Lietuvos istorijos institutas

The article is devoted to the traditions and technological aspects of Bronze Age and Pre-Roman Iron Age burial pottery in the eastern Baltic. Three types of cemeteries were investigated – flat cemeteries, barrows and stone ship settings. In total, pottery from 13 cemeteries was analysed macroscopically, microscopically and in context. The results of the study show that funerary pottery had different meanings – urns, grave goods, and probably part of a general funerary rite not associated with specific graves. Urn burials followed the main trends of inhumation and cremation burials and were placed in either stone structures or pits. Grave goods – cups and medium-sized pots - were found in inhumations and cremations, mainly placed in the head area of the deceased. The techno-stylistics of the vessels indicate that although the clay paste recipes were similar to those used for household vessels, the funerary pottery did not follow the general trends in shape and surface treatment of household vessels. Analogies to some funerary pottery can be traced in the Sambian peninsula and Scandinavia.

The Daugava River has been one of the most important traffic arteries in the Eastern Baltic region. The establishment of more than 30 hillforts alongside this river reflects the importance of this waterway. Most of these hillforts are understudied. Thus, the bigger picture regarding the hillforts’ inhabitation patterns, chronology, environment, and function(s) remain unknown. As such, the INHILLDAUGAR project seeks to systematically analyze the river’s landscape on a macro scale by combining palaeoenvironmental, archaeological, and linguistic studies. This article presents the genesis of the INHILLDAUGAR project and preliminary results from the 2022 and 2023 field campaigns.