Bodzia Cemetery
Information gleaned from the Bodzia Cemetery provided archaeologists with evidence of burial practices during the Early Medieval period in Poland.
Chamber burial sites were common in the area, being a primary practice within Old Rus, Scandinavian and Slavic countries in the Viking-Age.
[2] The study of Bodzia Cemetery is important, as it helps illustrate the socio-cultural and ethnic aspects of settled peoples in Poland, as reflected in the necropolis.
[4] The site of the Bodzia Cemetery is situated on a gradually eastward sloping flat morainic plateau that was formed during the Vistulan glaciation.
[20] The site was subject to many specialist studies, including anthropological, archaeobotanical, petrographic and geomorphological analyses to garner a complete archaeological picture of the burial ground.
[23] The nature of soil composition in some parts of the cemetery resulted in the leaching of calcium carbonates, which caused the human remains to become soft.
[28] Lipinska and Kozlowski believed that the discrepancy between the ages of men and women was due to complications in female pregnancy, which reduced average life-span.
[41] It is unknown whether the blade was double-edged, similar to a sword, or if it was single-edged and suffered significant erosion, effectively destroying the blunt back.
[42] Kara suggested that the latter explanation was most probable, making this the only discovered evidence of Scandinavian and Baltic inspired battle knives of this type found within the Early Piast state.
[43] From the positioning of the sword in relation to the body, it is supposed that the hilt may have been laid atop the man's shoulder, fastened with a type of bandolier.
[45] Dents along the blade of the axe were akin to marks found on elite Scandinavian weapons from both burial and ritual grounds.
[51] This type of weapon was common across Western and Central Europe and was used in both Baltic and Slavic lands, but was uncommon amongst Scandinavian people.
It's hypothesized that the individual buried in grave E-864/I might have been a swordsman in the service of Prince Svyatopolk, highlighting the cemetery's significance in understanding the socio-political landscape of early medieval Eastern Europe.
[76] Eagles were a common powerful motif in Roman, Greek, Scandinavian, Rus and Germanic cultures, though these depictions usually contained talons.
[78] The archaeological excavations at Bodzia Cemetery have unearthed a remarkable collection of coins, offering insights into the site's extensive cultural and trade connections during the 10th and 11th centuries.
The complete denier of Boleslaus II, discovered in the notable grave D162, features an intricate design with the 'Hand of God' and a symmetrical cross, crucial for dating the establishment of the cemetery.
Specifically, in grave D171, a fragment of a denier of Boleslaus II was found inside the skull of a deceased woman, indicating burial customs where coins were placed with the dead.
Other significant finds in this grave included an Arabic dirhem, a Saxon cross-type denier, coins from the reigns of Otto III and Adelaide, Bolesław Chrobry (Boleslaus I of Poland), Richard I of Normandy, Bernard II, Duke of Saxony and Cnut the Great.
[79] These coins not only illuminate the complex funerary practices at Bodzia but also reveal the cemetery's expansive trade networks and cultural interactions spanning medieval Europe.
[86] However, the results of stable isotope analyses of strontium, oxygen, and carbon from samples taken from a portion of the graves suggest that the majority of individuals examined so far buried at the Bodzia Cemetery were not local to the area.
The strontium values obtained for these individuals are characteristic of areas with geological substrates of carbonate rocks or loess, which are known from several areas in Europe including southern and eastern Poland (Lesser Poland and the Lublin region), southern Scandinavia (Denmark and Scania), as well as various regions of Central (e.g., Hungary) and Western Europe, and also Ukraine.
Additionally, isotopic analyses of bone samples from two graves showed that a man buried in grave D162 had a diet based on C3 plants (grains, vegetables, and fruits) and animal products (meat, milk, eggs), similar to the diet of individuals buried at the early medieval cemetery in Giecz.
[89] The Bodzia Cemetery exhibits significant architectural and cultural parallels with the Jelling complex in Denmark, indicative of a strong Viking Age influence.
Key aspects of this connection include: These findings suggest that the Bodzia Cemetery not only reflects the influence of Danish Viking Age traditions but also stands as a unique and innovative site within this cultural context.
[90] According to Professor Duczko, the interpretation of grave E864/I in Bodzia Cemetery suggests stronger Scandinavian ties than previously assumed.
The grave's belt strap-end, initially linked to the Rurikid dynasty due to its bident symbol and Glagolitic letters, is now thought to depict Thor's hammer, Mjölnir, instead of a Christian cross.
This reinterpretation is an evolving perspective, indicating the need to reevaluate the warrior's social status and the origins of Rurikid symbolism, and adds depth to our understanding of the cemetery's complex historical and cultural influences.
"Unique Medieval Cemetery from the 10th/11th Century with Chamber-Like Graves from Bodzia (Central Poland): Preliminary Result of the Multidisciplinary Research."
“Analysis of the Skeletal Population from the Cemetery.” In Bodzia: A Late Viking-Age Elite Cemetery in Central Poland, edited by Andrzej Buko, 143–159.
“The Historical Context of the Discoveries at Bodzia.” In Bodzia: A Late Viking-Age Elite Cemetery in Central Poland, edited by Andrzej Buko, 34–44.
