INTO THE HILLS WE GO…UNDERSTADING THE FUNCTION OF THE PREHISTORIC EXTREME UPLAND SITES IN THE SLOVAKIAN PART OF THE WESTERN CARPATHIANS

• Authors: Benediková Lucia , Hajnalová Mária , Furman Martin , Lieskovský Tibor , Zachar Ján
• Languages of publication: EN

Abstracts

EN

In this paper, we investigate three mountain summit sites in extreme upland locations within a small microregion in the Liptov region in the Western Carpathians – Demänovská hora, Končitý vrch and Poludnica – newly investigated during the last decade. We questioned whether all similar sites located in the extreme alpine environment in the Western Carpathians served as refuge places within a narrow time span in the settlement structure as stated in the earlier archaeological literature. Based on an in-depth analysis of archaeological artefacts and ecofacts (employing archaeology, archaeobotany, and radiocarbon dating) from these sites we found that although they were located in spots with very similar geographic characteristics and yielded finds of similar nature upon closer inspection, the find assemblages from each of them showed certain variations. Based on this evidence, along with the knowledge of the general settlement structure in the Liptov region from the Final Bronze age till the end of the La Tène period, we propose that these sites were multifunctional and repeatedly used during prehistory and early history for specific purposes (refugia – places of rituals – [seasonal] settlements/economic activity areas, etc.).

Keywords

EN

WESTERN CARPATHIANS; LIPTOV REGION; BRONZE AGE; HALLSTATT PERIOD; LA TÈNE PERIOD; EXTREME UPLAND SITES

• Publisher: Slovak Academy of Sciences, Archaeological Institute
• Journal: Slovenská archeológia (Slovak Archaeology)
• Year: 2024
• Volume: 72
• Issue: 2
• Pages: 273 – 324

Contributors

author

Benediková Lucia

• Archeologický ústav Sav, v. v. i., Akademická 2, 949 21 Nitra, Slovak Republic

• https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9393-2293

author

Hajnalová Mária

• https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4537-7157

author

Furman Martin

• https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4470-032X

author

Lieskovský Tibor

• https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6015-5926

author

Zachar Ján

• https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1791-7814

Identifiers

DOI

https://doi.org/10.31577/slovarch.2024.72.8