Lietuvos archeologija

This paper focuses on a unique Nortycken-type bronze battle-axe recently discovered as part of the Late Bronze Age hoard (Br D – Ha A1) at the site Olešná in Southern Bohemia. The battle-axe probably originates from the Eastern Baltic or Northern Poland, where similar artifacts are primarily dated to Period I-III of the Bronze Age. The possible role of this artifact in Southern Bohemia remains in question. The Nortycken-type battle-axe was likely imported over a considerable distance, but there is no evidence of a connection to local Bronze Age elites. The archaeological record does not indicate the presence of such elites in the region of Southern Bohemia (Czech Republic).

In this paper, we present the main results of interdisciplinary project that allowed us to formulate a new perspective on the economy of the Late Bronze Age in the Eastern Baltic region. New excavations at the Late Bronze Age fortified settlements of Garniai 1 (Utena district municipality) and Mineikiškės (Zarasai district municipality) lead us to analyse the economy of the communities in much greater detail and to formulate a more reliable economical model than before. This paper reviews the new results of archaeobotanical investigations of these fortified settlements, as well as δ13C and δ15N data of food remains in Late Bronze Age pottery, grains and animal bone collagen samples. These analyses allowed us to refine and clarify the likely dietary practices of consumers of certain products in the Eastern Baltic region. The paper also publishes new data on the elemental composition and lead isotopes of metalware, thereby adding to our earlier findings These studies show that metallurgy as a specialized activity did not play a significant role in the Late Bronze Age economy, but its emergence was driven by the economic changes of the period. In contrast, the production of high-level bone-antler artifacts reflects the activity of specialized craftsmen in Late Bronze Age settlements.