered with larger stones. Above her, there were buried the scattered remains of an adult man. Both graves were oriented with the head towards the west. The grave pit was slightly eccentrically placed inside a square enclosure with dimensions of 6,86 × 6,7 m, whose ditch probably contained a palisade. The only funerary offering was an iron finger ring still slipped on the finger segment of burial K2 and another, very similar iron ring found among the bones. Judging from the scattered bones, burial K2 was probably looted. The interpretation and
ating of both graves is only possible through comparison with rare and more or less distant analogies from the Czech Republic and neighbouring countries. Their dating to the late Roman or the early Migration period (stages C3–D1), i.e. to the 4th century to the first third of the 5th century, seems to be most likely. A close analogy is especially the wellknown chamber tomb, no. 1, from Plotiště nad Labem near Hradec Králové, which, due to its looting, is also only roughly dated. The most reliable support would be radiocarbon dating, which has so far not been carried out.
Archeologie ve středních Čechách, 2019
The article presents both isolated finds and small-scale rescue excavations, which yielded mater... more The article presents both isolated finds and small-scale rescue excavations, which yielded material datable to the Late Roman or possibly the Early Migration period, i.e. the interval from C3 to D1 in central Europe. When it comes to absolute chronology, this is the 4th to the first half of the 5th century AD. Such a broad chronological framework is given especially due to the fact that the dating of ceramic finds was rather complicated – due to a limited amount of decoration used and few changes in shapes. The article geographically covers the area of the author's work activity, i.e. the Kolín District with a minor overlap into the ajacent Nymburk District. When it comes to small-scale rescue excavations, especially two sunken-floor features from the village of Pučery should be mentioned, as they yielded a relatively abundant archaeological record. The material dates from C3, or possibly D1. Secondly, there should be mentioned a feature excavated on the edge of the village of Pašinka. It yielded the larger part of an S-shaped cup dated to C2–C3. The other objects are just isolated finds, however, their interpretative potential is worth mentioning. Especially a complete neck ring with a hammered-out front part, which was rediscovered among the objects kept at the Museum of Kolín, is remarkable. It originates from the village of Sány, but no other find circumstances are known. However, the object's completeness and state of preservation suggest that it comes from a grave. According to an analogy from an inhumation grave at Prague-Radotín, it would date back to the turn of the 4th and 5th century, i.e to the very beginning of the Migration period. The discovery of a fragment of a late Roman fibula, probably a Roman provincial equal-arm fibula at the site of Běšínov near Kouřim indicates a certain connection to the finds of late Roman date which were made directly at the hillfort of Kouřim. An isolated find of a one-piece fibula with a firm catch plate on the route of the Kolín bypass road, which a metal detectorist handed over to the Regional Museum of Kolín, seems to confirm the results of a rescue excavation carried out in the eastern part of the bypass road where settlement features dating from the Roman period were discovered.
Archeologie ve středních Čechách, 2018
The submitted text deals with the publication of prehistoric and early historic artefacts recover... more The submitted text deals with the publication of prehistoric and early historic artefacts recovered during a me -t al detector survey on the grounds of the Lipany battlefield (the period of the Hussite wars). Apart froma rtefacts which can be directly related to this historical event, other objects were found, too. These can be datedb ack to the Paleolithic, the Bronze Age, the La Tène period, the Roman period, the Migration period, and theE arly Middle Ages. It is especially the finds of fibulae and coins dating from the Late Roman and Migration pe-r iods which enable us to date human activities in these periods relatively precisely. So far, it is possible toa ssume cautiously that these are remains of a 4thcentury settlement. A small Thuringian fibula then indicatest hat these activities might have continued until the late 5thcentury AD and it also complements the relativelyl ow number of such fibulae in Bohemia. Although the number of recovered finds is not high, their typo-chrono-l ogical analysis can be confronted with the results of a fieldwalking project carried out in the 1980s. We alsot ried to locate an Únětice culture cemetery, which had been destroyed in the past, and a necropolis dating fromt he Early Middle Ages, through the study of archival sources. With regard to the continuation of the project, more finds are to be expected in the future.
Militký, J. - Kysela, J. - Tisucká, M. (eds.): Keltové. Čechy v 8. až 1. století před Kristem; The Celts. Bohemia from the 8th century to the 1st century B. C., 2018
The text published in exhibition cataloque "The Celts. Bohemia from the 8th century to the 1st ce... more The text published in exhibition cataloque "The Celts. Bohemia from the 8th century to the 1st century B. C." consists of two chapters: Cultural groups of mixed origin on the North Bohemian border of La Tène Culture in the 2nd-1st century BC (Podmokly Group and Kobyly Group); The Arrival of Elbe-Germanic Tribes to Bohemia in 1st century BC. It is mostly synthetic work, trying to give comprehensible, contemporary view on a aforesaid topics.
Študijné zvesti Archeologického ústavu SAV, 2018
Despite the fact that the yoke fittings are not the common finds on the territory of “Germania li... more Despite the fact that the yoke fittings are not the common finds on the territory of “Germania libera”, the number has recently grown due to the metal detector prospecting. The paper presents the finds of guide rings from provincial-type yokes (from the Czech Republic). The example from Svitavy-Předměstí together with an almond shaped fitting could be an evidence of the route between Bohemia and Moravia. This route had been in existence during the Roman period, moreover it have been used during different prehistoric periods (Vích 2014, 129, 130). On the other hand the guide ring from Nebovidy is an example of an uncommon use of a yoke fitting as a grave good for the cremation burial on the barbarian territory. On the provincial nature of the fitting indicates the lost Pannonian round-shape fibula, known only from the photo evidence.
The presented paper focuses on the problematic of the yoke horse harness both in Germania Magna and Roman provinces in Central Europe. It is necessary to mention, that the problematic of yokes hasn´t been analyzed in detail yet. Though the data are relatively well summarized, it is still hard to identify the production areas of the small
yoke and harness fittings. A relative discrepancy between the presence of the yoke finds on the provincial territory and their absence on the territory of Germania Magna was not caused by the fact that the ox or horse harness hadn´t been used on the barbarian territory. It remains still very possible that the “barbarian” yokes were made from organic material without using metal components. There are several finds of the preserved wooden yokes, which comes from the environs suitable for the organic material preservation (La Tène in Switzeland, Ezinge in Netherlands, Lundgaardshede/Bredmose in Denmark, etc.).
The finds of yokes in Germania Magna could not have been a result of a direct import (as it is in case of tableware and small jewelers), it is more possible that it was an example of transport activities between German tribes and Roman provinces, whether it had peaceful or military character. This phenomenon intensified distinctly during the end of the 2nd and the 3rd centuries A. D.
Zborník Slovenského národného múzea - Archeológia, 2017
The settlement in Mlékojedy represents an extensive set of movable and immovable finds from the b... more The settlement in Mlékojedy represents an extensive set of movable and immovable finds from the beginning of the Roman era. However, so far only a relatively small amount of evidence of cog-wheel ornamentation has been ascertained from here. There could be two theoretical reasons for this: either chronological and/or cultural. The chronological point of view lies in the fact that the finds presented may still be part of an older phase of level R A, when cog-wheel ornamentation was not yet very widespread. The cultural reasons could be the fact that the community concerned might not have adopted the new technique of pottery decoration as easily as other, perhaps neighbouring, communities. It is difficult to imagine that in the case of such a large quantity of pottery evaluated the reason could be post-deposit processes which by some coincidence might have excluded from archaeologisation these very cog-wheel ornamented vessels to a large extent. It remains debatable as to what the processing of the remaining collection of finds from this site will bring, just as it must be compared to contemporary settlement findings published in a corresponding manner. However, at the moment it appears that while the ornamentation motifs themselves provide evidence of a cultural (perhaps even on a regional level?) appurtenance, the techniques used (cog-wheel type or another tool) may be useful in assessing their chronology.
in: Droberjar, E. - Komoróczy, B. (eds.): Římské a germánské spony ve střední Evropě (Archeologie barbarů 2012), 2017
This article deals with an ensemble of artifacts kept in private collection in Kolín. It presumab... more This article deals with an ensemble of artifacts kept in private collection in Kolín. It presumably comes from an authentic site at the outskirts of city of Kolín and so it appeared in regional literature. An stylistic analysis shown in this article though revealed, that this assumption is highly disputable. It is more probably "just" a collection of artefacts with various history. The second part of the article deals with a find of complete drinking horn mounting from the site Sandberg located on the eastern side of Kolín. This site is presently completely destroyed by sand pits
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Roman Period and Great Migration Period in Bohemia by Zdeněk Beneš
3rd century AD adopted, probably from the area of Roman Provinces. We presume that pottery firing could take place in qualitatively different pyrotechnic facilities, some of which do not need to be archaeologically
recordable. Especially bonfire firing or firing in shallow clamps would not, in most cases, leave any traces. While looking at the homogeneously
fired fine table pottery of the Early Roman period there are doubts they could be produced without a closed kiln. A closed kiln would allow for fluent firing without drastic thermal shocks, which would damage such pottery. First of all, the article therefore critically discusses the archaeological features which have so far been interpreted as potential
pottery kilns. On the basis of analogues but also technological aspects it is possible to say that the one-chamber horizontal features from Roztoky u Prahy probably represent pottery kilns. These were used by the author
of the article as a model for their experimental firing. The firing took place in November 2022 in Prague – Hostivař and showed that the aim can be easily achieved in this type of device, without any damage to the ceramic
ware. We successfully achieved the desired reducing atmosphere which leaves an homogenous black surface, and without the use of graphite, as is sometimes stated in archaeological literature. The question as to if it is
possible for such a kiln to produce the fine black polished pottery typical for the Early Roman period, could not be solved by this experiment.
Ethnographic parallels and other published experimental firings showed that the same results can also be achieved in bonfire or clamp firings.
of Eastern provenance produced with the so-called cloisonné technique in Bohemia. Thanks to the use of archaeometric methods a whole range of remarkable information was found – the utilised stones are garnets from the Central Bohemian Uplands; the manufacturing technique of this jewel is at a relatively low level and it shows perhaps also signs of repairing; the purity of used gold is also relatively low. In terms of style, this object corresponds to production from Black Sea Lowland, but with regard to manufacturing quality it reminds rather Pannonian workshops from about the 2nd third of the 5th century. In the Bohemian region this is an extraordinary find. Nevertheless, according to discovery circumstances, it is possible to think that it represents an accidentally lost piece in the roads between the quite densely populated areas of Prague eastern edge (on the west side) and the drainage basin of the Výrovka river (on the east side)
It results from a re-evaluation of the assemblage that most objects probably come from only one, rich cremation grave. Just a few artefacts may suggest that several more objects (e.g. the eight-shaped buckle from phase B1 of the Roman period) originating from other graves might have been added to it (actually, the finder also handed over several finds from earlier prehistoric periods at the same time, allegedly originating from the same site). The above grave contained a pair of spearheads, a pair of knives, a pair of edge fittings from drinking horns, a pair of fibulae, a sharpening stone or a touchstone with an eyelet for hanging and especially deformed remains of Roman provincial bronze vessels. The exceptional nature of the assemblage is also indicated by the presence of a bimetalic plate spur with four rivets and traces of silver damascening on the sleeve of the iron spike. Rich warrior graves from the turn of the 2nd century AD, or possibly from the following decades, represent a relatively unified cultural phenomenon, despite their broad geographical distribution.
aspects of the archaeological finds from the settlement dated to the Early Roman Period in Mlékojedy. The settlement was almost entirely excavated in 1972–1976. The analysis of an extensive set of finds from the settlement from the Early Roman Period in Mlékojedy provides the basis for various research questions. This article summarizes the finds providing the main chronological, but also cultural and historical support, especially in relation to the Late La Tène settlement structure of Bohemia. The collection of the fibulas is chronologically correlated with the finds from the nearby necropolis in Tišice that is considered to be funeral area of the same community as in Mlékojedy. There is no doubt that the community based in Mlékojedy and burying their dead at the nearby necropolis in Tišice was of culturally foreign origin (Elbe-Germanic Großromstedt culture). Nevertheless, it seems that in a new and culturally different environment, the new settlers have been able to communicate and maintain certain ordinary relationships with the autochthon (Celtic) populations. This can be evidenced by small objects of foreign cultural origin (spoon-shaped fibulae, wheel-thrown pottery). The settling of this community in the immediate vicinity of an important communication hub on the Elbe may be evidence of the gradually declining of the indigenous Late La Tène settlement, which disappears in the decades around the middle of the 1st century BC or transforms into a new culture under the influence of intense migratory movements and historical events. However, before the publication of all sources from Mlékojedy and especially other similar localities in the Czech Republic, these are still rather theoretical hypotheses. In the future, emphasis should be placed primarily on the analysis of the development of settlements in the centuries around the turn of the 1st century BC and the 1st century AD in specific regions. In this way, it will hopefully be possible to observe different variants of cultural and settlement changes, which may be somewhat different in different places.
industries. Beginning with the Bronze Age, the number of bronze finds quickly increased. A large accumulation of bronze rings is especially worth mentioning, as it probably formed part of a scattered hoard dating from the Late to Final Bronze Age. The finds of Roman-provincial origin, which were discovered through metal detector survey in sector D, are remarkable and quite unique in Bohemia. The number of finds dating from the Migration period is also gradually increasing. The discoveries a rough, fragmented pot-shaped vessel and a fragment of a child's skull seem to be supportive of a hypothesis that a late Migration period cemetery was disturbed at location A.
ating of both graves is only possible through comparison with rare and more or less distant analogies from the Czech Republic and neighbouring countries. Their dating to the late Roman or the early Migration period (stages C3–D1), i.e. to the 4th century to the first third of the 5th century, seems to be most likely. A close analogy is especially the wellknown chamber tomb, no. 1, from Plotiště nad Labem near Hradec Králové, which, due to its looting, is also only roughly dated. The most reliable support would be radiocarbon dating, which has so far not been carried out.
The presented paper focuses on the problematic of the yoke horse harness both in Germania Magna and Roman provinces in Central Europe. It is necessary to mention, that the problematic of yokes hasn´t been analyzed in detail yet. Though the data are relatively well summarized, it is still hard to identify the production areas of the small
yoke and harness fittings. A relative discrepancy between the presence of the yoke finds on the provincial territory and their absence on the territory of Germania Magna was not caused by the fact that the ox or horse harness hadn´t been used on the barbarian territory. It remains still very possible that the “barbarian” yokes were made from organic material without using metal components. There are several finds of the preserved wooden yokes, which comes from the environs suitable for the organic material preservation (La Tène in Switzeland, Ezinge in Netherlands, Lundgaardshede/Bredmose in Denmark, etc.).
The finds of yokes in Germania Magna could not have been a result of a direct import (as it is in case of tableware and small jewelers), it is more possible that it was an example of transport activities between German tribes and Roman provinces, whether it had peaceful or military character. This phenomenon intensified distinctly during the end of the 2nd and the 3rd centuries A. D.
3rd century AD adopted, probably from the area of Roman Provinces. We presume that pottery firing could take place in qualitatively different pyrotechnic facilities, some of which do not need to be archaeologically
recordable. Especially bonfire firing or firing in shallow clamps would not, in most cases, leave any traces. While looking at the homogeneously
fired fine table pottery of the Early Roman period there are doubts they could be produced without a closed kiln. A closed kiln would allow for fluent firing without drastic thermal shocks, which would damage such pottery. First of all, the article therefore critically discusses the archaeological features which have so far been interpreted as potential
pottery kilns. On the basis of analogues but also technological aspects it is possible to say that the one-chamber horizontal features from Roztoky u Prahy probably represent pottery kilns. These were used by the author
of the article as a model for their experimental firing. The firing took place in November 2022 in Prague – Hostivař and showed that the aim can be easily achieved in this type of device, without any damage to the ceramic
ware. We successfully achieved the desired reducing atmosphere which leaves an homogenous black surface, and without the use of graphite, as is sometimes stated in archaeological literature. The question as to if it is
possible for such a kiln to produce the fine black polished pottery typical for the Early Roman period, could not be solved by this experiment.
Ethnographic parallels and other published experimental firings showed that the same results can also be achieved in bonfire or clamp firings.
of Eastern provenance produced with the so-called cloisonné technique in Bohemia. Thanks to the use of archaeometric methods a whole range of remarkable information was found – the utilised stones are garnets from the Central Bohemian Uplands; the manufacturing technique of this jewel is at a relatively low level and it shows perhaps also signs of repairing; the purity of used gold is also relatively low. In terms of style, this object corresponds to production from Black Sea Lowland, but with regard to manufacturing quality it reminds rather Pannonian workshops from about the 2nd third of the 5th century. In the Bohemian region this is an extraordinary find. Nevertheless, according to discovery circumstances, it is possible to think that it represents an accidentally lost piece in the roads between the quite densely populated areas of Prague eastern edge (on the west side) and the drainage basin of the Výrovka river (on the east side)
It results from a re-evaluation of the assemblage that most objects probably come from only one, rich cremation grave. Just a few artefacts may suggest that several more objects (e.g. the eight-shaped buckle from phase B1 of the Roman period) originating from other graves might have been added to it (actually, the finder also handed over several finds from earlier prehistoric periods at the same time, allegedly originating from the same site). The above grave contained a pair of spearheads, a pair of knives, a pair of edge fittings from drinking horns, a pair of fibulae, a sharpening stone or a touchstone with an eyelet for hanging and especially deformed remains of Roman provincial bronze vessels. The exceptional nature of the assemblage is also indicated by the presence of a bimetalic plate spur with four rivets and traces of silver damascening on the sleeve of the iron spike. Rich warrior graves from the turn of the 2nd century AD, or possibly from the following decades, represent a relatively unified cultural phenomenon, despite their broad geographical distribution.
aspects of the archaeological finds from the settlement dated to the Early Roman Period in Mlékojedy. The settlement was almost entirely excavated in 1972–1976. The analysis of an extensive set of finds from the settlement from the Early Roman Period in Mlékojedy provides the basis for various research questions. This article summarizes the finds providing the main chronological, but also cultural and historical support, especially in relation to the Late La Tène settlement structure of Bohemia. The collection of the fibulas is chronologically correlated with the finds from the nearby necropolis in Tišice that is considered to be funeral area of the same community as in Mlékojedy. There is no doubt that the community based in Mlékojedy and burying their dead at the nearby necropolis in Tišice was of culturally foreign origin (Elbe-Germanic Großromstedt culture). Nevertheless, it seems that in a new and culturally different environment, the new settlers have been able to communicate and maintain certain ordinary relationships with the autochthon (Celtic) populations. This can be evidenced by small objects of foreign cultural origin (spoon-shaped fibulae, wheel-thrown pottery). The settling of this community in the immediate vicinity of an important communication hub on the Elbe may be evidence of the gradually declining of the indigenous Late La Tène settlement, which disappears in the decades around the middle of the 1st century BC or transforms into a new culture under the influence of intense migratory movements and historical events. However, before the publication of all sources from Mlékojedy and especially other similar localities in the Czech Republic, these are still rather theoretical hypotheses. In the future, emphasis should be placed primarily on the analysis of the development of settlements in the centuries around the turn of the 1st century BC and the 1st century AD in specific regions. In this way, it will hopefully be possible to observe different variants of cultural and settlement changes, which may be somewhat different in different places.
industries. Beginning with the Bronze Age, the number of bronze finds quickly increased. A large accumulation of bronze rings is especially worth mentioning, as it probably formed part of a scattered hoard dating from the Late to Final Bronze Age. The finds of Roman-provincial origin, which were discovered through metal detector survey in sector D, are remarkable and quite unique in Bohemia. The number of finds dating from the Migration period is also gradually increasing. The discoveries a rough, fragmented pot-shaped vessel and a fragment of a child's skull seem to be supportive of a hypothesis that a late Migration period cemetery was disturbed at location A.
ating of both graves is only possible through comparison with rare and more or less distant analogies from the Czech Republic and neighbouring countries. Their dating to the late Roman or the early Migration period (stages C3–D1), i.e. to the 4th century to the first third of the 5th century, seems to be most likely. A close analogy is especially the wellknown chamber tomb, no. 1, from Plotiště nad Labem near Hradec Králové, which, due to its looting, is also only roughly dated. The most reliable support would be radiocarbon dating, which has so far not been carried out.
The presented paper focuses on the problematic of the yoke horse harness both in Germania Magna and Roman provinces in Central Europe. It is necessary to mention, that the problematic of yokes hasn´t been analyzed in detail yet. Though the data are relatively well summarized, it is still hard to identify the production areas of the small
yoke and harness fittings. A relative discrepancy between the presence of the yoke finds on the provincial territory and their absence on the territory of Germania Magna was not caused by the fact that the ox or horse harness hadn´t been used on the barbarian territory. It remains still very possible that the “barbarian” yokes were made from organic material without using metal components. There are several finds of the preserved wooden yokes, which comes from the environs suitable for the organic material preservation (La Tène in Switzeland, Ezinge in Netherlands, Lundgaardshede/Bredmose in Denmark, etc.).
The finds of yokes in Germania Magna could not have been a result of a direct import (as it is in case of tableware and small jewelers), it is more possible that it was an example of transport activities between German tribes and Roman provinces, whether it had peaceful or military character. This phenomenon intensified distinctly during the end of the 2nd and the 3rd centuries A. D.
metal detector. Thanks to this, numerous vestiges of Neolithic settlement (Linear Pottery culture) were identified, however, activities dating from the Late to Final Bronze Age, late Hallstatt period and High Middle Ages/Modern Period (up to until recently) were documented as well. The results of this excavation shed new light on the importance of the hillfort of Kolo in the Hallstatt and Late La Tène periods. Although similar activities are not known directly from the hillfort itself, due to lack of field investigations, the finds from the outer bailey point to a site with contacts both within the broader region and at the supraregional level. In particular, the range of metal artefacts from the late La Tène phase is well comparable with the situation in Celtic
oppida. The hillfort's location on a promontory close to a junction of long-distance roads is indicative of its importance as a centre of power.
starší doby římské v Čechách. První poklady vydala už na konci 19. století.