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Niezbyt sucha kraina. Specyfika osadnicza terenów zalewowych doliny środkowej Wisły na przykładzie skupiska osadniczego w Glinkach, pow. otwocki

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Rakowski T., Stanaszek Ł. M., Watemborska-Rakowska K.

Wiadomości Archeologiczne

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2019

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vol. LXX

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issue 70

271-280

EN

Floodplains of large rivers are rarely the subject of archaeological research. The excavations at the cemetery of the Przeworsk culture at Czersk, Piaseczno County, and studies on the modern settlement in the Urzecze (literally at-the-river’s) microregion near Warsaw yielded data about the settlement in the Middle Vistula Valley across the ages and prompted a non-invasive examination of the area. In 2017, a large-scale fieldwalking survey took place in the southern part of the Urzecze floodplain, covering an area of ca. 83 square kilometres (Figs. 1, 2). The already known sites were verified, and numerous new sites from various historical periods were discovered. The survey was complemented with traditional research, such as cartographical and historical searches, as well as new solutions in the form of a digital elevation model, obtained by laser scanning of the ground surface and geophysical and underwater prospection. The character of settlement in the area, specific due to the natural conditions, can be illustrated on the example of the settlement cluster near the village of Glinki, situated on the right bank of the Vistula, at the latitude of Góra Kalwaria (Fig. 3). Settlement in periodically flooded areas is focused only in a few selected places, where the shape of the terrain guarantees relatively safe shelter during periods of regular but hard to predict overflows and dangerous inundations. In the case of the cluster in Glinki, small, elevated areas, difficult to notice in the field and surrounded by oxbow lakes that form natural reservoirs (polders), are legible (Fig. 4). The oldest traces of settlement date back to the Bronze Age and Early Iron Age, then to the pre-Roman and Roman period and the Middle Ages, up to modern and contemporary times (Fig. 5, 6). The ‘insular’ nature of settlement (Fig. 9) in the floodplains of the Middle Vistula is confirmed by the observed presence of other, similar clusters situated on the former sandbanks and islands or their remains. The specificity of natural conditions (Fig. 7, 8, 10) and the rhythm of life in these areas influenced the flavour and specificity of the local culture, a phenomenon that has been well described for modern times (Ł.M. Stanaszek 2014). It is possible that in the earlier time periods some local differences within the large archaeological cultures are also to be expected. This can only be confirmed by future excavations in the area.

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Wisior w typie Şimleul Silvaniei z Czerska na Urzeczu

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Watemborska-Rakowska K.

Wiadomości Archeologiczne

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2017

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vol. LXVIII

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issue 68

270-275

EN

Another interesting artefact excavated in 2016 from grave 271 in the Przeworsk Culture cemetery at Czersk, Piaseczno County in central Poland (recently, see T. Rakowski, K. Watemborska-Rakowska 2017) is a copper alloy pendant of a form resembling rings type Şimleul Silvaniei recently analysed in more detail (M. Rudnicki 2012; J. Andrzejowski, A. Maciałowicz 2017, p. 205–214, ryc. 19–22, tab. 2). The burial was detected at the bottom of the ploughsoil as a circular outline of a pit with a dark grey, nearly black fill, diameter 40 cm, basin-like in section, with a depth of 20 cm (Fig. 1). Resting immediately below the level of detection were many pottery fragments, partly burnt, and a handful of cremated bone of an adult individual overlain by metal objects, e.g., an incomplete copper alloy A.68 brooch, an iron knife, and a badly corroded iron object, probably a broken needle; another element of this grave inventory is a decorated clay spindlewhorl (Fig. 2, 3). The brooch dates the burial to the younger stage of phase B1 (cf. M. Mączyńska 2001). However, the most remarkable element in this grave inventory is the copper alloy pendant (Fig. 4, 5). This specimen, made in the lost wax technique, shows no evidence of warping by fire and survives in an exceptionally good condition. Its circular body is decorated with three strands of pseudo-plaitwork, in three sections, separated by three symmetrically spaced rings. At each junction of the rings with the body of the pendant are three spherical knobs. Over one of the rings is a heavy, trapeze-shaped loop, profiled at top and base. It its form the pendant corresponds to rings type Şimleul Silvaniei variant Rustoiu 3a (A. Rustoiu 1996, p. 95). All these finds recorded so far have been interpreted as bracelets or arm rings, the ring diameter ranging between 6–6.5 and approximately 10–11 cm (J. Andrzejowski, A. Maciałowicz 2017, p. 210–211). The artefact from Czersk, smaller (ring dimensions of 5.4×4.8 cm) and fitted with a projecting, carefully finished loop, is the only pendant of this type recorded so far. Most of the type Şimleul Silvaniei rings recovered in Poland come from Przeworsk Culture territory, with a smaller number recorded in the Tyniec Group, Oksywie Culture and the earliest horizon of the Wielbark Culture (see J. Andrzejowski, A. Maciałowicz 2017, fig. 20). Unfortunately, most of them are stray finds and only a handful discovered in burials are datable to the period confined between phase A3 and phase B1b (M. Rudnicki 2012, p. 476; J. Andrzejowski, A. Maciałowicz 2017, p. 206–210). Some of the recently found rings type Şimleul Silvaniei were tested for their chemical composition. Most were found to be in lead bronze with a varying content of lead and tin, only one specimen was of an alloy classified as ‘scrap brass’ (J. Andrzejowski, A. Maciałowicz 2017, p. 213–214, table 2). The chemical composition of the pendant from Czersk is altogether different. Its alloy is high in zinc content (14.48–15.59%), with trace amounts of tin (0.19–0.87%) and lead (0.54–0.57%), and corresponds to so-called ‘decorative’ brasses (cf. P. Gan 2015, p. 179). Probably, the choice of the material used in making the pendant was not random, dictated by the wish to obtain a fine, golden-hued ornament.

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Tu było żyć trudno, ale się opłacało… Wielokulturowe skupiska osadnicze na Urzeczu jako przykład długotrwałej i uporządkowanej kolonizacji terenów zalewowych Wisły

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Stanaszek Ł. M.

Slavia Antiqua: rocznik poświęcony starożytnościom słowiańskim

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2023

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issue 64

59-75

EN

The article addresses the issue of multicultural settlements from ancient until modern times, located on the Vistula floodplains within Urzecze micro-region. Archaeological, historical and partly ethnographic research indicate an “island” rather than dispersed nature of the local settlement. The separation of clusters allowed to discover many hitherto lost medieval villages or parts of them. The main advantage of long-term settlement on the floodplain was the proximity to a large navigable river (trade, fishing) and fertile soil, compensating for the losses resulting from the frequent floods.

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2 Wiadomości Archeologiczne

1 Slavia Antiqua: rocznik poświęcony starożytnościom słowiańskim

2 Stanaszek Ł. M.

2 Watemborska-Rakowska K.

1 Rakowski T.

1 2023

1 2020

1 2017

Niezbyt sucha kraina. Specyfika osadnicza terenów zalewowych doliny środkowej Wisły na przykładzie skupiska osadniczego w Glinkach, pow. otwocki

Wisior w typie Şimleul Silvaniei z Czerska na Urzeczu

Tu było żyć trudno, ale się opłacało… Wielokulturowe skupiska osadnicze na Urzeczu jako przykład długotrwałej i uporządkowanej kolonizacji terenów zalewowych Wisły