DOI issue:
Artikuły / Articles
DOI article:Zapolska, Anna: The solidus of Heraclius from Wargen in Sambia – reconsidered
DOI Page / Citation link:https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.43282#0177
THE SOLIDUS OF HERACLIUS FROM WARGEN IN SAMBIA...
to the mid-6th Century and continued to be used most likely even in the first half
of the 7th Century.62
Aside from fibulae that definitely have their counterparts in imported Merovingian
fibulae, the Western Baltic Settlement area also has its share of imitations, even
though the corresponding Originals remain unknown. This group of artefacts has been
dated as coming from the middle third of the 6th and up to the 7th Century. F orms with
rectangular or half-round heads are predominantly represented within this group.63
As the above examples show, West-Germanic fibulae are of a later chronology
than their counterparts from the Danubian milieu. Apart from this category
of artefacts, some beit parts, such as the beltfittings and buckles found on the site of
the Elbląg group at Nowinka, are also of Merovingian provenance (grave 84). Such
fittings have their counterparts in the East-Frankish and Alemannic territories and
are datable to the final third of the 6th Century. On account of the very high degree
of similarity between the “Baltic” finds and their Merovingian counterparts, it can
be said that these artefacts are, as a matter of fact, imports.64
THE ARTEFACTS OF AVAR PROVENANCE FOUND
IN THE WESTERN BALTIC AREA
The artefacts from the Avar milieu, as found in the environment of the Western
Baltic culture, are mostly beit parts: buckles with a narrowed frame and bits with
side pieces made of ander. Such buckles have been found in numerous places, e.g.,
at Kosewo, Mrągowo County, gravesite 10; Tumiany, Olsztyn County; Miętkie,
Szczytno County; Wólka Prusinowska, Mrągowo County; and Zdory, Pisz County.
They can be dated to the late stage of phase E.65 A similar buckie - its frame decorated
with griffin heads, but used as an element of a horse harness - was found at the burial
ground at Tumiany, in grave XXIII (horse 23).66 Likewise, a buckie found in grave
X at Tumiany is also believed to be of Avar origin.67 In the Avar culture milieu,
buckles with narrowed frames have been found throughout the Carpathian Basin.68
Another group of artefacts originating from the Avar milieu consists of harness
bits with side pieces made of antler. Examples of such bits have been found and
identified at several sites, such as Tumiany, Olsztyn County, grave II;69 Przebród;70
62 Ibidenr. 225,227,285.
63 Ibidenr. 286.
64 Cf. KONTNY and PIETRZAK 2013: 125-130.
65 JAKOBSON, Legacy, RUDNICKI 2011: 120.
66 BARANOWSKI 2004: 160, Fig. 3.
67 BARANOWSKI 1996: 105, Fig. 30.
68 GARAM 1979.
69 BARANOWSKI 1996:82-84.
70 NOWAKOWSKI 2000: 18-19, Fig. 5.
to the mid-6th Century and continued to be used most likely even in the first half
of the 7th Century.62
Aside from fibulae that definitely have their counterparts in imported Merovingian
fibulae, the Western Baltic Settlement area also has its share of imitations, even
though the corresponding Originals remain unknown. This group of artefacts has been
dated as coming from the middle third of the 6th and up to the 7th Century. F orms with
rectangular or half-round heads are predominantly represented within this group.63
As the above examples show, West-Germanic fibulae are of a later chronology
than their counterparts from the Danubian milieu. Apart from this category
of artefacts, some beit parts, such as the beltfittings and buckles found on the site of
the Elbląg group at Nowinka, are also of Merovingian provenance (grave 84). Such
fittings have their counterparts in the East-Frankish and Alemannic territories and
are datable to the final third of the 6th Century. On account of the very high degree
of similarity between the “Baltic” finds and their Merovingian counterparts, it can
be said that these artefacts are, as a matter of fact, imports.64
THE ARTEFACTS OF AVAR PROVENANCE FOUND
IN THE WESTERN BALTIC AREA
The artefacts from the Avar milieu, as found in the environment of the Western
Baltic culture, are mostly beit parts: buckles with a narrowed frame and bits with
side pieces made of ander. Such buckles have been found in numerous places, e.g.,
at Kosewo, Mrągowo County, gravesite 10; Tumiany, Olsztyn County; Miętkie,
Szczytno County; Wólka Prusinowska, Mrągowo County; and Zdory, Pisz County.
They can be dated to the late stage of phase E.65 A similar buckie - its frame decorated
with griffin heads, but used as an element of a horse harness - was found at the burial
ground at Tumiany, in grave XXIII (horse 23).66 Likewise, a buckie found in grave
X at Tumiany is also believed to be of Avar origin.67 In the Avar culture milieu,
buckles with narrowed frames have been found throughout the Carpathian Basin.68
Another group of artefacts originating from the Avar milieu consists of harness
bits with side pieces made of antler. Examples of such bits have been found and
identified at several sites, such as Tumiany, Olsztyn County, grave II;69 Przebród;70
62 Ibidenr. 225,227,285.
63 Ibidenr. 286.
64 Cf. KONTNY and PIETRZAK 2013: 125-130.
65 JAKOBSON, Legacy, RUDNICKI 2011: 120.
66 BARANOWSKI 2004: 160, Fig. 3.
67 BARANOWSKI 1996: 105, Fig. 30.
68 GARAM 1979.
69 BARANOWSKI 1996:82-84.
70 NOWAKOWSKI 2000: 18-19, Fig. 5.