 Lusatian culture's furthest extent (green) | |
| Alternative names | Lausitz culture |
|---|---|
| Geographical range | Central Europe |
| Period | LateBronze Age to earlyIron Age |
| Dates | c. 1200–500 BC |
| Preceded by | Trzciniec culture,Tumulus culture,Nordic Bronze Age,Urnfield culture |
| Followed by | Pomeranian culture,Cimmerians |
TheLusatian culture existed in the laterBronze Age and earlyIron Age (1300–500 BC) in most of what is nowPoland and parts of theCzech Republic,Slovakia, easternGermany and westernUkraine. It covers the PeriodsMontelius III (early Lusatian culture) to V of the Northern European chronological scheme.[1] It has been associated or closely linked with theNordic Bronze Age.[2]Hallstatt influences can also be seen particularly in ornaments (fibulae, pins) and weapons.
The Lusatian culture developed as the precedingTrzciniec culture experienced influences from theTumulus culture of theMiddle Bronze Age, essentially incorporating the local communities into the socio-political network of Iron Age Europe.[3] It formed part of theUrnfield systems, origin of theCelts andRomans,[4][5][6][7] found from easternFrance, southern Germany and Austria toHungary and theNordic Bronze Age in northwestern Germany andScandinavia. It was followed by theBillendorf culture of theEarly Iron Age in the West. In Poland, the Lusatian culture is taken to have spanned part of the Iron Age as well (there is only a terminological difference)[clarification needed] and was succeeded in Montelius VIIbc in the northern ranges around the mouth ofVistula by thePomeranian culture spreading south.
'Lusatian-type' burials were first described by theGerman pathologist and archaeologistRudolf Virchow (1821–1902). The name refers to theLusatia area in eastern Germany (Brandenburg andSaxony) and western Poland. Virchow identified the pottery artifacts as 'pre-Germanic' but refused to speculate on the ethnic identity of their makers.[citation needed] ThePolish archeologistJózef Kostrzewski, who started in 1934 to conduct extensive excavations of a Lusatian settlement ofBiskupin, hypothesised that the Lusatian culture was a predecessor of later cultures that belonged to theearly Slavs.[8] Modern archeologists, such as bothKazimierz Godłowski andPiotr Kaczanowski [pl], hold the view that the ethnic geography of Bronze Age Central Europe then included peoples whose languages and ethnic identity are simply unknown.[9][10]
Genetic study ofPolish Academy of Arts and Sciences from 2023–2026 revealed that of 5 samples 4 hadhaplogroup R1a1 and one hadhaplogroup I2a, of 11 samples 7 were Slavic and similar to people from current Poland, Lithuania, Russia, 4 were partly Slavic[11][12].
Burial was by cremation; inhumations are rare. The urn is usually accompanied by numerous (up to 40) secondary vessels. Metal grave gifts are sparse, but there are numerous hoards (such as Kopaniewo,Pomerania) that contain rich metalwork, both bronze and gold (hoard of Eberswalde,Brandenburg). Graves containing moulds (like at Bataune, inSaxony) andtuyeres attest to the production of bronze tools and weapons at the village level. The 'royal' tomb ofSeddin,Brandenburg, Germany, covered by a large earthenbarrow, contained Mediterranean imports like bronze vessels and glass beads. Cemeteries can be quite large and contain thousands of graves.
Well-known settlements includeBiskupin, in Poland, and Buch, nearBerlin. There are both open villages and fortified settlements (burgwall orgord) on hilltops or in swampy areas. The ramparts were constructed of wooden boxes filled with soil or stones.
Its economy was mainly based on arable agriculture, as is attested by numerousstorage pits. Wheat (emmer) and six-rowbarley formed the basic crops, together withmillet,rye andoats,peas,broad beans,lentils, andgold of pleasure (Camelina sativa).Flax was grown, and remains of domesticatedapples,pears, andplums have been found.Cattle andpigs were the most important domestic animals, followed bysheep,goats,horses, anddogs. Pictures on Iron Age urns fromSilesia attest horse riding, but horses were used to draw chariots as well. Hunting was practiced, as bones ofred androe deer,boar,bison,elk,hare,fox, andwolf attest, but it did not provide much of the meat consumed. The numerousfrog bones found at Biskupin may indicate that frogs' legs were eaten as well.
_Lausitzer_Kultur_in_der_Bronzezeit%2c_Bronzeschwert.jpg)
_Bronzegeschirr_aus_Schlesien%2c_Import_in_der_Lausitzer-Kultur_im_Oder-Zuflussbereich.jpg)
_Lausitzer_Urne_mit_Erz%25C3%25A4hlgrafiken_aus_Schlesien.jpg)
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![Bronze collar with sun ship motifs.[13]](/mt/?noimg=&dark=on&url=http%3a%2f%2fen.wikipedia.org%2fwiki%2fFile%3aLusatian2.jpg)
![Königsgrab von Seddin [de] contents, c. 900 BC, Germany](/mt/?noimg=&dark=on&url=http%3a%2f%2fen.wikipedia.org%2fwiki%2fFile%3aSeddin_grave_contents.jpg)
![Belt plate with sun ship motif, Poland, 9th century BC[14][a]](/mt/?noimg=&dark=on&url=http%3a%2f%2fen.wikipedia.org%2fwiki%2fFile%3aSun_ship1.jpg)
_Lausitzer_Kultur_in_der_Bronzezeit%2c_Armbinde.jpg)
_-_kultura_%25C5%2582u%25C5%25BCycka.JPG) |
| Prehistory and protohistory of Poland |
|---|
| Chronology |
| Stone Age Bronze and Iron Age Antiquity Early Middle Ages |
| Topics |
| Lusatian culture Biskupin Oksywie culture Wielbark culture Przeworsk culture Polish tribes |
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
| International | |
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| National | |
| Other | |
