Brudnice Site V: A Przeworsk Culture Cemetery in the Heart of a Settlement Void

Description

As promised a few years ago on the occasion of the publication of the Kuczbork-Osada site (2018), it gives me great pleasure to present you with another, fourth in total, book on the subject of the Borderland and, at the same time, the second monograph in the series, this time concerning site V at Brudnice — the site where much, not to say everything, started. “Finally,” many of you will no doubt think. After all, individual material concerning the Brudnice cemetery has been presented on various occasions. “Already,” I will say to that. Let us not forget that the last shovel was driven into the ground at the site in 2019, and the last grave with Przeworsk culture contents was only discovered in 2017. Many of you will also feel unsatisfied with the publication of only the Przeworsk culture part of the cemetery. However, this is due to the fact that the book presents the results of many specialist analyses, including ones which have not been previously carried out for Przeworsk culture sites and which have significantly affected the cost of preparing the publication. Yet, it seems that such an approach should become standard in the 21st century. As it is, the publication boasts, among others, analyses of fatty acids and biomarkers from the vessels’ walls and analyses of strontium residues from the cremated material. Thanks to such studies, we obtain completely new information on both the everyday life and interpersonal contacts of the then inhabitants of northern Mazovia. Nevertheless, I also hope that we will soon be able to see the second volume of the Brudnice monograph, presenting the next two stages of use of this extraordinary cemetery. The first involves the Wielbark culture occupation in the late Roman period, the second concerns the re–use of the site during the Migration period. Introduction 11 Location and state of preservation of the site 11 Catalogue 19 Analysis of archaeological material 71 Dress accessories and decorations 71 Brooches 71 Copper–alloy pins 75 Antler pins 76 S–shaped clasps 77 Pendants 77 Clay knobs of type Bernaschivka 78 Beads 78 Bracelets 79 Finger–rings 79 Belt elements 79 Belt hooks 79 Belt buckles 80 Strap–ends 82 Belt mounts 83 Tools and items of everyday use 84 Combs 84 Needles 84 Awls 84 Fire strikers 85 Fire–flints 85 Crescent–shaped knife 85 Whetstone 85 Metal and bone handles 85 Spindle whorls 85 Keys and casket elements 86 Casket lock fittings 86 Casket fittings 86 Shells 86 Rings loop rivets 87 Unidentified object 87 Pottery 89 Group A 89 Group B 91 Group D 93 Group E 94 Unusual forms 95 Funerary rite at the Brudnice cemetery 97 Stone structures 100 Function of vessels placed in graves 103 Results of strontium analysis and their interpretation 105 Chronology of the Przeworsk culture part of the Brudnice cemetery 107 Bibliography 111 Appendices: Appendix I: Paweł Gan / Archaeometric analyses of non–ferrous artefacts from Brudnice site V, Żuromin County 119 Appendix II: Joanna Kałużna-Czaplińska, Andźelika Rosiak, Andrzej Szela / Analysis of organic residues preserved in the walls of earthenware vessels from site V in the village of Brudnice, Żuromin County 125 Appendix III: Maciej Pawlikowski / Results of mineralogical raw material and technological analyses of the pottery from the Brudnice site V, Żuromin County 135 Appendix IV: Monika Dzierlińska / Human remains from the Przeworsk culture graves at the Brudnice cemetery, site V, Żuromin County 143 Plates 173 Photographs 267