Przemysław Makarowicz
Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań, Archaeology, Faculty Member
- Archaeology, Bronze Age Europe (Archaeology), late Neolithic and Bronze Age barrows, Social and Cultural Anthropology, Late Neolithic settlement and ritual & Bronze Age monumentality, Environmental archeology, and 22 moreHistory of Prehistory, Environmental Archaeology, Metallurgy, Trade, Pottery, Mass Graves, Radiocarbon Dating (Archaeology), Bell Beakers (Archaeology), Exchange, Social Structure, Social Change During the Early Bronze Age, Radiocarbon Dating, Prehistoric Routes, Prehistoric Archaeology, Neolithic Archaeology, Ritual, Settlement Patterns, Pottery (Archaeology), Social Archaeology, Archaeology of Ritual and Magic, Early Bronze Age (Archaeology), and Spaceedit
This article discusses the absolute chronology of burials from the 3rd and 2nd millennia BC discovered under the mounds of three barrows in the Kordyshiv cemetery in western Ukraine. Its aim is to create a chronological model of the... more
This article discusses the absolute chronology of burials from the 3rd and 2nd millennia BC discovered under the mounds of three barrows in the Kordyshiv cemetery in western Ukraine. Its aim is to create a chronological model of the burials by modeling 27 AMS 14 C dates obtained from 21 individuals buried in single and collective graves. Dietary analysis of stable carbon (δ 13 C) and nitrogen (δ 15 N) isotope values are presented. The Bayesian modeling of the 14 C dates from the three Kordyshiv barrows revealed the extremely important role of these monuments as longterm objects used for ritual purposes. At the end of the 3rd millennium BC, the epi-Corded Ware Culture (epi-CWC) community erected a mound over the central burial in Barrow 2, then interred the graves of three additional deceased. After several hundred years Barrow 2 was reused by Komarów Culture (KC) communities from the Middle Bronze Age (MBA) who interred their deceased in the existing mound. The oldest monument with MBA burials was Barrow 3, in which the dead were buried in a two-stage sequence before and after the mid-2nd millennium BC. The youngest dated grave was Burial 1 in Barrow 1, comprising a collective burial that was interred between 1400 and 1200 BC. The additional analyses of carbon and nitrogen isotopes show significant differences in the diet of epi-CWC individuals buried in Barrow 2 from the individuals representing the KC.
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The following article presents the archaeological revaluation of the Middle Bronze Age Komarów culture cemetery of Pidhoroddya in Western Ukraine in the Pre-Carpathian region. By examining scarce archival information from the pre-Second... more
The following article presents the archaeological revaluation of the Middle Bronze Age Komarów culture cemetery of Pidhoroddya in Western Ukraine in the Pre-Carpathian region. By examining scarce archival information from the pre-Second World War period, the Polish-Ukrainian research team brought to light evidence of a vast cemetery complex in Pidhoroddya, consisting of 39 barrows. The applied combination of archaeological survey, drilling, and magnetometry prospection revealed aspects of the spatial arrangement of the Komarów culture necropolis, as well as details of the funeral architecture, which allowed associating the burial mounds with the known canon of Komarów culture rites. This study presents the results of the archival research, followed by non-invasive survey, and their potential for revaluating the present state of knowledge regarding this barrow cemetery.
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The barrow cemetery in Łubna (ŁubnaJakusy), Poland, excavated shortly after World War II, is one of the best-known necropolises in the western area of the Trzciniec Cultural Circle. During the archaeological research conducted by K.... more
The barrow cemetery in Łubna (ŁubnaJakusy), Poland, excavated shortly after World War II, is one of the best-known necropolises in the western area of the Trzciniec Cultural Circle. During the archaeological research conducted by K. Jażdżewski, up to 27 mounds were excavated. In this article, the authors present and specify the absolute chronology of this site. Thanks to a search in the museum storerooms, it was possible to obtain osteological material, which was subsequently dated in the Poznań Radiocarbon Laboratory using the AMS method. These
absolute dates combined with the results of a study of the
archaeological material allowed the chronology of almost
half of the excavated barrows to be defined. The dates obtained thanks to modelling functions answer the question about the timeframe the necropolis was in use. Additionally, the authors present a probable scenario for the development of the cemetery in Łubna, outlining the direction of expansion and characterizing its spatial arrangement.
absolute dates combined with the results of a study of the
archaeological material allowed the chronology of almost
half of the excavated barrows to be defined. The dates obtained thanks to modelling functions answer the question about the timeframe the necropolis was in use. Additionally, the authors present a probable scenario for the development of the cemetery in Łubna, outlining the direction of expansion and characterizing its spatial arrangement.
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The demographic history of East-Central Europe after the Neolithic period remains poorly explored, despite this region being on the confluence of various ecological zones and cultural entities. Here, the descendants of societies... more
The demographic history of East-Central Europe after the Neolithic period remains poorly explored, despite this region being on the confluence of various ecological zones and cultural entities. Here, the descendants of societies associated with steppe pastoralists form Early Bronze Age were followed by Middle Bronze Age populations displaying unique characteristics. Particularly, the predominance of collective burials, the scale of which, was previously seen only in the Neolithic. The extent to which this re-emergence of older traditions is a result of genetic shift or social changes in the MBA is a subject of debate.
Here by analysing 91 newly generated genomes from Bronze Age individuals from present Poland and Ukraine, we discovered that Middle Bronze Age populations were formed by an additional admixture event involving a population with relatively high proportions of genetic component associated with European hunter-gatherers and that their social structure was based on, primarily patrilocal, multigenerational kin-groups.
Here by analysing 91 newly generated genomes from Bronze Age individuals from present Poland and Ukraine, we discovered that Middle Bronze Age populations were formed by an additional admixture event involving a population with relatively high proportions of genetic component associated with European hunter-gatherers and that their social structure was based on, primarily patrilocal, multigenerational kin-groups.
The cemetery in Świnary Stare was excavated during rescue research between 1959 and 1962. The styles of the artefacts indicate unequivocal dating to the classic phase of the Mierzanowice culture, with a suggestion that there are... more
The cemetery in Świnary Stare was excavated during rescue research between 1959 and 1962. The styles of the artefacts indicate unequivocal
dating to the classic phase of the Mierzanowice culture, with a suggestion that there are “progressive” assemblages diagnostic for the late phase. Recently, five radiocarbon dates have been obtained from the bones of five individuals buried in this cemetery. These confirm the dating based on stylistic traits.
dating to the classic phase of the Mierzanowice culture, with a suggestion that there are “progressive” assemblages diagnostic for the late phase. Recently, five radiocarbon dates have been obtained from the bones of five individuals buried in this cemetery. These confirm the dating based on stylistic traits.
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The article discusses the new finds of fluted maces (Type B) in the Baltic-Pontic Area. The first absolute dating of a Type-A mace is offered and two mace occurrence horizons are characterised, one referring to the second half of the 3rd... more
The article discusses the new finds of fluted maces (Type B) in the Baltic-Pontic Area. The first absolute dating of a Type-A mace is offered and two mace occurrence horizons are characterised, one referring to the second half of the 3rd millennium BC, and the other to the second half of the 2nd and the early 1st millennia BC. The topogenesis and cultural attribution of the maces are suggested and their role in establishing long-distance transit routes is described.
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The aim of this article is to view the spatial distribution of Upper Dniester Basin’s (Western Ukraine) barrows and to interpret their location principles. These monuments were often situated on the flattened summits of watershed ridges... more
The aim of this article is to view the spatial distribution
of Upper Dniester Basin’s (Western Ukraine)
barrows and to interpret their location principles. These
monuments were often situated on the flattened summits
of watershed ridges or hills. It appeared also that some of
them were located on upper parts of gentle slopes of not
more than 8° of inclination. Mounds appear within linear
and group-linear arrangements and were rarely observed
as clusters, while more specific adjustments to their location
were dependant on local terrain morphology. Barrow
alignments run along the elevated ridges, while clustered
groups were situated in places where erosive indentations
or denudation cavities prevented barrows from stretching
in a linear pattern. It can be noted that during the spatial
development of barrow alignments, more attention was
paid to the intervisibility between the mounds, than to
their visibility from other places in the landscape. The
potential of observing at least one of the following groups
of tumuli from every embankment indicates the direction
of movement within the framework of the barrow landscape,
perhaps augmented in the past by the presence of
paths or “roads”. Examples of analogous or similar, in a
certain sense even universal, practices in shaping barrow
landscapes were documented also from various parts of
Eurasia. Therefore, it is argued these traits were shared by
all “barrow societies” and their origins can be traced to the
steppe zone. Specific and repeatable patterns of barrow
arrangements are a manifestation of certain knowledge
and skills, transmitted over generations and immortalized
in the landscape that symbolized the incorporation
of territory by “barrow societies”. Characteristic mound
alignments became a cultural code or institution, as it
were – an instrument of familiarising previously unknown
landscapes, facilitating movement and simultaneously
expressing continuity of kin-lineages.
of Upper Dniester Basin’s (Western Ukraine)
barrows and to interpret their location principles. These
monuments were often situated on the flattened summits
of watershed ridges or hills. It appeared also that some of
them were located on upper parts of gentle slopes of not
more than 8° of inclination. Mounds appear within linear
and group-linear arrangements and were rarely observed
as clusters, while more specific adjustments to their location
were dependant on local terrain morphology. Barrow
alignments run along the elevated ridges, while clustered
groups were situated in places where erosive indentations
or denudation cavities prevented barrows from stretching
in a linear pattern. It can be noted that during the spatial
development of barrow alignments, more attention was
paid to the intervisibility between the mounds, than to
their visibility from other places in the landscape. The
potential of observing at least one of the following groups
of tumuli from every embankment indicates the direction
of movement within the framework of the barrow landscape,
perhaps augmented in the past by the presence of
paths or “roads”. Examples of analogous or similar, in a
certain sense even universal, practices in shaping barrow
landscapes were documented also from various parts of
Eurasia. Therefore, it is argued these traits were shared by
all “barrow societies” and their origins can be traced to the
steppe zone. Specific and repeatable patterns of barrow
arrangements are a manifestation of certain knowledge
and skills, transmitted over generations and immortalized
in the landscape that symbolized the incorporation
of territory by “barrow societies”. Characteristic mound
alignments became a cultural code or institution, as it
were – an instrument of familiarising previously unknown
landscapes, facilitating movement and simultaneously
expressing continuity of kin-lineages.
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This article discusses two cases of so-called double barrows from the Middle Bronze Age Komarow culture cemetery in Bukivna, in the Upper Dniester Basin (Ukraine), in order to demonstrate the potential of incorporating geophysical image... more
This article discusses two cases of so-called double barrows from the Middle Bronze
Age Komarow culture cemetery in Bukivna, in the Upper Dniester Basin (Ukraine), in
order to demonstrate the potential of incorporating geophysical image analysis, excavations
and sedimentological studies towards identifying subterranean funerary
architecture. The magnetometer prospection of the Bukivna necropolis revealed the
presence of a specific dipolar anomaly within the extent of a double barrow. The
excavations uncovered burnt wooden-clay constructions related to mortuary houses.
The sedimentological samples collected from the features below the mound provided
data for the increased ferrous content. Another double barrow located in the
Pidhoroddia cemetery was prospected by means of magnetometry, which did not
reveal any similar anomaly within the magnetometry plan, thus providing evidence
for a possible lack of discussed mortuary structure.
Age Komarow culture cemetery in Bukivna, in the Upper Dniester Basin (Ukraine), in
order to demonstrate the potential of incorporating geophysical image analysis, excavations
and sedimentological studies towards identifying subterranean funerary
architecture. The magnetometer prospection of the Bukivna necropolis revealed the
presence of a specific dipolar anomaly within the extent of a double barrow. The
excavations uncovered burnt wooden-clay constructions related to mortuary houses.
The sedimentological samples collected from the features below the mound provided
data for the increased ferrous content. Another double barrow located in the
Pidhoroddia cemetery was prospected by means of magnetometry, which did not
reveal any similar anomaly within the magnetometry plan, thus providing evidence
for a possible lack of discussed mortuary structure.
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The practice of using textiles during the process of pottery manufacturing provides a unique insight into the technological aspect of prehistoric craft, the actual products of which are very rarely preserved to our times. In this study,... more
The practice of using textiles during the process of pottery manufacturing provides a unique insight into the technological aspect of prehistoric craft, the actual products of which are very rarely preserved to our times. In this study, microscopic analysis of ceramics fragments with textile or textile-like imprints was carried out in order to determine the type and structural features of textile products that were used by the inhabitants of the Bronze Age settlement in Szczepidło, Central Poland. In addition, issues related to the function of textile patterns on ceramics were discussed. Measurements made during the research were used to prepare a dataset of technical parameters of identified impressions, which, apart from being itself a valuable source of information, could be implemented in future comparative studies.
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European Bronze Age societies are generally characterised by increased mobility and the application of isotopic methods to archaeology has allowed the rate and range of human travels to be quantified. However, little is known about the... more
European Bronze Age societies are generally characterised by increased mobility and the application of isotopic methods to archaeology has allowed the rate and range of human travels to be quantified. However, little is known about the mobility of the people inhabiting East-Central Europe in the late Early and Middle Bronze Age (1950–1250 BC) whose primary subsistence strategy was herding supported by crop cultivation. This paper presents the results of strontium (87Sr/86Sr) and oxygen (δ18O) isotope analyses in the enamel of people buried in collective graves at the cemeteries in Gustorzyn and Żerniki Go´rne. These
sites are located in Kujawy and the Nida Basin, a lowland and an upland region with clearly different environmental conditions, respectively. Both sites are classified as belonging to the Trzciniec cultural circle and were used between 16th and 13th centuries BC. Among the 34 examined individuals only an adult female from Gustorzyn can be assessed as non-local based on both 87Sr/86Sr and δ18O signatures in her first molar. This may indicate the practice of exogamy in the studied population but more generally corresponds with the hypothesis of limited mobility within these societies, as has previously been inferred from
archaeological evidence, anthropological analysis, and stable isotope-based diet reconstruction. New and existing data evaluated in this paper show that the 87Sr/86Sr variability in the natural environment of both regions is relatively high, allowing the tracking of shortrange human mobility. A series of oxygen isotope analyses (conducted for all but one individuals studied with strontium isotopes) indicates that δ18O ratios measured in phosphate are in agreement with the predicted modern oxygen isotope precipitation values, and that this method is useful in detecting travels over larger distances. The challenges of using both
87Sr/86Sr and δ18O isotopic systems in provenance studies in the glacial landscapes of temperate Europe are also discussed.
sites are located in Kujawy and the Nida Basin, a lowland and an upland region with clearly different environmental conditions, respectively. Both sites are classified as belonging to the Trzciniec cultural circle and were used between 16th and 13th centuries BC. Among the 34 examined individuals only an adult female from Gustorzyn can be assessed as non-local based on both 87Sr/86Sr and δ18O signatures in her first molar. This may indicate the practice of exogamy in the studied population but more generally corresponds with the hypothesis of limited mobility within these societies, as has previously been inferred from
archaeological evidence, anthropological analysis, and stable isotope-based diet reconstruction. New and existing data evaluated in this paper show that the 87Sr/86Sr variability in the natural environment of both regions is relatively high, allowing the tracking of shortrange human mobility. A series of oxygen isotope analyses (conducted for all but one individuals studied with strontium isotopes) indicates that δ18O ratios measured in phosphate are in agreement with the predicted modern oxygen isotope precipitation values, and that this method is useful in detecting travels over larger distances. The challenges of using both
87Sr/86Sr and δ18O isotopic systems in provenance studies in the glacial landscapes of temperate Europe are also discussed.
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In the area of Western Ukraine, some aspects of mound (barrow) chronology might be resolved by using non-or minimally invasive archaeological prospection. As the cemeteries usually comprise two temporal units-the Late Neolithic Corded... more
In the area of Western Ukraine, some aspects of mound (barrow) chronology might be resolved by using non-or minimally invasive archaeological prospection. As the cemeteries usually comprise two temporal units-the Late Neolithic Corded Ware Culture (third millennium BC) and Middle Bronze Age Komar ow culture (second millennium BC)-by referring to particular funerary rites Komar ow culture and their magnetic reflection, they can be distinguished by means of magnetometry survey supported with verification drilling. Recognition of the internal structure of the cemeteries is essential when confronted with their vast occurrence in Western Ukraine and also the morphological similarity of mounds. However, due to the great diversity in known grave architecture of the Komar ow culture, it is essential to stress that the methodological approach presented here applies only to the specific construction type of burnt wooden and clay structures, which rarely appear in Corded Ware Culture funerary practices. In addition to excavation, the applied methods provided preliminary information on the cultural affiliation and time of the construction of two mounds in Myluvannia in the pre-excavation stage of research.
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The origin and dissemination of paired horse burials and the implications of adopting wheeled vehicle technology on Bronze Age European societies has not been extensively studied. To address this, we present the chronological,... more
The origin and dissemination of paired horse burials and the implications of adopting wheeled vehicle technology on Bronze Age European societies has not been extensively studied. To address this, we present the chronological, artifactual, DNA, contextual, and zooarchaeological analytical results from a Bronze Age double-horse burial in a barrow from Husiatyn, Podolia Upland, western Ukraine. The burial was radiocarbon dated to the 15th century B.C., and the preserved antler bridle elements are stylistically similar to those from the Carpathian-Danube area. The coat color of the Husiatyn horses was determined from ancient DNA analysis, and their arrangement facing each other, combined with little evidence of lesions on their bones and teeth, suggest they were well treated and probably ridden and/or harnessed to a chariot/cart. We argue that Middle Bronze Age Trzciniec Circle communities northeast of the Carpathians adopted the chariot package as a useful component of their elaborate funerary rituals.
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Intermarine Area Archaeology refers to research programmes focusing on the prehistory of the Baltic-Pontic Intermarine Area, i.e. lands extending between the Baltic and Black seas. This article outlines the development stages and current... more
Intermarine Area Archaeology refers to research programmes focusing on the prehistory of the Baltic-Pontic Intermarine Area, i.e. lands extending between the Baltic and Black seas. This article outlines the development stages and current state of Intermarine Area Archaeology in Poland, being one of the several important research studies into the prehistory of the continent in the Eneolithic, Bronze, and Early Iron Ages. The authors concentrate on the southern portion of the Intermarine Area that covers the Black Sea catchment area. When describing the current state of the Polish conceptual and research contribution to Intermarine Area Archaeology, space shall be given to the programme offer, formation of international research teams, and research specializations.
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The purpose of this article is to present a complex analysis of recently recognised funeral structures discovered in Trzciniec Cultural Circle barrows. These features are rectangular and stones are typically situated in the corners, in... more
The purpose of this article is to present a complex analysis of recently recognised funeral structures discovered in Trzciniec Cultural Circle barrows. These features are rectangular and stones are typically situated in the corners, in the middle of the sides, or along the walls, creating unique structures with clearly delineated interior spaces. However, the function of these features is not well understood. This feature form is fragile and slight, which makes them difficult to record using traditional excavation methods. The majority of these features have been discovered over the last decade now that new documentation and exploration tools are available to archaeologists. These constructions are only known from barrow cemeteries and the remains of in situ cremation were also documented in their context. Their occurrence confirms the variety and complexity of funeral rites of the Trzciniec Cultural Circle community. To date, eight structures of this type are known. Four (Barrow 1/...
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This article presents the results of research conducted within the framework of a multidisciplinary project investigating the issues of migration, mobility, and kinship of the Middle Bronze Age communities inhabiting East-Central Europe,... more
This article presents the results of research conducted within the framework of a multidisciplinary project investigating the issues of migration, mobility, and kinship of the Middle Bronze Age communities inhabiting East-Central Europe, more specifically the Upland belt of modern Poland and western Ukraine. The main objective of the project is to verify or falsify two hypotheses provided by the literature. The first one concerns the issue of the migration of the Trzciniec Cultural Circle (TCC) population from the Lowland belt of East-Central Europe southwards into the Upland belt. The other considers kinship as a fundamental factor generating the emergence, rules of aggregation, and shape of the ‘Trzciniec’ social structures. In addition, the project addresses a number of issues related to the social structure, rituals, and diet of the study communities. An application of the methods that are specific to humanities (archaeology and cultural anthropology) and sciences (physical anthropology, molecular biology – genetics, isotope geochemistry, physics, chemistry, and statistics), and possible genetic affiliations of the ‘Trzciniec’ communities and the population of the preceding Early Bronze Age groups (mainly the Mierzanowice and Strzyżów cultures) are presented; the potential kinship pattern of the deceased buried in the graves representing these cultural groups are also indicated. The results of Bayesian modelling of the 14C date series for the TCC collective burials – a key factor in the study of the kinship and the mortuary rituals of this group – are highlighted. Finally, the paper discusses the current results of research on the mobility and diet of the communities from the late 3rd and 2nd millennia BC undertaken within the frame of this project as well as in cooperation with other research programmes.
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Since 2009, the international Upper Dniester Expedition has conducted field research (field-walking surveys, non-invasive and excavation) and analytical studies in the Eastern Transcarpathia. These investigations are part of a broader... more
Since 2009, the international Upper Dniester Expedition has conducted field research (field-walking surveys, non-invasive and excavation) and analytical studies in the Eastern Transcarpathia. These investigations are part of a broader research programme – a study of ‘The Biocultural Borderland between the East and the West of Europe’. The projects concern a comprehensive reconnaissance of barrow cemeteries dated to the 3rd and 2nd millennia BC, located in the mixed forest-steppe and forest belt in the basin of the Upper Dniester River. For almost 1500 years, this type of funeral architecture shaped the ‘mortuary landscapes’ of the communities successively inhabiting that area. Hence, the barrow cemeteries are an important source for understanding the mechanisms and trajectories of cultural development in this part of Europe, and consequently the subject of intensive studies within several research projects.
This article describes the aims and results of two already completed and one ongoing project in the Upper Dniester Basin. Thanks to the use of modern research methods, both in the field of archaeology and archaeological sciences’, it has been possible to present a wide spectrum of regularities/principles concerning the ‘barrow landscapes’, the chronology of the creation of selected cemeteries, and the construction of regular, linear arrangements of barrows. Furthermore, the projects have and are providing large collections of archaeological
(ceramic, lithic, metals, etc.), anthropological, archaeobotanical and archaeofaunal material for future analyses.
This article describes the aims and results of two already completed and one ongoing project in the Upper Dniester Basin. Thanks to the use of modern research methods, both in the field of archaeology and archaeological sciences’, it has been possible to present a wide spectrum of regularities/principles concerning the ‘barrow landscapes’, the chronology of the creation of selected cemeteries, and the construction of regular, linear arrangements of barrows. Furthermore, the projects have and are providing large collections of archaeological
(ceramic, lithic, metals, etc.), anthropological, archaeobotanical and archaeofaunal material for future analyses.
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The societies of the Trzciniec Cultural Circle (TCC) were characterized by a complex and unique funeral rite. Despite its multidimensionality, it is possible to identify a number of patterns repeated in the ritual activity of these... more
The societies of the Trzciniec Cultural Circle (TCC) were characterized by a complex and unique funeral rite. Despite its multidimensionality, it is possible to identify a number of patterns repeated in the ritual activity of these populations. This especially concerns barrow cemeteries erected during the classical phase of TCC development. To date, these types of structures are known from the southern (upland) provinces of this cultural formation. However, the barrow from Nieciecz Włościańska in Southern Podlasie that is comprehensively described here is the first richly equipped monument discovered in the northeastern (lowland) province of the TCC. The aim of this article is the complex characterization of the barrow and the interpretation of remains associated with the funeral rite. The authors apply standard archaeological methods supported by typochronological and radiocarbon analyzes to establish the chronology of this feature. The presented data is essential and crucial for understanding the northerneastern area of the TCC, which remains insufficiently recognized to date.
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This article presents a recently recognized type of Trzciniec Cultural Circe (TCC) funerary structure, which over the last decade has been excavated in the cemeteries of Bukivna, Nieciecz Włościańska, and has also been identified during... more
This article presents a recently recognized type of Trzciniec Cultural Circe (TCC) funerary structure, which over the last decade has been excavated in the cemeteries of Bukivna, Nieciecz Włościańska, and has also been identified during the study of archival material from Komariv. These constructions are characterized by the placement of stones in the corners and along the sides of a rectangular plan. Due to the lack of skeletal remains, these structures are sometimes interpreted as symbolic graves (cenotaphs). Based on multidisciplinary methods, including radiocarbon, geochemical and geological analyzes, excavation, as well as study of archival documentation, the authors can state these features occurred in different enclaves of the TCC and were an important component of the funeral rite during the classical stage of the development of this cultural formation. Their form, structure, location, and inventory also indicate that these unique features probably played an important and universal role in the varied and multidimensional TCC funeral ceremonies.
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On site 53 in Smarglin, the remains of two settlements were found: a settlement of the Funnel Beaker culture from phase II of its development, and a settlement from the beginning of the INB. In this paper we attempt to present... more
On site 53 in Smarglin, the remains of two settlements were found: a settlement
of the Funnel Beaker culture from phase II of its development, and a settlement
from the beginning of the INB. In this paper we attempt to present monographically
the material from the turn of the Neolithic and Bronze Age. The paper consists of
three pars: part I, presenting source information and the method of its analysis;
part II, discussing the problem of homogeneity of the complex; and, part III, discussing the cultural-chronological and genetic identification of the complex.
of the Funnel Beaker culture from phase II of its development, and a settlement
from the beginning of the INB. In this paper we attempt to present monographically
the material from the turn of the Neolithic and Bronze Age. The paper consists of
three pars: part I, presenting source information and the method of its analysis;
part II, discussing the problem of homogeneity of the complex; and, part III, discussing the cultural-chronological and genetic identification of the complex.
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This article discusses two cases of so-called double barrows from the Middle Bronze Age Komar ow culture cemetery in Bukivna, in the Upper Dniester Basin (Ukraine), in order to demonstrate the potential of incorporating geophysical image... more
This article discusses two cases of so-called double barrows from the Middle Bronze Age Komar ow culture cemetery in Bukivna, in the Upper Dniester Basin (Ukraine), in order to demonstrate the potential of incorporating geophysical image analysis, excavations and sedimentological studies towards identifying subterranean funerary architecture. The magnetometer prospection of the Bukivna necropolis revealed the presence of a specific dipolar anomaly within the extent of a double barrow. The excavations uncovered burnt wooden-clay constructions related to mortuary houses. The sedimentological samples collected from the features below the mound provided data for the increased ferrous content. Another double barrow located in the Pidhoroddia cemetery was prospected by means of magnetometry, which did not reveal any similar anomaly within the magnetometry plan, thus providing evidence for a possible lack of discussed mortuary structure.
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This article discusses the absolute chronology of collective burials of the Trzciniec Cultural Circle communities of the Middle Bronze Age in East Central Europe. Based on Bayesian modeling of 91 accelerator mass spectrometry radiocarbon... more
This article discusses the absolute chronology of collective burials of the Trzciniec Cultural Circle
communities of the Middle Bronze Age in East Central Europe. Based on Bayesian modeling of 91 accelerator
mass spectrometry radiocarbon (AMS 14C) dates from 18 cemeteries, the practice of collective burying of
individuals was linked to a period of 400–640 (95.4%) years, between 1830–1690 (95.4%) and 1320–1160
(95.4%) BC. Collective burials in mounds with both cremation and inhumation rites were found earliest in the
upland zone regardless of grave structure type (mounded or flat). Bayesian modeling of 14C determinations
suggests that this practice was being transmitted generally from the southeast to the northwest direction.
Bayesian modeling of the dates from the largest cemetery in Z· erniki Górne, Lesser Poland Upland, confirmed the
duration of use of the necropolis as ca. 140–310 (95.4%) years. Further results show the partial contemporaneity of
burials and allow formulation of a spatial and temporal development model of the necropolis. Based on the
investigation, some graves were used over just a couple of years and others over nearly 200, with up to 30
individuals found in a single grave.
communities of the Middle Bronze Age in East Central Europe. Based on Bayesian modeling of 91 accelerator
mass spectrometry radiocarbon (AMS 14C) dates from 18 cemeteries, the practice of collective burying of
individuals was linked to a period of 400–640 (95.4%) years, between 1830–1690 (95.4%) and 1320–1160
(95.4%) BC. Collective burials in mounds with both cremation and inhumation rites were found earliest in the
upland zone regardless of grave structure type (mounded or flat). Bayesian modeling of 14C determinations
suggests that this practice was being transmitted generally from the southeast to the northwest direction.
Bayesian modeling of the dates from the largest cemetery in Z· erniki Górne, Lesser Poland Upland, confirmed the
duration of use of the necropolis as ca. 140–310 (95.4%) years. Further results show the partial contemporaneity of
burials and allow formulation of a spatial and temporal development model of the necropolis. Based on the
investigation, some graves were used over just a couple of years and others over nearly 200, with up to 30
individuals found in a single grave.
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ABSTRACT J. Górski, P. Makarowicz 2011. Environmental Determination and the Development of Trzciniec Cultural Circle Settlement in the Oder and Vistula River Catchments. Analecta Archaeologica Ressoviensia 6, 343–358 An analysis of... more
ABSTRACT
J. Górski, P. Makarowicz 2011. Environmental Determination and the Development of Trzciniec
Cultural Circle Settlement in the Oder and Vistula River Catchments. Analecta Archaeologica
Ressoviensia 6, 343–358
An analysis of settlement in both upland and lowland zones reveals that the Bronze Age societies were quite capable of adapting to life in areas with different resource possibilities. The occurrence of a variety of settlement forms and occupation of diverse and radically different
ecosystems, testify to the economic flexibility typical of Trzciniec Cultural Circle populations.
Keywords: settlement patterns, subsistence, Trzciniec circle, Oder, Vistula
J. Górski, P. Makarowicz 2011. Environmental Determination and the Development of Trzciniec
Cultural Circle Settlement in the Oder and Vistula River Catchments. Analecta Archaeologica
Ressoviensia 6, 343–358
An analysis of settlement in both upland and lowland zones reveals that the Bronze Age societies were quite capable of adapting to life in areas with different resource possibilities. The occurrence of a variety of settlement forms and occupation of diverse and radically different
ecosystems, testify to the economic flexibility typical of Trzciniec Cultural Circle populations.
Keywords: settlement patterns, subsistence, Trzciniec circle, Oder, Vistula
The analysis of spreading of S-shaped pots within the Trzciniec Cultural Circle (TCC) has led to some interesting conclusions. Pots decorated exclusively with a horizontal cordon under the rim predominate only in the western and southern... more
The analysis of spreading of S-shaped pots within the Trzciniec Cultural Circle (TCC) has led to some interesting conclusions. Pots decorated exclusively with a horizontal cordon under the rim predominate only in the western and southern parts of the TCC range. Pots decorated with a cordon under the rim and incised decoration as well as with impressions prevail in the area to the east and north of the above- mentioned zone. It is primarily an area of the Central East European Plain. In the period preceding development of the TCC, “forest” communities were predominant in this area. Their economy was focused mainly on breeding and exploitation of the natural environment. Pots with cordon under the rim dominate in the zone previously occupied by cultures with Early Bronze features. It thus seems that noted differences may have the character of permanent “borders”. In the area west of the Bug River (“proper” Trzciniec Culture) it is still visible in the later phase.
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The paper attempts to reinterpret kurgan 1 at Ivanje on the Volhynia Upland together with rich grave goods unearthed from the graves located underneath the kurgan. The reinterpretation follows their first publication by I . K . Svesnikov... more
The paper attempts to reinterpret kurgan 1 at Ivanje on the Volhynia Upland together with rich grave goods unearthed from the graves located underneath the kurgan. The reinterpretation follows their first publication by I . K . Svesnikov 40 years ago. The identification of artefacts in terms of their chronology and origins is supplemented by an attempt to reconstruct funerary rites.
The structure of the graves, rich grave goods, and uniqueness of some of them testify to a high status of the buried persons. The deceased from graves I (burial 1) and I I (burials 4 and 5) can be considered members of local "Komarov" elites, taking part, or perhaps even controlling, the northern section of long-distance exchange
routes connecting the Volhynia Upland, the drainages of the upper and middle Dniester and the upper Boh, and further the area on the Middle Dnieper to the interfluve of the Dniester and Prut rivers, the Carpathian Basin and, through them, also to the Eastern Mediterranean.
The structure of the graves, rich grave goods, and uniqueness of some of them testify to a high status of the buried persons. The deceased from graves I (burial 1) and I I (burials 4 and 5) can be considered members of local "Komarov" elites, taking part, or perhaps even controlling, the northern section of long-distance exchange
routes connecting the Volhynia Upland, the drainages of the upper and middle Dniester and the upper Boh, and further the area on the Middle Dnieper to the interfluve of the Dniester and Prut rivers, the Carpathian Basin and, through them, also to the Eastern Mediterranean.
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Broomcorn millet (Panicum miliaceum L.) is not one of the founder crops domesticated in Southwest Asia in the early Holocene, but was domesticated in northeast China by 6000 BC. In Europe, millet was reported in Early Neolithic contexts... more
Broomcorn millet (Panicum miliaceum L.) is not one of the founder crops domesticated in Southwest Asia in the early Holocene, but was domesticated in northeast China by 6000 BC. In Europe, millet was reported in Early Neolithic contexts formed by 6000 BC, but recent radiocarbon dating of a dozen 'early' grains cast doubt on these claims. Archaeobotanical evidence reveals that millet was common in Europe from the 2nd millennium BC, when major societal and economic transformations took place in the Bronze Age. We conducted an extensive programme of AMS-dating of charred broomcorn millet grains from 75 prehistoric sites in Europe. Our Bayesian model reveals that millet cultivation began in Europe at the earliest during the sixteenth century BC, and spread rapidly during the fifteenth/fourteenth centuries BC. Broomcorn millet succeeds in exceptionally wide range of growing conditions and completes its lifecycle in less than three summer months. Offering an additional harvest and thus surplus food/fodder, it likely was a transformative innovation in European prehistoric agriculture previously based mainly on (winter) cropping of wheat and barley. We provide a new, high-resolution chronological framework for this key agricultural development that likely contributed to far-reaching changes in lifestyle in late 2nd millennium BC Europe.
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The Biały Potok group is one of the most enigmatic phenomena of the Middle Bronze Age in Central and Eastern Europe. This group is known solely for its sepulchral sites, which were investigated mainly in the pre-war period by Polish... more
The Biały Potok group is one of the most enigmatic phenomena of the Middle Bronze Age in Central and Eastern Europe. This group is known solely for its sepulchral sites, which were investigated mainly in the pre-war period by Polish archaeologists. In the opinion of J. Kostrzewski, who identified the Biały Potok group (originally “culture”), it was distinguished from other ritual traditions by a number of specific features, such as grave architecture and the inventory of the deceased.
This paper presents the data-base related to the discussed cultural unit and confronts previous concepts and interpretation attempts appearing in the archaeological literature. The authors of this text characterise the Biały Potok group on the basis of the latest interpretations proposed by different research circles. Specifically, a critical consideration of the chronology of the Biały Potok group, an in-depth analysis of their ritual behaviour and grave goods, as well as identifying specific directions of cultural patterns of influence are discussed.
The data presented in the article lead to the general conclusion that the key identifiers of the Biały Potok group include: a common occurrence within a compact area (West Podolia), a lack of mound construction, and specific grave architecture.
This paper presents the data-base related to the discussed cultural unit and confronts previous concepts and interpretation attempts appearing in the archaeological literature. The authors of this text characterise the Biały Potok group on the basis of the latest interpretations proposed by different research circles. Specifically, a critical consideration of the chronology of the Biały Potok group, an in-depth analysis of their ritual behaviour and grave goods, as well as identifying specific directions of cultural patterns of influence are discussed.
The data presented in the article lead to the general conclusion that the key identifiers of the Biały Potok group include: a common occurrence within a compact area (West Podolia), a lack of mound construction, and specific grave architecture.
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The article describes and interprets one of the most spectacular graves in the type of mortuary house discovered under barrow 6/I/2014 on the cemetery in Bukivna in the Upper Dniester Drainage Basin. The grave was built on the original... more
The article describes and interprets one of the most spectacular
graves in the type of mortuary house discovered under
barrow 6/I/2014 on the cemetery in Bukivna in the Upper
Dniester Drainage Basin. The grave was built on the original
humus of logs cut down, placed upright and stabilized with
clay. It resembled a trapezium oriented along the NE – SW
axis and measured 1.8 × 1.6 – 1.7 × 1.6 m. In the grave, at
least three children had been placed and burnt prior to the
raising of a mound. The grave goods comprised three vessels,
representing the classic phase of the Komarów culture.
A series of 14C dates obtained for the burnt wooden
structure attests that it was used in the 17th century BC, arguably
for a few years or over a decade in the interval of
1661 – 1630 BC (68.2%). There is no evidence for either
one-off or continuative internment of the deceased. However,
what we know so far about collective burials in the
Trzciniec Cultural Circle makes us believe that the deceased
were successively added to a grave and not laid to rest at one time. Hence, the mortuary house from barrow 6 in
Bukivna must have been left accessible (unsealed) until the
last of the three children had been interred and the rites
of passage completed. The final ritual was its burning and
‘sealing’ by raising a mound. When judged by observations
in the field, the mound raising could have been prolonged
in time.
The closest analogies, in terms of form and chronology,
to feature 1 from barrow 6/I/2014 in Bukivna, representing
the Komarów culture, are to be found in Bykiv, feature 9,
Drohobych Upland, and barrow II, Ivanye, Volhynia Upland.
Several other mortuary houses of a similar structure were
discovered on the eponymous cemetery in Komarów. Similar
features with a slightly different structure, sometimes
boasting stone elements, were recorded also in the western
part of the Trzciniec Circle.
graves in the type of mortuary house discovered under
barrow 6/I/2014 on the cemetery in Bukivna in the Upper
Dniester Drainage Basin. The grave was built on the original
humus of logs cut down, placed upright and stabilized with
clay. It resembled a trapezium oriented along the NE – SW
axis and measured 1.8 × 1.6 – 1.7 × 1.6 m. In the grave, at
least three children had been placed and burnt prior to the
raising of a mound. The grave goods comprised three vessels,
representing the classic phase of the Komarów culture.
A series of 14C dates obtained for the burnt wooden
structure attests that it was used in the 17th century BC, arguably
for a few years or over a decade in the interval of
1661 – 1630 BC (68.2%). There is no evidence for either
one-off or continuative internment of the deceased. However,
what we know so far about collective burials in the
Trzciniec Cultural Circle makes us believe that the deceased
were successively added to a grave and not laid to rest at one time. Hence, the mortuary house from barrow 6 in
Bukivna must have been left accessible (unsealed) until the
last of the three children had been interred and the rites
of passage completed. The final ritual was its burning and
‘sealing’ by raising a mound. When judged by observations
in the field, the mound raising could have been prolonged
in time.
The closest analogies, in terms of form and chronology,
to feature 1 from barrow 6/I/2014 in Bukivna, representing
the Komarów culture, are to be found in Bykiv, feature 9,
Drohobych Upland, and barrow II, Ivanye, Volhynia Upland.
Several other mortuary houses of a similar structure were
discovered on the eponymous cemetery in Komarów. Similar
features with a slightly different structure, sometimes
boasting stone elements, were recorded also in the western
part of the Trzciniec Circle.
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"Polish nobility in archaeological service of Second Republic of Poland. Wojciech Komornicki – member of Polish Prehistoric Society and excavations of barrow cemetery in Bukówna on the Dniester basin." The article discusses the... more
"Polish nobility in archaeological service of Second Republic of Poland.
Wojciech Komornicki – member of Polish Prehistoric Society and excavations of barrow cemetery in Bukówna on the Dniester basin."
The article discusses the contribution of Wojciech Komornicki – a renown landlord from the former Stanisławów voivodeship
in Second Republic of Poland – to the development of barrow archaeology before the WW II. He was an active member of Polish
Prehistoric Society, discoverer of large barrow burial ground in Bukówna (now Bukivna) and also a correspondent and „patron” of
archaeologists from Jan Kazimierz University in Lwów.
Wojciech Komornicki – member of Polish Prehistoric Society and excavations of barrow cemetery in Bukówna on the Dniester basin."
The article discusses the contribution of Wojciech Komornicki – a renown landlord from the former Stanisławów voivodeship
in Second Republic of Poland – to the development of barrow archaeology before the WW II. He was an active member of Polish
Prehistoric Society, discoverer of large barrow burial ground in Bukówna (now Bukivna) and also a correspondent and „patron” of
archaeologists from Jan Kazimierz University in Lwów.
Research Interests:
This paper discusses the identity and social structure of Bell Beakers in the southern part of the Oder and Vistula basins (in Silesia and Lesser Poland), which are affiliated to the Eastern group, and are perceived as the genuine... more
This paper discusses the identity and social structure of Bell Beakers in the southern part of the Oder and Vistula basins (in Silesia and Lesser Poland), which are affiliated to the Eastern group, and are perceived as
the genuine Beakers. Bell Beaker societies in the studied region were ranked, with intragroup differentiation embracing both men and women. We can observe the strongly stressed opposition of masculine–feminine, which was manifested by depositing specific sets of objects together with the dead. Mature male individuals buried with archer’s equipment (flint arrowheads, wrist-guards and arrow-shaft smoothers) formed a distinct category of the deceased. Among them, individuals serving as chieftains/leaders can be distinguished. Depositing with them copper and electrum ornaments, diadems or other head or hair ornaments emphasised the rank of some women in the adult and
adult/mature age. The funerary rite does not stress the identity of children. The linear arrangement of graves in the cemeteries in southern Poland could be interpreted as a symbolic reflection of the continuity of a lineage, using the burial ground.
the genuine Beakers. Bell Beaker societies in the studied region were ranked, with intragroup differentiation embracing both men and women. We can observe the strongly stressed opposition of masculine–feminine, which was manifested by depositing specific sets of objects together with the dead. Mature male individuals buried with archer’s equipment (flint arrowheads, wrist-guards and arrow-shaft smoothers) formed a distinct category of the deceased. Among them, individuals serving as chieftains/leaders can be distinguished. Depositing with them copper and electrum ornaments, diadems or other head or hair ornaments emphasised the rank of some women in the adult and
adult/mature age. The funerary rite does not stress the identity of children. The linear arrangement of graves in the cemeteries in southern Poland could be interpreted as a symbolic reflection of the continuity of a lineage, using the burial ground.
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AbstrAct Makarowicz P., Cwaliński M., Niebieszczański J., Romaniszyn J. 2017. Barrows from the Late Neolithic and Bronze Age in the Upper Dniester River Basin in Ukraine. Geophisical Research and Archaeological Verification. Analecta... more
AbstrAct Makarowicz P., Cwaliński M., Niebieszczański J., Romaniszyn J. 2017. Barrows from the Late Neolithic and Bronze Age in the Upper Dniester River Basin in Ukraine. Geophisical Research and Archaeological Verification. Analecta Archaeologica Ressoviensia 12, 59–74 This article evaluates the potential of magnetometry to establish the internal structure of three mounds in the barrow cemetery of Bukivna in the Upper Dniester River Basin in Ukraine. We also evaluate the effects of geomorphological processes on the magnetometric results. The three-stage research method we applied comprises the preparation of a digital elevation model of the mounds, conducting geomagnetic surveys and, finally, targeted excavations, the latter enabling the verification of previously detected magnetic anomalies. In effect our studies show exceptionally complex geophysical anomalies, difficult to interpret with any certainty. In the peculiar case of the barrows 6 and 7 in group I, partly connected by an earthen mantle, the overlapping magnetic fields did not allow the two mounds to be distinguished from each other; it was possible to achieve only through subsequent excavations. In both barrows, a series of ritual and sepulchral structures were discovered that provided clear magnetic signals. The arrangement of the anomalies in the mound 1, group II, potentially reflects various aspects of the barrow's structure and its state of preservation, beginning with postdepositional processes related to erosion or to the runoff of material down the slope, and ending with the mound's stratigraphy, formed over the course of two phases. In turn, in the case of mounds 6 and 7, it can be assumed that the effects of these processes have been 1
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Since 1925, the Archaeological Museum in Poznań, Poland, has housed a collection of materials relating to excavation conducted by Professor Józef Kostrzewski in Biały Potok (presently Bilyi Potik, Ternopil region, Ukraine). His brief... more
Since 1925, the Archaeological Museum in Poznań, Poland, has housed a collection of materials relating to excavation conducted by Professor Józef Kostrzewski in Biały Potok (presently Bilyi Potik, Ternopil region, Ukraine). His brief research uncovered parts of three houses from a Trypillia culture settlement dated to the fourth millennium BC, as well as chronologically subsequent graves: one double (grave I-II) and two single (grave III and grave IV). The newest analysis of grave forms and pottery, along with the radiocarbon dates, certify the inhomogeneity of funeral features in Biały Potok. The graves, which were previously considered to date from the same period, in fact represent three horizons in the use of this place: the twenty-eight to twenty-seventh centuries BC (the Globular Amphora culture - grave III), the twentieth to the nineteenth centuries BC (‘post-Globular Amphora’ or the early Komarów culture - grave IV) and the seventeenth to sixteenth centuries BC (the classic Komarów culture - grave I-II).
Keywords: Podolia, third millennium BC, second millennium BC, Globular Amphora culture, Komarów culture.
Keywords: Podolia, third millennium BC, second millennium BC, Globular Amphora culture, Komarów culture.
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The article presents chosen aspects of foundry engineering of the settlement dwellers, including the archaeometric characteristics and metal science analysis of the artefacts, as well as an attempted reconstruction of the production... more
The article presents chosen aspects of foundry engineering of the settlement dwellers, including the archaeometric characteristics and metal science analysis of the artefacts, as well as an attempted reconstruction of the production organization. Discovered in Szczepidło (Greater Poland), the foundry workshop is unique in Central European Bronze Age. This workshop foundry operated roughly XIV-XII Century BC. Its production is evidenced by the presence of markers of the whole production cycle: semi-finished and finished products, production waste, fragments of crucibles and casting ladles with traces of usage, and tools. On this basis the alloys and foundry technologies used have been described. The analysis of foundry technology of copper alloys in the settlement area was carried out by observing the surface and structure of the products, semi-finished artefacts and fragments of crucibles by applying optical microscopy (OM), confocal microscopy (CLSM) and X-ray radiography (RT). The investigations of compositions were made by means of the energy dispersive X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy (ED-XRF) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) coupled with an energy dispersive X-ray analysis system (EDS).