THE PRZEWORSK GRAVE WITH WEAPON (NEW ACQUISITIONS OF THE FUNDS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM OF UKRAINIAN HISTORY)

Abstract

In 2014 the collection of the National Museum of Ukrainian History received items from the Przeworsk grave, that was found in the Volytsia village, Gusyatyn district, Ternopil region. These are ancient weapons: a shield boss and a shield hilt, a sword, folded in two and bent and two spearheads. The circumstances under which the discovery was made are unknown. All things have distinct traces of fire; therefore they come from the cremation grave. In addition, there is no doubt that all weapons have been intentionally damaged in antiquity. Unfortunately, there is no information about the type of the grave. However, the nature of the finds does not leave any doubt about its cultural identity. Separate cremation and putting of ritually broken weapons in graves are typical features of the funeral rites of the Przeworsk culture. Its sites are well known in Poland and Western Ukraine. Most researchers believe that Przeworsk population was a group of Germanic tribes that were under the strong influence of Celtic culture. Migration of the Przeworsk population to the territory of Volhynia, Galicia and Podillia began at the end of the 1st century BC and consisted of several stages. The specific type of the sword, the shape of the shield boss and spearheads allow determining the time of the site that was found near Volytsia village as a phase C1a of the Late Roman age (150–220 years AD).
Keywords: Przeworsk culture, grave, cremation, weapon, sword, spear, shield boss, shield handle