Results found: 1

Search results

Search:
in the keywords: Pruszcz Gdański, kultura oksywska, kultura wielbarska, plemiona gockie, paleodemografia, zróżnicowanie morfologiczne

Sort By:

Limit search:

Nowe spojrzenie na przemiany demograficzne i morfologiczne ludności kultury oksywskiej i wielbarskiej z Pruszcza Gdańskiego

100%

Pudło A., Dąbrowski R.

Pomorania Antiqua

2021

vol. Tom XXX

s. 7-34

The very intriguing results of the analysis of the morphological diversity of the inhabitants of Pruszcz (from sites 5 and 7) and medieval inhabitants of Gdańsk (site 5 at the church of St Nicholas) from 2017 became the premise for a biological reassessment of the Pruszcz populations of the Wielbark culture. These studies showed a relationship between both populations, both men and women. At the same time, they indicated the continuity of settlement in Pomerania from the Roman period to the Middle Ages. Therefore, this article is an attempt of closer characterisation of the Pruszcz populations from the period of Roman influence. The assessment concerns the demographic and morphological character as well as identifying potential differences between populations. The analyses, were extended to include the data from site 10, and were based on the published data describing the Pruszcz populations from sites PG 10, PG 7, PG 5, dated from the 2nd century BC to the 4th/5th century AD, which were collected and supplemented with the results of new specialist research. The life tables analyses show that the parameter of further life expectancy of the newborn (e00) for all populations from Pruszcz Gdański was 19–20 years. In turn, the reconstructed value of the further life expectancy of an individual at the age of 20 (e020) resulted in different values. For the population buried in cremation graves (PG 10), it was only 12 years (Table 2), hence the average life expectancy of the population of the Oksywie culture in Pruszcz Gdański was only 32 years. In turn, for the population of the Wielbark culture (inhumation: PG 10, PG 7, PG 5) it was at the level of 18–20 years (Tables 3–8). It shows that this parameter increased by 6–8 years in the following centuries, which means that the average life expectancy of the Wielbark culture population in Pruszcz Gdański was already 38–40 years. The comparison of the obtained data with other results describing the populations from a similar period in Pomerania and central-eastern Poland shows that the measures for Pruszcz Gdański have higher values (Fig. 2, Table 9). Measures of the effect of natural selection, which assess the potential of natural selection through differential mortality, showed low Ibs values and increasing Rpot ones. It can therefore be concluded that the biological condition of Pruszcz inhabitants was not good, although it was gradually improving. This was mainly due to the high mortality of sexually immature individuals, who experienced the selection pressure to the greatest extent. It can therefore be concluded that the potential of natural selection through differential mortality in the Pruszcz populations was high. The analysis of morphological diversity based on the structure of the skulls showed (Figs. 3–8) that some of the men from Pruszcz Gdański most likely came from the north, mainly from the Scandinavian Peninsula, perhaps with other Gothic groups. Additionally, some of them also came from Denmark, perhaps through the territory of today's Germany. Then these new groups assimilated with the local population. Interestingly, some of the descendants of this mixed population had to travel further south-east, to the right side of the Vistula. In turn, the Pruszcz women manifested much lower dynamics in moving, mainly they came from the local community and were indigenous, it was with them that the newly arrived men entered into relationships. In turn, the descendants of all Pruszcz inhabitants took part in building a new, medieval world in nearby Gdańsk, as well as in Elbląg. Therefore, these close relations indicate the continuity of settlement in Pomerania from at least the period of Roman influence to the Middle Ages and further, to the Post-medieval period. Summing up, it can be stated that all the aforementioned data indicate relatively good economic and social conditions in which the Pruszcz population lived. This is also confirmed by the small number and average intensity of lesions of former Pruszcz inhabitants, as well as the condition and biological dynamics of other populations, against which background the Pruszcz one stood out. Environmental changes in the first centuries AD could also result in a period of increased migration. Numerous inquiries about the nature of the Gothic tribes who came to central-eastern Europe did not bring clear answers to this topic, although it is indicated that it was a union of different tribes. Therefore, the presented results of the analysis of the morphological diversity of the skulls of the Pruszcz populations against the background of other populations of Pomerania, central-eastern Europe and Scandinavia may bring a new look at the character of the Gothic tribes of the Wielbark culture.

Refine search results

1 Pomorania Antiqua

1 Dąbrowski R.

1 Pudło A.

1 2021

Search results

Nowe spojrzenie na przemiany demograficzne i morfologiczne ludności kultury oksywskiej i wielbarskiej z Pruszcza Gdańskiego