Weklice: A Cemetery of the Wielbark Culture in Eastern Margin of Vistula Delta (Excavations 1984-2004)

Description

Translation: Anna Kinecka. The cemetery of Wielbark culture at Weklice, site 7, in Elbląg commune and district, Warmińsko-Mazurskie voivodship, situated in the Elbląg Heights, at 54˚06'55'' longitude N and 19˚34'23'' latitude, is entered into the AZP (National Archaeological Record) under no. 1 within the AZP area 17-53. Substantial damage of the cemetery from excavation by robbers already during the antique period as well as later early medieval occupation (documented by relics interpreted as the periphery of a settlement and probably cemetery), extraction of gravel and sand, and finally, deep ploughing, had by the time of the 1984 investigation resulted in the destruction or disturbance of a large percen tage of the graves. even so, excavation and documentation of several hundred graves which had escaped disturb ance or had suffered only partial damage, together with the recovery from the area of the gravefield investigated to date of more than 2500 non-pottery finds, generated an archaeological set of evidence having an exceptional cognitive value. of special value are observations, carefully documented during investigation, of grave forms, ways of treating the buried body, and evidence of practices associated with magic, and of special ceremonial burial clothing. These and many other peculiarities, as e.g. the custom of boat burial borrowed from the inhabitants of Bornholm, or introduction of numerous of amulets – a Sarmatian influence, are the main object of description and study in the presented monograph, bringing information about the unexpectedly interesting colour of the local culture and contacts with neighbours and possible areas of origin of the immigrant people who by their advent contributed to the demographic potential of this attractive land.