S5001378 (2)

CELTIC SETTLEMENT IN SLOVAKIA YOUNO LA TŻNE PERIOD

the Danube region stood at the formation of the Pu chov Culture, which is on one hand peripheral and considerably diverse, but on the other is in many respects an original part of European Celtic La Tćne civilization.The Middle Danube region is, in the last century BC, represented by the consolidation of the Boian domain, characterized by the network of pro-duction and trade centres. Large economic and po-liticai potentiai is documented by a unique monetary system of its rulers and rich evidence of production and long-distance trade at oppida, notably in Brati-slava and Devin.

At the same period of rime, another important factor appears on the scene - Dacian tribal union. Archaeological finds testify that the Darians raoved north of the river Danube in the first half of the 1“ century BC, when mixed Celto-Dacian materiał culture appears in the Nitra river basin and by the Danube River. It reaches its greatest extent at the end of the century. Dacian finds occur at oppida in Bratislava in relation to historical sources about the defeated Boii and in relation to the end of Celtic coinage on the Middle Danube. Towards the end of the last century BC, influences firom the Noricum can be observed in west Slovakia and further traces of the Przeworsk Culture infiltration are recognized from behind the Carpathian arc to the Danube River.

A new chapter was opened by Romans, who en-tered the area of the Middle Danube and at the very beginning also touched strategically situated Devin. The colonisation by Germanie groups changed the ethnic map of this area for several centuries.

Studies of the protohistoric period bring to light issues, which used to be marginal within archaeological research.The question of historical and ethnic continuity arises together with the issue of roots of modem society, which until today have been popu-larly traced in Celtic civilization and its heritage. Nevertheless, specialists are interested in looking for the evidence of autochthonous Middle European Slavic inhabitants. However, these attempts meet some difficulties when speaking about archaeological sources in the mountain areas.

Works of past decades have enabled us to sys-tematize and define the chronology of Celtic coloni-zation as well as Bettlement at the edge of the main Danube zonę. Likewise, it was possible to recognize historical key points of this very complex period of time. It is worthwhile to mention u series of reiatrd changes in this area. First, there is a change* in the settlement structure in the Dnmibe region at the endofthephaseCl.Second.it is the formation of the I Puchov Culture at around the century BC.Third, I the Celtic settlement and production centres become I initially discontinuous and graduaily fade from exis- I tence.Fourth.a transit ion zonę develops between the I Celtic areas in the south-west and the Puchov settle- I ments in northem Slovakia. Filih, the first evidence I of a Roman presence on the Danube becomes appa- I rent. Sixth, fortifications throughout northem Slova- I kia are deserted almost simultaneously. Seventh, the I fali of the Puchov Culture and finally.a gradual fallof I economic centres of oppida type have been proven.

3. SETTLEMENT STRUCTURES AND URBANISM

Systematic regional surveys a: , cli as smaller exca-vations have supplemented * settlement map of Slovakia and have deepeneci knowledge about settlement structure of the ■ Iron Age in the northem part of the Carpathj isin. Besides smali agrarian villages and large pr- r ion and trade cen-tres, there are also smali proc. on centres, indus-trial zones, occasional trade v >es and several re-ligious structures. The most important were central sites. Large fortified settlement areas - oppida - only sporadically infiltrated beyond the Carpathian arc (Bratislava-Devin, Trenćianske Bohuslavice). Other east LaTene centres known as Zemplin-type had fortified acropolii with adjacent production and trade villages.This model can be found in the Danube and Tisza region as well as in the Carpathian area with the Puchov Culture.The work points to chronological and utilitarian differences among particular centres. These were graduaily terminating in several time ho-rizons (at the tum of phases C2/D1, at the end of Dl and in the phase D2 - in west Slovakia) and at the beginning of the Roman period (Bla - Puchov Culture). Enclosed settlement areas representing original economic and organisation structures are recognizable at some places in the country, mostly in the moun-tains.These places are known due to the distribution of coins, produced in local centres.

4. SETTLE

Major progi yancement faateners ;u Young La i cally aemi middle of ti tion, bread of atorage j aouth-westi

dominated rounding < built at th outbuildin and variou served slope at the

NT AHCHITECTURE

was madę in architecture. Crafts ad tably smithery of carpenter's tools, pelta played an im porta nt role in the ¹ architecture development. Specifi-j-rranean houses with połes set in the er walls, workshops of pile construc-na, pottery kilna and varioua typea Iwere built at Iow land settlement* of Slovakia. Large hall buildinga are by now gone. Ground-level dwellinga with log or tim-ber-framed construction built on a stone baae pręta u p land areaa. La ter, influenced by sur-rma nic settlement,six-post houses were fie beginning of the Roman period. Among rigs granaries were built as well aa ovens us typea of enclosure*. Evidence of well pre-mains of wooden constructions or terraced ping and gravel roads is given by bog layers ‘ lement Liptovska Mara II.

5- FO ! FICATIONS

Fort i:    ton art plays a specific role in the Late Iron

Age.Pi. ress in crafts, transport and social organisa-tion p. ,ided new potentialities in the architecture. Due to inereased contacts with ancient Mediterra-nean areas, the latest lcnowledge on building forti-fications expanded to Transalpine Europę. Predomi-nantly mountain and densely wooded region of the northem part of the Carpathian Basin had extremely good condi t ions for the protection of inhabitants and for building all kinds of fortifications.These belong to essential monuments of the La Tene period. Defence structures of the Late Iron Age can be generally diwi-ded into hill forts, smali hill forts, linear earthworks and refuge places. The size of these fortifi ca tions dif-fers according to their function and chronological de-velopment within the Iron Age. Generally, older hill forts are larger and smali hill forts with ramparts un-der 1 ha begin in the Middle LaTene period,although they existed earlier, but on a smali scalę.

During construction of these fortifications, most suitable terrain was used for defence needs. Ramparts and ditches were usually contouring the fortifying area around the hill. They were walling up the neck of ridges or separating some part of the area. Com-monly, linear earthworks were multipłied using not only extemal ditches and ramparts, but also i niemal or eatramural defence zones. Larger fortifications were often encloeed by scveral circuits of ramparts, but their chronological relations can be proren only by detaiłed excavation. In many cases these ramparts belong to various period* of time. Shortening of the defence linę was sometimes madę by constructing a smaller fortification inside the original area.There is also evidence on building an acropołis as part of another intemal defence system (Liptowski Mara). Ślepy vrch by Homć Oreśarry situated in the Smali Carpathian*, was fortified by a pair of ramparts. It is the oldest La T*ne hill fort, dated to the phase LA. Large hill forts dated to the Old and Middle La Tene period are to be found primariły on the northem boundary of the west Słowak LaTene settlement area and on the Southern terri tory of later Puchów Culture (Slatina nad Bebrawou - Udrina, Powaiska Bystrica -Mały Manin) or in eastera Slovakia (Obiśowce district Kośice-okolie). Central fortified settlements in the Middle Danube region are represented by sites in western Slow akia: Bratislawa (with adjacent areas ca 60 ha), Plawecke Podhradie (49 ha), Bratislawa-Dewin (93 ha). Smolenie* (9 ha) andTrenćianske Bohusławice (9 ha). Occasionally there are smaller fortifications (casteDa: Trenćianske Teplice 0.18 ha, Śurany-Nit-riansky Hradok: 13 ha). Peopłe of the Puchów Culture were constructing specific hill forts of smaller extent with a function of fortified acropołis. Most prewalent were smali hill forts with awillage on the foothifl. Refuge places in high non-accessible areas have also been recognized-A linear earthwork procected the en-trance to the Lipców Basin on the northem Slowakia. From among defence elements there are in Slowakia many types of ram part constructions, palisades, half-pincer and pincet gates, ditches and towers.

6. PRODUCTION, CRAFT, HOARDS

Economic conditions for the Young La Tene period are only mentioned in connection with two oppida in Brattslava and in detail within the fnune of the Puchów Culture. Crafts and other production and tech-nical actiwities are studied within warious partia 1 aspects (metallurgy, smithery, jewel-making, stone-