Land of Prosperity
The third and fourth centuries between the Odra and the Vistula
- 01 Pottery vessel from a grave found in the cemetery at Skrobotowo
- 02 Glass vessel from a grave found in the cemetery at Półchleb
- 03 Hoard of folles of Constantine the Great found at Sibin
- 04 Glass bead from a grave found at Włościbórz
- 05 Silver necklace found at Machnów Stary
- 06 Hoard of denarii in a pottery vessel found at Resko
- 07 Bronze brooches from graves 8 and 9 found in the cemetery at Dębczyno
- 08 Pottery vessel from grave II found in cemetery 25 at Moroczyn
- 09 Goods from grave 61 found in cemetery 1C at Gródek nad Bugiem
In the third and the fourth century the territory of Poland was settled mostly by Germanic peoples. The diversity of their material and spiritual culture is represented by several distinct archaeological cultures. With time, the Goths gradually withdrew from Pomerania moving towards the Black Sea steppes, followed later by the Gepids and the Heruls. Southern and central Poland was inhabited by the Vandals, the lands on the middle Odra presumably by the Burgundians. Only north-eastern Poland had a non-Germanic population – the Western Balts.
Europe at the end of the Roman Period (4th c.); after P. Kaczanowski, J. K. Kozłowski
The expansion of the Goths in the 2nd–4th c.; after A. Kokowski
1 – northern European Barbaricum; 2 – culture of Franks, Saxons and Frisians; 3 –Elbian cultures; 4 – Przeworsk culture; 5 –Dębczyno group; 6 – Wielbark culture; 7 – Luboszyce culture; 8 –West Balt Culture; 9 – Brushed Pottery culture; 10 – Kyiv culture; 11 –Chernyakhov culture; 12 – Carpathian Tumuli culture
Over these two centuries the peoples living in what is now Poland experienced a major economic growth. Its results included the introduction of the potter’s wheel and iron implements in agriculture, and an intensification of iron metallurgy. Thanks to various forms of contact of the Germanic peoples with the Roman Empire numerous imports entered the Barbaricum from Roman provinces – bronze, silver and glass vessels (Półchleb [2]), jewellery (Włościbórz [4]), weapons and coins, many of them deposited in hoards (Sibin [3]). Local power centres took form, as expressed by rich burials containing silver and gold jewellery alongside imported objects, some of them luxury items like those found in the elite graves discovered at Wrocław-Zakrzów.
On the eve of the Migration Period the regions of Central Europe were enjoyed a time of a relative peace and prosperity.
Brooch decorated in the “Wielbark Baroque” style and silver brooches dated to the Late Roman Period, some with gold appliqué. Found in graves at the cemetery at Weklice, Elbląg District; after M. Natuniewicz-Sekuła, J. Okulicz-Kozaryn
Ornaments and imported luxury objects found in a grave at Wrocław-Zakrzów; Archives of the Archaeological Museum, Branch of the City Museum of Wrocław
Necklace of glass beads from a grave found at Włościbórz, Kołobrzeg District; the National Museum in Szczecin Archives
