AB Archaeologia Baltica 1392-5520 1392-5520 KU 06_058-067_SMIRNOVA Article Pole Constructions in Open Air Ritual Areas of the Northern Sambia in the First Millenium AD Smirnova Marina msmirn@mail.ru ∗ Institute of Archaeology RAS, Moscow Corresponding author. 6 58 67 28 09 2006 28 09 2006 13 03 2006 2006 Klaipėda University

The open ritual area is one type of pagan cult site. In this article are presented the results of an analysis of wooden pole frames and constructions from six open ritual areas in the northern Sambian peninsula. Their chronogical time covers the third to the 13th centuries AD. Open ritual areas coexisted with fireplaces and pits. In the early phase pole constructions are characterised by a rectangular shape, and subsequently a roundish shape. Analogies with open ritual areas are known in Poland, Denmark and Germany.

 open ritual area Sambia wooden pole ritual fireplace pit construction