Late La Tene Research Articles

Hillfort Černov: The question of the use of the site in the Late La Tene period on the basis of metal detector surveys

The Černov hillfort in Ježkovice (Vyškov District, Moravia), built on a prominent promontory above the Rakovec Valley, was discovered more than a hundred years ago, but knowledge about it has evolved gradually. From a chronological perspective, it is primarily associated in the literature with the Early La Tene period, to which the massive fortifications and most of the finds recorded so far date. The second important epoch is represented by artefacts from the Early Middle Ages. Non-destructive metal detector surveys carried out at the site over the last two decades have confirmed these periods with new finds, but at the same time it has been possible to expand the find spectrum to include a component from the Middle and Late La Tene period. The subject of this paper is the presentation and evaluation of the La Tene period finds that fall into the period after the end of phase LT A, i.e. after the presumed demise of the hillfort. The newly recorded artefacts from Černov include coins, components of chain belts, annular ornaments, fibulae, amulets and various rings; a whetstone and a glass bead are among the non-metallic finds. The sporadically occurring artefacts from phase LT B do not necessarily indicate settlement of the site in the period in question and could thus represent only artefacts related to more stable settlement activities on the hillfort up to phase LT C. Finds from the Late La Tene period were located both in the area of the fortified acropolis and in the extramural settlement.

W sprawie wytwórczości szklarskiej w celtyckim oppidum w Starym Hradisku na Morawach

Discussion presented in the article is based upon analysis of glass fragments from the late La Tene oppidum. Existence of the jewellery manufacture workshop in Stare Hradisko, producing bracelets and possibly also beads of dark-blue, dark-yellow and green glass of external origin, is speculated based upon chemical composition of 5 fragments as well as morphological analysis. Further complex studies are postulated, which will facilitate unequivocal testing of the speculation about existence of glass works in StareHradisko. Analysed samples revealed presence of the soda-calcium-aluminium-silicon as well as the soda-calcium-lead-aluminium-silicon glass.

Landscape Archaeology of the Late La Tène in South Pannonia: Perspectives and Possibilities of Stable Isotope Analyses

In the long tradition of research into the La Tene period in the region of South Pannonia many questions have been raised, but economic activity, especially agriculture and cattle-breeding, have not received due attention. The existing archaeological data permit the hypothesis that both settlement and agriculture intensified during this period, and these activities may have induced changes in the landscape. However, apart from sporadic comments, this topic has not been the object of research. The development of landscape archaeology and stable isotope analyses have made possible a better understanding of the ways people moved through landscape, used and changed it. It should be borne in mind that landscapes are not only spaces out of which humans derive resources in the most rational way, but also a product, medium, and a reflexion of various individual and collective experiences on social, symbolic and historical levels. The paper discusses the possibilities and perspectives of application of stable isotope analyses of carbon and strontium in animal bones retrieved from the late La Tene settlements in South Pannonia, with the aim of verifying the existing hypotheses and formulating new ones concerning economic practices and socio-political circumstances.

Alloying Elements as Chronotechnological Marker for Second and First Century BC Fibulae from Ancient Pannonia

Fibulae as main the metal elements of people’s costume and clothing vary significantly in form and shape through time, and therefore, they are the perfect chronological markers of periods and time horizons and help archaeologists to date associated finds and stratigraphic units precisely. Five Late La Tene fibulae (150–80 BC) typical of the Western Carpathian Basin were studied in order to achieve information of their composition and manufacture. In particular, the alloy compositions were analyzed to understand if different alloys were used for the bow and the pin of the fibulae, and to establish if Pb and Zn were present. The latter was introduced to the workshops in Gallia and Northern Italy, and reached as imports the southeast Alpine region around 50 BC, creating a chronological horizon interesting for dating. Pb with >5 wt.% also turned out to be a chronological marker of La Tene fibulae. The presence of these alloying elements thus gives an even more detailed technological and chronological picture of the metallurgical advances in the ancient region of Pannonia during the second and beginning of the first century BC.

Probleme ale genezei şi restaurării cupelor de tip kantharos de la Sâncrăieni / Research issues regarding the genesis and restoration of the Sâncrăieni kantharos-cups

Cu cele opt cupe cu picior şi toarte (kantharoi) şi şapte cupe hemisferice (mastoi), la care se adaugă două brăţări, o fibulă şi două monede, tezaurul de la Sâncrăieni reuneşte cel mai mare set de veselă din argint din Dacia perioadei târzii a Latène-ului. De altfel, prin greutatea lui excepţională (3.650 g), tezaurul devansează toate celelalte descoperiri dacice cu piese de argint. Diferenţele tehnologice şi stilistice dintre elementele consitutive ale cupelor de tip kantharos permit identificarea mai multor meşteri : (1) meşterul calotelor gravate (calotele cupelor nr. 4– 8) ; (2) meşterul cupei de import (nr. 1) ; (3) meşterul cupelor nr. 2– 3 şi al picioarelor de tip 3 (fig. 12 şi 13/ 2– 3) şi (4) meşterul picioarelor de tip 2 (fig. 12). Dacă meşterii 1, 3, şi 4 sunt locali, meşterul nr. 2 este greco-roman. De asemenea, se poate presupune o diferenţă cronologică de aproximativ o generaţie între meşterul nr. 1 şi meşterii 3 şi 4. În orice caz, colaborarea mai puţin armonizată a mai multor meşteri cu maniere diferite de ornamentare a determinat lipsa de unitate stilistică a elementelor constitutive ale cupelor de tip kantharos produse în mediul „ barbar” (cupele nr. 2– 8). Această lipsă de unitate stilistică, precum şi demontarea cupelor de la Sâncrăieni înaintea îngropării lor, a dat naştere unor dileme insurmontabile pentru restaurarea modernă. Din acest motiv, ar fi fost preferabilă evitarea intervenţiilor cu caracter ireversibil şi păstrarea elementelor constitutive ale cupelor de tip kantharos de la Sâncrăieni în starea în care au fost ele descoperite.

The Late La Tène Decorated Scabbard from the Upper Dniester Area: A Far Relative of the Gundestrup Cauldron?

The article touches upon the late La Tène scabbard with open work decoration from the Przeworsk burial n. 3 of the Gryniv cemetery (Upper Dniester area). It is pointed out that the Gryniv scabbard belongs to the same art style as the Gundestrup cauldron. The scabbard was made using the La Tène metalworking tradition, while its decoration demonstrates mainly a mixture of the Celtic and Thracian art practices and religious beliefs. It’s emergence in the Upper Dniester area may be explained as a result of the Bastarnae raid in Thracia in 29 BC. The artifact reflects complicated cultural interactions in late La Tene Central Europe in which Celtic, Germanic, Thracian and possibly Proto-Slavic groups were involved. Also it marks one of the possible ways from the Balkans to the Jutland which had been passed by the Gundestrup cauldron itself.

Céramiques de la basse vallée de la Drôme du Ier s. av. J.‑C. au VIe s. ap. J.‑C. : les sites de Saint-Martin et l’Hortal à Chabrillan (Drôme)

This study is part of a series of publications of the Gallo-Roman pottery from excavations in the Valence-Avignon sector of the TGV méditerranée route. It allows us to sketch an overview of ceramic consumption from a specific sector of the Middle Rhone valley, the lower valley of the river Drome, between the Late La Tene period and the beginning of the Early Middle Ages. While very few regional workshops were found, their dynamism can be confirmed and evidence of special ties with mediterranean regions highlighted through a common morphological repertory.

Magnetic imaging of a late Bronze Age tumulus in France before and during excavation

Geophysical surveying is taking place in the Chatillon-sur-Seine area in France to examine and map prehistoric settlements and the structure of tumuli (grave-mounds which originally reached a height of up to 5 m but which are now almost level). The magnetic survey discussed here was conducted to detect archaeological structures within a late La Tene (100-50 bce) necropolis, in particular the preexcavation recording of a late Bronze Age round barrow. During the excavation, additional surveys were carried out to analyze the influence of immediate subsurface soil layers on the magnetic anomalies originating from the deeper archaeological features. Additional radar surveys made use of a 500 MHz antenna and a SIR-2 system from GSSI which clearly showed the archaeological structures, but the results presented here will focus on the magnetic data. Two family graves within a larger late La Tene necropolis dating to between 300 and 75 bce were archaeologically examined in 1967. The objective of the present geomagnetic survey was to find more graves and record the structure of the whole necropolis. A Geoscan FM36 gradiometer was used, the upper probe being at a distance of 0.9 m from the surface, the lower probe at 0.4 m. The use of a gradiometer is preferable in order to reduce or cancel the effects of background noise and of metallic objects near the area of investigation. Most archaeological anomalies hardly achieve a value of more than 10 nanotesla (nT); therefore, sample and traverse intervals of 0.25 m were chosen …

Paleoenvironmental study of the Carquefou site (Massif Armoricain, France) from the end of the Sub-boreal

The town of Carquefou, some 10 km northeast of Nantes on the left bank of the river Erdre, occupies a site long associated with human activity. During road construction east of the town, ditches, enclosures and post holes characteristic of the late la Tene were discovered at the locality of “Le Clouet”, which led us to obtain core samples from a nearby peat bog. These investigations indicated the changes in vegetation since 3915±95 uncal B.P., [2828 (2459) 2074 cal B.C.]. The slopes in the surroundings of the bog have been relatively treeless since the Bronze Age, but a very open woodland vegetation composed of Tilia, Corylus and Quercus has been maintained until the present day. In the area around the bog, and Alnus wood with an undergrowth of Cyperaceae was the dominant vegetation, despite some changes probably related to human occupation since the Bronze Age. Beginning at 955±35 uncal B.P. [1004 (1036, 1144, 1146) 1181 cal A.D.], in the Middle Ages, the alders disappeared almost totally, apparently because of clearance or an increase in water level. Human presence led to intensified cultivation of different crops including Cannabis and especially Cerealia. Finally, the presence of a variety of anthropogenic indicator plants (Cichorioideae, Asteraceae, Plantago lanceolata, etc.) suggests that cattle were reared in the vicinity of the site.

Un puits à cuvelage en bois de La Tène finale (Le Brézet, Clermont-Ferrand, Puy-de-Dôme) / A late La Tene wood-lined well (Le Brezet, cLermont-Ferrand, Puy-de-Dôme).

An archaeological evaluation undertaken in the Clermont Ferrand basin during 1997 led to the excavation of a wood-lined well. Analysis of the wooden structure has revealed the technics used for obtaining planks and original methods of assemblage for the late La Tene period. The finds also indicate that the well may have been re-used for a ritual purpose.

Late La Tène Figurative Painted Pottery: Diffusion of a Product or a Concept?

More and more figurative painted potteries are found in Late La Tene sites (Il-le B.C.). Even if the technology and the stylistic elements of these potteries seem similar, regional distinctions can be determined. The aim of this study is to confirm, with two main regions in France (Forez and Morvan), that these wares were produced in different workshops. The pottery's fabrics were studied chemically and mineralogically respectively using X-Ray Fluorescence (XRF) and polarising microscopy. The decorative coatings were analyzed using petrographic microscopy, X-Ray Diffraction (XRD) and Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) with Energy Dispersive Spectrometry (EDS). The results show few exchanges of manufactured ceramics on long distances. The large repartition of painted ceramic is mainly due to a sharing of informations and cultural standard, a fashion, adopted by the potters of different areas.

Terra sigillata z cmentarzyska kultury przeworskiej w Konopnicy, województwo sieradzkie

The excavations at the cemetery in Konopnica resulted in finding 114 fragments of terra sigillata from graves (Tab. 1) and 52 that were found loose. About 40% оf the whole collection was attributed to a certain producer or at least a workshop (Tab. 2, 3). The set is badly preserved, partially destroyed in fire of funeral pyres. The analysis revealed that the fragments of vessels come from the Rhineland workshops in Rheinzabern and the Rhaetia ones in Westerndorf and Pfaffenhoffen. Forms of vessels are represented by bowls Drag. 37. The analysis of terra sigillata fragments found in the graves proves that they were treated in the same way of breaking and burning in piles as hand-made vessels or turnery ones. They were also divided among the dead, e.g. fragments of Comitialis bowel from Westerndorf were found in four different graves (Tab. 4). Terra sigillata is known from the graves of various category, from the rich ones, as well as, from the poor (Tab. 5-7). Terra sigillata might have been a sort of the „souvenir of Imperium” for people from Barbaricum although it is unknown whether their owners had enough awamess of their provenance. The cemetery in Konopnica dates back from the Late La Tene period A2-A3 to the phase D of the Migration of Nations period. Terra sigillata collected there dates back from the half of the phase B2/C1 to the end of the phase Cl. The forms are clearly connected with the flow of import after the Markomanian wars.

Human impact as registered in the pollen record: some results from the western Lake Constance region, Southern Germany

Pollen analytical results from a littoral profile taken in Lake Constance compared with pollen profiles from small kettle holes nearby form the basis for conclusions concerning human population density, the economy and environment from the Neolithic period to the Middle Ages. Early Neolithic human impact is implicated in a lime decline and also the expansion of beech. The late Neolithic lakeshore settlements caused a decline of elm, beech and lime and, by shifting cultivation, considerably changed the forest cover. The settlements were abandoned after less than 100 years. There were long periods without distinct human impact in the middle and towards the end of the late Neolithic period. Since at least the Late Bronze Age there has been permanent habitation in the region. Human impact was greatest in the High Medieval period and later, and was also substantial in the late La Tene and Roman periods. Distinct declines in human impact can be observed between the La Tene and Roman periods and in the Migration and Merovingian periods. In these intervals, open land and grazed oak forest were replaced by birch and later on by beech forests. The decreases in human impact are not of the same intensity in all diagrams.

A Roman Legionary Helmet found in Poland

The excavations of the Late La Tene, Early Roman cemetery (1st century B.C./2nd-3rd centuries A.D.), carried out by the author at Siemiechow on the Warta river in July 1982 revealed a grave (designated by No. 25) whose inventory has caused a real sensation. Most of the 39 cremation graves so far uncovered on site 2 at Siemiechow were richly furnished with weapons showing Celtic influences and with pottery indicating contacts between the Warta lands and the territories occupied by the Germanic Marcomanni. Bronze brooches are probably derived from the Roman province Noricum. A miniature representation of an iron shield is a unique find. The shield though of Celtic origin is dated by a fragmentary comb of rudimentary construction to the 2nd century A.D. Attention is also claimed by a set of miniature tools and various articles dated to the early 1st century A.D.

More on Burial Customs as an Archaeological Source

Previous articleNext article No AccessDiscussion and CriticismMore on Burial Customs as an Archaeological SourceTadeusz MalinowskiTadeusz Malinowski Search for more articles by this author PDFPDF PLUS Add to favoritesDownload CitationTrack CitationsPermissionsReprints Share onFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditEmail SectionsMoreDetailsFiguresReferencesCited by Current Anthropology Volume 24, Number 4Aug. - Oct., 1983 Sponsored by the Wenner-Gren Foundation for Anthropological Research Article DOIhttps://doi.org/10.1086/203043 Views: 5Total views on this site Copyright 1983 The Wenner-Gren Foundation for Anthropological ResearchPDF download Crossref reports no articles citing this article.

182. An Ornamented Spearhead of the Late La Tene Period from the Thames at London.

182. An Ornamented Spearhead of the Late La Tene Period from the Thames at London.