Warrior Burials with Knives-Daggers: Socio-Cultural Aspects of Research. A Comparative Analysis of Early Migration Period Warrior Graves in the Sambian-Natangian Group Area (the Kaliningrad Region of Russia)

Abstract

The author presents some of his recent results and observations made within the framework of a research project devoted to a comparative typo-chronological analysis of Migration Period knives-daggers in the basin of the Baltic Sea, and to the study of socio-historical tendencies and events marked by the appearance of these artefacts. The intensification of field research in the region in recent years, as well as the rediscovery of parts of the former Prussia-museum's collection and regained access to the archives of prewar researchers, has allowed the author to back up the study with an unprecedentedly high number of knife-dagger finds and relevant burial complexes.

The Origin of Late Roman Period–Post-Migration Period Lithuanian Horses

“…The cemetery is extremely rich in grave goods [37]. Some items are of a nonlocal origin and are associated with the Sambian Peninsula or South Scandinavia [38][39][40]. Traces of violent trauma in human bones and embedded arrowheads typical of Asian nomads indicate potential conflicts and possible (im)migration.…”

New Human Bone Radiocarbon Dates From the Roman Period–migration Period Lithuanian Cemeteries

“…It is reflected by the appearance of new sets of grave goods in both male and female burials, which consist of specific weapons, rider's gear, and prestigious ornaments. Although it is difficult to trace their provenance, archaeologists largely ascribe them to Central European, Sambian, and Scandinavian influences from the 5th-early 6th centuries AD (Bitner-Wr óblewska 2000;Prassolow 2013;Jovaiša 2016;Kontny 2020).…”