Early Medieval pottery from the upper Drwęca mesoregion

Abstract

The main objective of the paper was to present the results of a multi-faceted analysis of the Early Medieval pottery from the Upper Drwęca Mesoregion. Pottery, which is the subject of analysis was discovered during the verifying trial excavation conducted by the expedition of Institute of Archaeology Nicolaus Copernicus University on Early Medieval hill forts in Domkowo, Lipowiec, Morliny, and Ornowo-Lesiak.

The results of the analysis of the technical-technological, morphological, and stylistic aspects were presented. The analysis, as well as tracing analogies allowed to make certain hypothesis relating to the chronology of various assemblages collected during the carried out in settlement complexes, and sites. At the same time it also provided basis for dating the habitation of the Upper Drwęca basin.

Analysed pottery was basis for determining the chronology of particular sites. The chronology of the Ornowo-Lesiak hill fort, until yet dated widely to the period from 9th till 12th century, at present may be restricted to the period from the last decades of the 10th till the second half of 11th century. The hill fort in Domkowo should be probably dated back to the turn of 10th and 11th century. A small number of ceramic sources collected during excavation of Lipowiec and Morliny hill forts only allows conditional dating of these sites to 11–12th century.