Klaipėdos universitetas

The article deals with burial customs in culturally varied regions in the eastern Baltic, comparing them with an interpretation of Late Prehistoric society. Social analyses, which up to recent times were predominantly based on written sources and evolutionary ways of thinking, suggest somewhat different social systems for the culturally diverse regions of the eastern Baltic. However, at first glance, this cannot be seen in the archaeological evidence, including burials. The discussion in this article subjects some particular features of burial customs to closer consideration: representativeness, collective versus individual attitudes, and gender aspects. The results suggest that societies were hierarchical both in the southern and northern parts of the eastern Baltic, but power was arranged in different ways.

The article deals with Viking Age and Late Iron Age (800–1200 AD) maritime cultural landscapes on Saaremaa, the biggest Estonian island. In the course of an extensive study there since 2003, a number of Late Prehistoric and Early Medieval harbour sites have been identified. The archaeological evidence from these places suggests different uses of the sites. In the article, three harbour sites have been chosen for closer analysis. These sites represent different kinds of harbours at a local or regional level, as can probably be found in many areas around the Baltic Sea.

The article presents an overview of burial customs on the Estonian island of Saaremaa from 1000BC up to Christianisation, discussing the social organisation behind the archaeological material. Special attention is paid to collective attitudes displayed in cemeteries where bones of different burials were completely mixed, and on transformation periods, which at times brought individual burials or the custom to deposit weapons in graves.