Vidurio Lietuva: Rytų prekybos kelio beieškant

LTMirusiųjų deginimo paprotys, įvairiais vėlyvaisiais geležies amžiaus laikotarpiais užfiksuotas beveik visose Lietuvos archeologinėse kultūrose, Vidurio Lietuvoje datuojamas VI-XII a. (Bertašius M. 1994. P. 57, 66). Tačiau kol kas plačiau neaptartas ir neapibūdintas mirusiųjų deginimo papročio visuotinis ir spartus paplitimas šiame krašte. Pradiniam šio papročio gyvavimo etapui būdingas palaipsnis plitimas, mirusiųjų palaikus laidojant arba pilkapiuose, arba, rečiau, pavieniuose kapuose greta pilkapių (Astrauskas A. 1995. P. 34; Bertašius M. 1994. P. 5 7). Tačiau VII-VIII a. sandūroje atsiranda visiškai nauja tradicija - Vidurio Lietuvoje mirusieji pradedami laidoti tik lygioje, tik tam tikslui skirtoje vietoje. Kapai formuoja savotiškus degintinių kapų laukus. Jie sunkiai datuojami, nes nemaža dalis kapų turi kuklias įkapes, kurios paprastai susilydžiusios ir aptrupėjusios. Tokio kapinyno paviršiuje susiformuoja ištisinis tamsios degėsin- gos žemės sluoksnis, kuriame randami atskiri sudegę kaulai, pavieniai radiniai ar jų fragmentai. Tačiau sluoksnio struktūra neleidžia jo tapatinti su deginimo vieta. Kaip ir anksčiau, mirusieji kremuojami greta kapinyno, o laidojami nedidelėse žemėje iškastose duobutėse. Beveik visuose tokiuose kapinynuose gausu žirgų kapų. Tokie degintinių kapų laukai Lietuvoje analogijų neturi [p. 12].

ENThe Lithuanian archaeological literature does not present a unified opinion about the origin and spread of cremation customs in Lithuania during the V-XII centuries. This paper addresses the problem from a regional perspective, namely the economic/ecological zone of the Baltic coast (i.e. the peri-Baltic). From the VII-VIII centuries onwards, trade connections greatly intensified in the peri-Baltic. In part, this was facilitated by similar geographic and climatic conditions. Environmental adoption helped to establish commonality between different periBaltic ethnic groups. For example, a similar socio-economic structure emerged, shared by Scandinavians, West Slavs and West Balts. The author would like to emphasize that during the VIII-X centuries numerous ethnic groups in the peri-Baltic shared the custom of cremation as well as other pagan religious practices - evident from similarities in Baltic, Scandinavian and Slavic national mythologies. This paper describes a certain type of cremation ritual - a unique flat burial field whose upper surface has a dark layer filled with charred wood particles (in the English- language literature - "layered cremation burials”, in the German literature - Brandschichtengraber). It should be noted that the dark layer does not necessarily represent the location of the cremations themselves. The cremations are in association with nearby ritual horse burials. The occurrence of this cremation complex appears to be restricted to central Lithuania.Across the peri-Baltic, somewhat similar burials are found in Germanic areas (Saxony). Greater similarity can be-found in the burials of coastal West Slavs, and the greatest resemblance occurs in Old Prussian, burials of the Sambian and Elblag (Poland) area. In Marvelė cemetery such earlier cremated burials display greater wealth, often represented by a broken/folded sword. Although ritually-broken burial goods are known from many countries, during the VI-IX centuries this tradition is particularly visible in Gotland. Scandinavian-type burials are known from Elblag and Grobin (Latvia). These sites have very similar cremation burial fields, and folded one-edged swords (Sax) are found in several of the Grobin burials. In comparing burial goods from the Kaunas Marvelė burial ground with contemporary peri-Baltic sites, we find unmistakable connections with the Old Prussians (based on borrowed brooch types) as well as Scandinavia (Burial 787 contained a Scandinavian-style spearhead with a "ridged" exterior surface of the socket). Measurements of the Sax-type one-edged sword in the Marvelė burials correspond to those found in Gotland graves. In view of burial type, burial goods, ritually-broken weapons, and similar socioeconomic development level pf peri-Baltic nations, I propose that the Marvelė cremations can be dated to 670-730 and 800-870. They represent members of the nobility, who were influenced by the traditions of neighboring ethnic groups (Old Prussians, Gotlanders). The establishment of these nobles was related to their active involvement in Viking activity in the search for eastern trade routes. It is likely, ten, that some of the one-edged Sax-type swords found in Lithuania, i.e. the ritually- broken/folded examples (Fig.) represent imported weapons.