Roman period finds from a cremation burial ground

Archaeologists discovered a cremation burial of a warrior in north-western Poland. The find is dated to the Roman period.

Burial found during excavations (by Muzeum Narodowe w Szczecinie)
Burial found during excavations (by Muzeum Narodowe w Szczecinie)

Experts from the Muzeum Narodowe w Szczecinie (National Museum in Szczecin) conducted excavations at burial site at Czelin. Archaeologists discovered over 15 archaeological features among which were several cremation burials – 3 in urns and 2 in pits. Other documented features consist of stone pavements, located at the western edge of the burial site. So far archaeologists registered over 185 archaeological features at the site.

Excavations of the archaeological feature (by Muzeum Narodowe w Szczecinie)
Excavations of the archaeological feature (by Muzeum Narodowe w Szczecinie)

The burial ground is one of the largest sites of the kind dated to the Roman period found in the area. Throughout the years archaeologists discovered numerous artefacts among which are objects imported from Roman Empire, Scandinavia and areas under control by Germanic tribes.

Urn at the site (by Muzeum Narodowe w Szczecinie)
Urn at the site (by Muzeum Narodowe w Szczecinie)

Most of the items discovered at the site are connected with the Iron age culture that occupied the area at the banks of the lower Oder river between 1st and 3rd centuries AD. Other finds are dated to the Neolithic period and associated with Corded Ware culture from the beginning of the 2nd millennium BC.

Finds from the site (by Muzeum Narodowe w Szczecinie)
Finds from the site (by Muzeum Narodowe w Szczecinie)

The most interesting find this season was a whole urn that contained cremated remains of an individual equipped with personal objects. Among them were a spearhead, knife, bronze belt buckle and bronze fittings, metal fittings of a drinking horn and a fibula, which date the burial to the Roman period. Other burial, that was found partially damaged, contained a sword and metal fittings of a scabbard.

(after Nauka w Polsce & Muzeum Narodowe w Szczecinie)

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