DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.68052#0163
Summary
The archaeological finds material of the Imperial
Roman Period in Southern Lower Saxony is pre-
sented here in detail for the first time since the
appearance of R. v. Uslar's work over 70 years ago.
This reappraisal has become necessary on the one
hand because of the increase in archaeological
material and on the other hand due to the renewed
interest in the administrative districts of Göttin-
gen, Osterode a.H., Northeim, Holzminden,
Hameln, Hildesheim and Southern Hannover
which, according to classical sources, comprised
the settlement area of the Cheruscan tribe. Inter-
est has been rekindled by recent research in
Kalkriese, even though the area had been largely
ignored in the past.
A descriptive account of the natural conditions
existing in the region forms the basis of the settle-
ment-archaeological analysis. Geology, topogra-
phy, pedology, hydrology, climate and Vegetation
are examined with reference to their transferabil-
ity to the conditions of the Imperial Roman peri-
od. It can be shown that, whilst some factors
remain constant, others have experienced radical
change. By and large the potentiality of the sites
examined was judged positively, they being a ran-
dom sample of the whole.
The finds themselves are examined critically and
must be treated with some reservation. This is
especially true of grave goods. In few cases do the
finds themselves originate from well researched
excavations. Superficially the material consists of
surface finds, mostly from Settlements. A detailed
chronological analysis of the material was there-
fore not attempted. Instead, the main focus of
examination is on the find-sites themselves.
Subsequently the individual find-types are exam-
ined: grave goods, settlement material, scatters
and chance finds. The grave goods consisted only
of antiquarian material. No recent grave-material
could be included. One observation which might
be made concerning cemeteries is the trend away
from a variety of burial forms in the early imperi-
al period toward standardised urn burials in the
later period.
Contrastingly, ten settlement sites are present-
ed, which are either unpublished or have only
appeared as preliminary reports. Outstanding here
are the building remains in the settlement at
Schwiegershausen and the import finds from
Meensen and Rosdorf, which are at present unique
for the region.
Fortifications, offering places and water deposits
are each briefly considered.
A detailed consideration of the finds material fol-
lows:
The pottery from the area fits well into the rhein-
wesergermanische form criteria established by
R. v. Uslar in 1938. Few complete vessels are avail-
able. An independent Classification according to
typological aspects was therefore not undertaken.
For the same reason a detailed chronological dat-
ing was not attempted - added to which, recent
appraisals are sceptical of the finely detailed
chronological relevance of individual types (Wal-
ter 2000, 197). The examination of other finds-
groups such as fibulae or beads shows that this
region, previously considered lacking in such
finds, has much to offer, as well as indicating the
widespread contacts of the local population,
reaching even as far as the Baltic region. Much of
the work presented here is occupied with the
examination of Roman imports and coins. A new
Compilation of all the import finds for the region
was able to fill a finds-void. Many and diverse find-
types are proof of intensive contact with the
Roman Empire, which is interpreted as gradual
tendency towards Romanisation. A short digres-
sion considers the apparent lack of metal during
this epoch. The topos of metal scarcity amongst
the Germanic population appears to be fact - at
least for the region under consideration.
No ethnic aspects can be employed to equate the
population of the region with the classically
recorded tribe of the Cheruscans. The find mate-
rial excludes such an interpretation and in fact
topographically suggests a three part division of
the territory. The finds give little indication of a
hierarchically structured society. It seems, at least
in the earlier imperial period, that access to
imports was not only limited to a caste of few, but
was widely available.
The final part of this work considers the topo-
graphical Situation of the sites within the land-
scape as a whole. Despite much source-criticism,
many results were attained, which fit well into a
larger geographical context. It could be shown that
145
The archaeological finds material of the Imperial
Roman Period in Southern Lower Saxony is pre-
sented here in detail for the first time since the
appearance of R. v. Uslar's work over 70 years ago.
This reappraisal has become necessary on the one
hand because of the increase in archaeological
material and on the other hand due to the renewed
interest in the administrative districts of Göttin-
gen, Osterode a.H., Northeim, Holzminden,
Hameln, Hildesheim and Southern Hannover
which, according to classical sources, comprised
the settlement area of the Cheruscan tribe. Inter-
est has been rekindled by recent research in
Kalkriese, even though the area had been largely
ignored in the past.
A descriptive account of the natural conditions
existing in the region forms the basis of the settle-
ment-archaeological analysis. Geology, topogra-
phy, pedology, hydrology, climate and Vegetation
are examined with reference to their transferabil-
ity to the conditions of the Imperial Roman peri-
od. It can be shown that, whilst some factors
remain constant, others have experienced radical
change. By and large the potentiality of the sites
examined was judged positively, they being a ran-
dom sample of the whole.
The finds themselves are examined critically and
must be treated with some reservation. This is
especially true of grave goods. In few cases do the
finds themselves originate from well researched
excavations. Superficially the material consists of
surface finds, mostly from Settlements. A detailed
chronological analysis of the material was there-
fore not attempted. Instead, the main focus of
examination is on the find-sites themselves.
Subsequently the individual find-types are exam-
ined: grave goods, settlement material, scatters
and chance finds. The grave goods consisted only
of antiquarian material. No recent grave-material
could be included. One observation which might
be made concerning cemeteries is the trend away
from a variety of burial forms in the early imperi-
al period toward standardised urn burials in the
later period.
Contrastingly, ten settlement sites are present-
ed, which are either unpublished or have only
appeared as preliminary reports. Outstanding here
are the building remains in the settlement at
Schwiegershausen and the import finds from
Meensen and Rosdorf, which are at present unique
for the region.
Fortifications, offering places and water deposits
are each briefly considered.
A detailed consideration of the finds material fol-
lows:
The pottery from the area fits well into the rhein-
wesergermanische form criteria established by
R. v. Uslar in 1938. Few complete vessels are avail-
able. An independent Classification according to
typological aspects was therefore not undertaken.
For the same reason a detailed chronological dat-
ing was not attempted - added to which, recent
appraisals are sceptical of the finely detailed
chronological relevance of individual types (Wal-
ter 2000, 197). The examination of other finds-
groups such as fibulae or beads shows that this
region, previously considered lacking in such
finds, has much to offer, as well as indicating the
widespread contacts of the local population,
reaching even as far as the Baltic region. Much of
the work presented here is occupied with the
examination of Roman imports and coins. A new
Compilation of all the import finds for the region
was able to fill a finds-void. Many and diverse find-
types are proof of intensive contact with the
Roman Empire, which is interpreted as gradual
tendency towards Romanisation. A short digres-
sion considers the apparent lack of metal during
this epoch. The topos of metal scarcity amongst
the Germanic population appears to be fact - at
least for the region under consideration.
No ethnic aspects can be employed to equate the
population of the region with the classically
recorded tribe of the Cheruscans. The find mate-
rial excludes such an interpretation and in fact
topographically suggests a three part division of
the territory. The finds give little indication of a
hierarchically structured society. It seems, at least
in the earlier imperial period, that access to
imports was not only limited to a caste of few, but
was widely available.
The final part of this work considers the topo-
graphical Situation of the sites within the land-
scape as a whole. Despite much source-criticism,
many results were attained, which fit well into a
larger geographical context. It could be shown that
145