Transformatio mundi : the transition from the late Migration Period to the early Viking Age in the East Baltic

The cultural relations in the East Baltic still remain an interesting subject of interdisciplinary discourse. The seminar held in Kaunas in 2004 was the first time when archaeologists from countries around the Baltic Sea have met to discuss the problems concerning special phenomenon of our common past. Archaeologists from various countries and institutions took part in the workshop "Transformatio mundi - the Transition from the Late Migration Period to the Early Viking Age in the East Baltic". It was an opportunity to engage archaeologists to discuss the problem the idea of which has evolved during a friendly round-table discussion amongst some colleagues in Warszaw. The topic turned out to be the most suitable for symposium. The workshop took place at Kaunas University of Technology, Department of Philosophy and Cultural Science. During the three days of symposium a lot of topics were disputed. Two days were dedicated to paper presentations and discussions, and the third day was spent on an excursion to archaeological sites and on-site discussions. The focus was made on the area of the Balts as well as the surrounding regions. The workshop discussed the processes which have determined the transition from the Late Migration Period to the Early Viking Age period in the East Baltic. Which events, elements of material culture, social structures, rituals, activities, changes of inhabited areas emphasis the cultural boundary between two eras - whether they were different eras? The issues discussing archaeological and sociological approaches, theoretical perspectives were partly involved into the discourse. An interest have been taken to the questions of transmission of cultural traditions, social organization, land use and economy. A total of 22 participants from seven countries have taken part in this workshop. Nineteen papers have been presented. The articles presented in this collection are grouped into subparts by some main issues. Such a division is rather conventional, however, as the majority of papers consider several aspects of culture. The East Baltic in Time and Space Anna BITNER-WRÓBLEWSKA: The Key Problems of Late Migrations Period in the Balt Lands 7 Vladas ŽULKUS: The Lower Reaches of the Nemunas (Memel) and Prieglius (Pergel). The Settlement Situation at the Lower Reaches in the 6th-11th Centuries 17 Rasa BANYTÉ-ROWELL: Looking for the Watershed between the Middle- and Late Iron Ages in Lithuanian Archaeology 25 Burial and Society Karen Høilund NIELSEN: Abundant Gold and Bad Harvests. Changes in Southern Scandinavian Society during the 5th to 7th Centuries 41 Marika MÄGI: Changing Connections, Changing Society. Burial Rites on Iron Age Saaremaa 51 Mindaugas BERTAŠIUS: From Social Expression to Institutionalized Religion. Making an Attempt of Central Lithuania 65 Vytautas KAZAKEVIČIUS and Arvydas MALONAITIS: Sacrifices of Weapons in Baltic Burials 73 Viking Age Economy in the Baltic Area Arnis RADIŅŠ: Lower Daugava Area in the 1st-11th Century. Ethnic, Economic, Social and Political Change - on the Question of Activity along Daugava Waterway 81 Mateusz BOGUCKI: Grobiņa - a Sign of an Early Future Port of Trade in the Balt Lands 93 Wojciech WRÓBLEWSKI: Invaders, Merchants or Settlers? Archaeological Evidence of Scandinavian Activity in South-eastern Zone of the Baltic Sea during the Viking Age 107 Hauke JÖNS: Slawisch-skandinavische Kontakte an der südwestlichen Ostseeküste im Lichte neuer Forschungen 117 Sebastian BRATHER: Early Dirham Finds in the South-east Baltic. Chronological Problems in the Light of Finds from Janów Pomorski (Truso) 133 Birgitta HÅRDH: Money in Large Units in East and West 143 Regional Problems Andra SIMNIŠKYTĖ: Sociocultural Dynamics in Selonia Region (450-700 AD). Transformation and Tradition 151 Tomasz NOWAKIEWICZ: Galindia in the Viking Age - New Shape of the Culture 161 Marcin ENGEL: Suwałki Region after the Prudziszki Phase. An Attempt to Define the Horizon of Artifacts Dated to the 7th-8th AD 173 Audronė BLIUJIENĖ: Role of the Curonians in the Eastern Baltic Area. The Transition Process from the Late Migration Period into the Early Viking Age (Cultural Aspects) 183