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204 BARBARA CZERSKA

ation was diffcrent in Upper Silesia. Here the connections between the Celta there settled and those who remained in Moravia, the region of thelr expamion, was much closer. In Moravia, there were developing and ezisting in the La te La Tene, strong Celtic oppida, which constituted adminiitrativc, trade and production centres. These oppida must have been surrounded by agricultural areas; the role of such an agricultural region may have been played by the area of the Southern part of Upper Silesia, then inhabited by the Celtic population. Upper Silesia was Elso a market for goods produced in the Celtic oppida in Moravia. It is possible. that there ezisted a certain political dependence which subjected the Upper Silesian Celts to the rule of the Moravian Celts.

The Przeworsk cułture from the Late La Tene is known in Silesia from many słtes discovered in 218 localities (map 2). The lar gest complezes of finds are to be found in the fertile soiłs of Lower Silesia, where they formed several smaller groups, T»m»pg which the most notable is that lying along the left bank of the River Odra between Wrocław and Ślęża, and the group along the River Kaczawa in the Legnica district, and on the Trzebnica Upland. Certain cornplezes of sites are encountered to the north of the lower course of the Barycz River, on the fertile soils of the Dalków Hills, and in the loess areas near Głogów. Fairly nmcerous are finds of the Przeworsk culture in the basin of the River Odra between Wrocław and Zielona Góra. In Upper Silesia were found only single sites of that culture. A smali complez ezisted only along the River Prosną near Kluczbork.

The Przeworsk culture in Silesia was not uniform. There were notable diff-erences between the areas of the central sector of Silesia and Lower Silesia. The boundary between these two regions was comprised of the present-day districts of Milicz, Góra, Wołów and Legnica. These differences enable us to distinguish two culture groups: the Central Silesian group and the Lower Silesian group, the borderline districts possessing the features of both.

The characteristic feature of the Central Silesian group is the acceptance by that group of numerous elements of the Celtic culture — a fact which is underst-andable, considering the direct contacts between peoples representing these two coltures.

The Lower Silesian group of the Przeworsk culture has morę features of the Lusatian culture of Eastem Pomerania, and ezhibits fewer elements of the Late Celtic culture than the Central Silesian group.

Very notable differences are to be observed between the Central Silesian group and the Lower Silesian group of the Late La Tóne Przeworsk culture as regards burial practices, both in the form of graves and in their eąuipment

In the Central Silesian groups, pit graves pred ominą te, while urn graves covered by the remains of a pyrę are only spora di cally found in several cemeteries. Very striking is the large number of graves containing weapons.

In the northern part of Lower Silesia, in addition to pit graves are found numerous urn graves and much less frequently cremation graves with the remains of a pyrę. Weapons in graves occur here much less freąuently than in graves in Central Silesia

Other differences between these two groups are evident in the number of imported objects and in the number of old or borrowed Celtic forma

Silesia during the development of the Early La Tóne Celtic culture in Central Europę did not have any direct trade contacts with the Celtic population. Rare Early La Tfene goods — such as bronze pins — may in all probability have reached

Silesia by way of the population of the Eastera Pomeranian culture. Only after the settlement of Lower and then Upper Silesia by the Celtic population were trade contacts, broken in the preceding period, renewed.

Imported objects, known from the Central Silesian Celtic skeleton graves, are very rare and lknited mainly to bronze adomments, and adornments madę of glass, araber and sapropelite. These objects reached Silesia by way of prrłnng> with the neighbouring tribes. That they were so infrequent may be ezplained by the fact that Celtic merchants were not particularly interested in trading with the Lower Silesian tribes. Celts who settled here were not able — owing to the mainly agricultural and animal breeding character of their economy — to offer in exchange for goods imported any items which were then sought after in Celtic market*.

The situation in Upper Silesia was different Here, trade exchange with the neighbouring Celtic centres was well developed owing to the differences between the economic development and sodal rełations existing in Upper Silesia and in the neighbouring Celtic territories. The Upper Silesian Celts were supporting themselves by agriculture and animal breeding, but in addition to that they also produced some handicraft items. Settlements discovered here are mostly agricul-turaL The local market was therefore able to absorb numerous handicraft goods manufactured in the nearby oppida and certain raw materials, and in exchange offer produces of agriculture and animal breeding, and such raw materials as leather, wool etc.

Through the Celtic merchants were imported salt, graphite, sapropelite items, items of glass and amber, and occasionałly objects madę of bronze and bronze itself. Also then there appeared the first gold coins, followed la ter by silver ones.

In that period, owing to the growing interest of the Celtic and then Roman merchants in Baltic amber, the trade contacts were revived between the population of Lower Silesia representing the Przeworsk culture, and the areas of Central Europę. A notable role was płayed here by the two amber routes passing through Silesia. By these routes came in the Late La Tene to the Silesian population of the Przeworsk culture imported goods from Italy and Alpian countries. They were bronze vessels, iron retic umbas, bronze items, rare glass adomments, amber, and coins. In exchange, the population of the Przeworsk culture may have offered their agricultural and breeding surpluses — furs, wax and heney. Silesian smithery may also have had certain surpluses, and smiths, workshops may have been producing morę than the local dem and would absorb. The tri bal elders may have had a certain number of slaves for sale. These wares, with the exception of slaves, were not too attractive for the Celtic merchants, sińce they were in abund-ance in the territories of their trade. Thus, the dedsive role m the development of the then e*isting trade rełations must have been płayed by amber, Silesia playing here only the role of an intermediary.

Amber reached Silesia by stages, probably through the tribes inhabtting the areas lying along the amber route. In Silesia, amber was stored by the local tribal elders who then sold it to the Celtic merchants. In exchange for amber, they brought to Silesia fimshed iron objects, mainly arms. Numerous iron goods from Lower Silesia are known to have appearead in Great Poland and Kujavia.

Late La Tćne trade in Silesia was based on exchange. Coins found there did not yet play the role of currency, sińce in such long rangę trade only a few people -were involved and only those few may have been using coins in transactions with the Celtic merchants. These merchants were rather interested in goods demanded