Graduate European
Archaeology Skills Exchange (GrEASE)
Placement dates: 27th August to 22nd October 2008
Duration: 8 weeks
Number of places: 8
The GrEASE placement in Stropkov in 2004 and 2005 focused on the excavation of a 'virgin' site. The aim of the excavation was to establish whether the 'Bluefield' castle, known from literary sources, was located on this site. The location of the research, a hill some 5 km from the main town of Stropkov, shows clearly visible fortified banks and ditches. The results of these axcavations indicate that the site was not the location of the 'bluefield castle' but was that of a smaller fortification from the Brethren Period.
The 2006 and 2007 excavations focused on Stropkov-Sitník and Vlaca which investigated evidence of occupation during the Bronze Age. Stropkov-Sitnik is located in a cultivated field on the outskirts of Stropkov. Fieldwalking by local archaeologists has revealed a cluster of bronze-age finds in the field and in 2007 the area was investigated through excavation. The excavation in 2008 will continue on the site of Vlaca, in order to gain a deeper understanding of its history.
During the 8-week placement, participants will excavate to explore the hypothesis that the site was the location of a Bronze-Age settlement. Sampling strategies may be adopted and geophysical techniques may also be employed on the site. The excavations will be conducted under the guidance of local archaeologist Maria Kotarova.
Importance and Vlaca research contribution
The site is in Vlaca village cadastre, on a striking right bank
terrace of the Topla River.
The locality is known since the 80s of the 20th century as a poly-cultural
locality with mostly Slavonic settlement period. A living object with fireplace
from the 7th -8th century was uncovered by short-term research.
The oldest settlement up to the present - from the younger to later Bronze
Age - was found out during two research seasons (2003 and 2006), when 15 whole
objects were caught and parts of 5 more in trench's profiles, 20 peat holes,
without a possibility of system reconstruction and a place with conspicuous
concentration of very calcified bones that we cannot functionally specified
yet. The objects mostly present bottoms of store holes. Three objects, respectively
their parts, could be bottoms of huts and one object was a fireplace.
Numerous ceramic material, exceptionally iron and bronze subjects, sporadically
course stuff and stone artefacts were found into the objects and into cultural
layer of the soil. Osteological material in a few amounts was preserved mostly
deer's. We can watch widespread of forms of ceramic material. Very often are
conic and profiled bowls, with a handle and pots. Less are amphoral forms
and cups. Except exceptional cases of small fragments from bodies of pots
made by potter's wheel and graphite ceramic unambiguously dated to the La
Téne, very rare findings of Slavonic ceramic and sporadically found
small fragments of modern ceramic with a glaze that were mixed into the cultural
layer of the ground from nowadays during ploughing, we can date a set of ceramic
findings from Vlaca from younger period of the Bronze Age to Halstat. Bowls
with tordic edges and some cups belong to younger period of the Bronze Age;
to Halstat respectively late Bronze Age period sharp-edged profiled bowls.
The Halstat elements are flat ceramic mats and intentional coursing of outer
surface of pots that are often in Vlaca ceramic fragments. Probably we can
include also specific ceramic forms with circle mouth, a small hollow and
unknown end (no one from four subjects is not completed). Analogically from
Poland we presume they are casting crucible and they prove metallurgical activity
on the locality.
The knowledge gained through excavations is very important for the settlements
of the Topla river catchment and relationship to Trans-Carpathian regions.
In the Bronze Age, in its younger periods (Reinecke BD-HB), the first bloom
of settlements also starts in more mountainous areas of northeast Slovakia.
This settlement is ascribed to the expansive Gava Culture penetrating from
south parts of Europe (Hungary, Romania) extended far to north (Poland - up
to Krakow region). Recently we find out it is not unambiguous monoculture
but there share more cultural influences and direct interventions there. The
achieved set is very hopeful and after its more detailed analytic process
from cultural point of view and chronological identity, it can bring important
knowledge for next researches of this interesting part of prehistory.
Description of the site for the GrEASE participants Vlaca - polycultural settlement with dominant settlement in the Bronze and Halstat Age
I. Cultural situation in the region
The most east regions of Slovakia belong to archaeologically less researched
regions, including the Bronze Age. Although, during last decades were explored
numerous new localities, north-east of former Eastern Slovakia but especially
its mountainous border line does not come up to the level of settlement knowledge
in other regions of Slovakia and neighbouring Poland and the Ukraine. This
ascertainment is including younger periods of the Bronze Age, when more intensive
settlement started to be here, according to many signals and its intersection
to uninhabited or sporadically settled terrains at that time.
Watching nowadays knowledge from neighbouring states territories, where a
direct relation is stated with a settlement of wider the Tisa (the Ukraine)
River catchment or considerable interference from the Carpathian basin (Poland).
So, it is also possible to presume the settlement of mountainous parts of
northeast Slovakia, which is geographical continuity of the area and it was
its integral part in the meaning of culture.
Three peculiar cultural circles of urn-fields, during the middle Bronze Age
crystallised that were developed up to the end of the Bronze Age. Representatives
of the Lusathian culture settled northern Slovakia; a complex of the middle
Danube urn-fields was spread out in southwest Slovakia and eastern Slovakia
together with south of middle Slovakia belonged to a region residence of southeast
urn-fields.
Monuments of three cultures, of the last mentioned circle, are caught in the
upper Slovakian Tisa catchment at that time period, which represents the oldest
middle European complex of urn-fields. Pilin culture (Reinecke BB - BD/HA1)
is spread in north of the Košice basin, Prešov surroundings in the
middle Bronze Age and in the beginning of younger Bronze Age and Suciu de
Sus culture (BB2 - BD) in Eastern Slovakia Lowland in the catchments of the
Laborec, Ondava and Topla Rivers. The Gava culture is the dominant culture
from younger to late Bronze Age, somewhere up to older Iron Age (BD/HA1 -
HB3/HC).
We do not keep files of the direct Lusathian settlement in southwest urn-fields,
in the Slovakian upper Tisa catchment, but more and more evidently surfaces
an influence of material culture from the Lusathian background as in the bronze
industry as in forms and decorative ceramic details. We can see also an influence
of the Kyjatic culture.
We register 225 localities (324 locations) in the region - 12 are from the Pilin culture, from the Suciu de Sus culture are 23 and from the Gava culture are163 localities. We do not know to define 27 localities. Only 27 (12%) of them were researched of various levels (from short-term surveying to several seasons systematic researches). Neither this low percentage is a full-value information because results of more important sites were not presented sufficiently yet (Somotor, Ostrovany, etc.).
II. Economy of southeast urn-fields cultures
Agriculture and livestock breeding were basic production branch of cultures
of urn-fields economy in the region giving nourishment and an overproduction.
A character of region settlement in the young and late Bronze Age shows permanent,
often long-term settlements using positive facts of nature. These facts prove
to the idea inhabitants of the Slovak upper Tisa catchment in the period had
stable economy with preferring of ground cultivation and additional livestock
breeding. An important role in their economy was other additional sources,
especially hunting and certainly picking and fishing. We also presume many
economical activities that qualitatively influenced communities' life. A metallurgical
production, pottery, spinning and weaving are archaeologically proved. Probably
more and more important role was exchange especially in south-north direction.
Economy had increasing tendency, which reflects to an intersection into less
fertile regions, using of less suitable agricultural grounds and settlements
of higher locations. Important role in their economical system had fortified
settlements that had strategically-defensive functions and were production
centres; centres of developing exchanges and probably also of a cult. Economy
decline does not start until the end of the Bronze Age. Decreasing of settlements
density, decreasing of bronze making is a form of an economy crisis and the
whole society system. Sudden interruption of perspective development probably
caused more factors. Maybe most likely was Nomads invasion, climatic changes
respectively plagues or other catastrophes that are not registered.
III. The Gava culture
The Gava culture (named according to eponymy locality in Hungary) is the Slovak
upper Tisa catchment the most important phenomenon in the young and late Bronze
Age and it survives in some modifications until the Halstat period. It is
only a side area of Slovakia from the point of view of the whole extension.
It is spread in Transcarpathia, Transylvania, northeast Hungary and Vojvodina.
An important enclave of the Gava culture is in southeast Poland. Even it is
recorded in the form of imported products in Germany.
The most intensive settlement in Slovakia is registered in Eastern Slovakia
Lowland. The Gava culture is registered on former region of residence of the
Suciu de Sus culture, but it is much larger, it is also in north of Košice
basin, adjacent area of Šariš Highland and perspires to the area
of Ondava Highland. The settlement of the Gava culture does not concentrate
only onto the most suitable natural terrains and social and economical presumes.
It moves northwards, it does not avoid highlands and perspires to upper locations.
Only areas with suitable conditions are settled.
The most numerous source of knowledge of the Gava culture are settlements.
We register them onto 140 localities and 25 of them are upland locations.
However big proportion of this determination has surface gathering or short
term surveying researches that explanation ability is very low.
IV. Vlaca
The research on Vlaca locality (okres Vranov nad Toplou) is very contributing
just to clarify the chronology of the Gava culture, its contacts to the Lusathian
culture as well as a trailing of ways penetrating to Poland. The site extends
in the Beskydy foothills, on the right bank of the Topla River, in mountainous
relief of differential structures. From the geological point of view, it is
an area extending on tableland and hillside sediments of polygen origin (argillaceous,
argillaceous-clayey, even argillaceous-skeleton) with rocks and semi-stones,
clay-stones and sandstones.
There were only three research seasons here up to now. During the first short
research in 1983 was uncovered a partially eroded structure (research of Juraj
Macák and Pavola Macala), of an oval ground plan with trough bottom
and a pothole with fireplace traces in northeast part. From the pothole were
taken out animals' bones, river stones and handmade decorated ceramics from
before Great Moravian horizon (7th - 8th century). Because of the find, this
locality was registered as a settlement from Slavic period but from later
on surface gathering were found materials from the late Roman period and it
was presumed the locality could say more about early Slavonic period (5th
- 6th century).
Next short term research (Mária Kotorová-Jencová) in
2003, during safety works connecting to investment building, uncovered three
complete settlement structures (storing holes) and some parts of 3 more structures,
8 pit holes without any possibility to reconstruct the system (insufficiently
uncovered area) and a place with big concentration of digestible calcite bones
that we have not known to specify. Uncovered structures had a circular form
with its outfall from 0.8 to 1.6 m and depth 0.55 - 0.6 m. Not completed uncovered
structures were sketched at walls of a trench and one of the structures, by
south profile, could be an edge of a larger settlement building (uncovered
length 1.8 m). The area of the site is intensively cultivated and therefore
the structures are mostly ploughed up. Numerous ceramic materials were found
into the filling of the structures and in cultural layers of the soil, exceptionally
iron subjects, sporadically coursed stuff and stone artefacts. A few bony
materials preserved from wild animals mostly deer's. We trace a wide forms
range in ceramic materials. Conical and profiled bowls are often and very
often with handles and pots, less amphoral forms and cups. Except rare cases
of small fragments from pots' bodies and graphite ceramic unambiguously dated
to the Laten, very rare findings of Slavonic ceramics and sporadically found
small fragments of modern ceramics with glazes, maybe a collection of ceramic
findings from Vlaca caught in 2003 research and put it from the younger Bronze
Age to the Halstat.
A short-term research was in the locality in 2006, done into
the framework of the project Know and Open Cultural Richness Up Together in
a grant scheme of Interreg III A, Poland - Slovakia.
The research was led by combined method - partially excavation was done by
tractor and cleaning of structures found in subsoil by hands. It connected
areally to the 2003 research northwards.
Because from the last time ascertainments (from 2003) were obviously the area
is cultivated and a depth of the cultural layer is about 0.5 - 0.7 m. We uncovered
the layer to the depth about 0.5 m onto the area of 18.5 x 15.5 m. The method
was a compromising inevitable solution, having limited financial funds for
the research and for our effort to find more data about the wide range settlement.
We uncovered the area by hands; we cleaned it onto the subsoil and completed
the profiles of the trench.
The structures were sketched here clearly. Completing the structures and the
trench at all we realised a problem of mixed soil. It arose by apparent seeps
in this type of the soil and by activities of biological factors. The clear
edges of the structures in the beginning tapered and a form of the structures
changed.
We found 10 complete structures, 3 structures cut by the trench but more of
them were caught and 16 pit holes. 8 structures had circular respectively
oval form, 2 of them oval one but slightly deformed, 1 structure had irregular
oblong form and 1 structure cannot be defined (from the northern wall of the
trench). We presume, from the caught part, it was circular or oval structure.
Three structures, because of their dimensions, we guess they could be dwellings,
one structure could be with a stove and for the other 9 of them the most likely
function could be storage holes. Pit holes do not offer unambiguous possibility
of identification of above ground structures. However they were their integral
parts.
We have got 1 bronze tab, 1 bronze stick, 1 ceramic cup, 1 bigger reconstructable
bowl, 1 partially reconstructable cup (a handle is missing), many ceramic
fragments, charcoal, fragments of bones, 1 big grindstone, fragments of smaller
grindstones and fragments of abrasive stones. We can state, the materials
were numerous concerning to uncovered area, but very fragmentary.
We classify them, after a preliminary materials evaluation, to the Gava culture
with an influence of western and northwest neighbours and chronologically
we classify them to the end of the Bronze Age and the beginning of the Halstat
period (HB - HC). For more exact dating a detail analysis is needed. It would
be good to have more chronologically more sensitive materials.
V. Conclusion
After three short-term research seasons of the locality is evident it is very
important locality, which research can contribute to a solution of important
questions of development of a wider range of Slovak - Polish borderline in
the end of the Bronze Age and in the beginning of the Halstat period. Just
from the reason a next research would be desired. Moreover, farmers did not
do anything on the locality where probably younger settlements existed (from
the Laten period and from the Slavonic period as well) because materials were
sporadically found but no structures from the younger periods.
The following reports from the Modre Pole excavations will give applicants a good understanding of life in Stropkov and the experiences of previous participants. Grampus staff will gladly deal with further enquiries if you contact us by e.mail
Read the report written by Warren Bailie, a participant in Slovakia in 2004
Read the report written by Kathryn Grant, a participant in Slovakia in 2004
Read the letter of invitation and practical placement details from 2006
Read the site description and archaeological background from the host partners.
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The new excavation site for 2006 / 2007 Site of suspected Bronze-Age activity (below) |
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GrEASE Excavations in Slovakia 2005
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2004 excavations in Slovakia
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Approaching the 'Bluefield' hill
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The 2004 excavation team
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Visible bank and ditch fortifications
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Trenches excavated by the group in 2004
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Spiss Castle - Visited in 2004
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