Greetings! If You interested in some Baltic tribe's artefacts,feel free to ask me. I'll place here everything You'll ask.


For the beginning here goes...

---

 Attachment: 75.79 KB

Curronian one edged sword (9th C)from Palanga's burial ground (replica).

 Attachment: 74.55 KB

Curronian battle axe decorated with bronze (9th-10th C) from Laiviai burial ground(replica).

 Attachment: 182.7 KB
Fragment of (oval?) Sellonian shield from Lejasdopeles's burial ground. [ Download ]

 Attachment: 139.18 KB
Goldenned helmet so called "Shyshac" founded somethere in Prussia(10th-12th C).Replica of Maer's "Walric". [ Download ]

Do you have any artifact pictures from 14th, 15th centuries?

:lol: Lietuvis lietuviui angliskai :
From 14th-15 th century there isn't so much stuff, Lithuanians in 1386 year became an official christians and don't put to the graves so much stuf,f especially rare are armoury elements. But something exists. There are some official named crusader swords. A lot of life stuff findings are from Karmelava cemetery near Kaunas, burials in the lakes Bajorai and Obeliai. Some interesting stuff from the Vilnius's Great Dukes palace.

That stuff interests You?

Here are some interesting metal lamelliar plates from late 14th century,from the Vilnius's Great Duke palace.

---

 Attachment: 203.05 KB
[ Download ]

I would love to see some pictures of original artifacts. Is there any possibility you could post pictures from local museums? I am very interested in the "antenna" pommel swords from the region. If you could post some pictures I would be grateful.

OK,here I'm puting some.In Baltic lands there are(was until 1996 year) founded 12 antenna swords (4 from Latvia, 7 from Lithuania).

First photo - replica made by me.Other - two swords from museum.Other swords are closed in archeological depository.If will be some special interest I'll go there and take some photos.

---

 Attachment: 83.37 KB

A replica of stray finding in Latvia

 Attachment: 102.18 KB



 Attachment: 103.22 KB



 Attachment: 97.04 KB

I'm glad to see somebody making swords of this type!

Arunas, I'd certainly be interessed in more detailed pictures of the swords - and more details about the cross-sections and such, as I am planing on making a few more of those this year, but it is not too easy to get access to them here in Latvia. Nice work on the replicas, good to see some more Balt stuff here, I was definitelly starting to feel lonely :)

I didn't understood that You want here: I'd certainly be interessed in more detailed pictures of the swords - and more details about the cross-sections and such...

That type handles aren't so complex and in those photos I placed here everything is well shown.(I think) :cool:

---

 Attachment: 123.62 KB

Thanks for the pictures! Great stuff. I love the antenna style pommels, must have something like that made one day...

My newest project, replica of 12th-13th C Curronian helmet from Libagu Saraji.

---

 Attachment: 102.22 KB



 Attachment: 103.65 KB

sorry.

---

 Attachment: 53.79 KB

All group is dated to the end of 10th - 11th C. Lithuanian archeologists thinks that there are swords (all swords are one bladed) of Baltic origin, but I saw some very simillar much earlier examples among Scythian and Celtic sword findings (example is within the pasted file). I think that these "antenna" swords clearly shows about communication Baltic and Celtic or Scythian culture. Maybe even Balts adopted that "antenna" style.

---

 Attachment: 41.68 KB

Hmm, Arunas, the thing that makes me doubt a direct connection is that the Baltic version of "antenae hilt" appears in second part of the 10th century, while the Scythian and Celtic swords with such hilts are much older. I have talked on that mater with Maris Atgazis and some other archaeologists specializing in weapons here in Latvia and they also are leaning towards the idea that it is a purely local development at that time period.

OK. From Curronian peninsula comes 5 helmets of the same typolology (like Durbe Dziru and Libagu Saraji,replica's photos in the posts above) from 4 burials: Piltenes Pasilciems, Kuldiga, Durbes Diri and Libagu Saraji(in that burial is founded two similar helmets). Sixth helmet of that typology comes from Pavirvyte Gudai(Lithuania),peryphery place of Semigallians and Curronians with very strong influences of Curronian millitary force.
All Latvian findings are dated to the 12th - the beginning of 13th C.
Lithuanian finding is dated to 11th-12th C.

So,that You want to know?

Within the attached file is artefact from Libagu Saraji.

---

 Attachment: 123.94 KB

Sorry,Durbe Diri replica's photo somethere disapiered,so here is artefact of Durbe.

---

 Attachment: 222.38 KB
[ Download ]

unfortunately, there is no good publications in english. I can try to dig up some materials in russian or latvian.
Sorry to disappoint you but all of the helmets are closely connected with easily identifiable curonian graves, aside from Pavervite-gudi which comes from supposedly semigallian burial which lies in the grave-field which is jointly used by semigallians and curonians. Of course, that does not mean that such helmets could not have used by livonians, - possibly purchased or gained as trophies on battlefield, but, sadly, so far we have no evidence that would support that.