Glass beads of the Callatis type in West Lithuanian cemeteries

ENProf. A. Kokowski has drawn a special attention to the glass beads of multiple shape (usually of blue color) giving them a name Callatis type stressing their frequent occurances in antique town Callatis of nowadays Romania. Such beads were also found in the areas of Cherniachov and Sîntana de Mureş and Masłomęcz Group. Callatis beads played a role of chronological indicators in the throughout research of A. Kokowski devoted to the material of Masłomęcz Group (Lublin region, Poland). Statistical analysis proved that such beads were typical for the phase C3 and also stayed in use during phase C3/D. Beads of Callatis type also reached the regions of nowadays Lithuania (Fig. 1). They were strung together with small bronze spirals, glass beads of types ca TM 56-57, TM 18, TM 126, TM 91 and amber beads. Their occurance in the context of other ornaments allows to atribute them to the phase C3 and phase C3/D. Beads of Callatis type occured with such shapes of interregional fashion like tutuli pins (Baitai Grave 36, fig. 2), Kolbenarmringe (Žviliai Graves 109, 140, fig. 5-6), crossbow brooch with rhombus-shaped foot (Žviliai Grave 140), fingerring similar to Ch. Beckmann type 37 (Žviliai Grave 115, fig. 3). Ornaments of local Balt fashion as whose which accompanied Callatis beads were represented by necklace with a spoon-shaped clasp (Plinkaigalis Grave, 195, fig. 7), bracelets with flat semi-circular cross-section ornamented with incisions (Žviliai Grave 138 (Fig. 4), Plinkaigalis Graves 195, 278 (figs 7-8)), iron pins. The tradition of dating of those local types in Lithuanian archaeology atributes them even to mature Migration Period.Thanks to studies of Prof. A. Kokowski beads of Callatis type as a tool allow to precise the chronology of above discussed graves as belonging to 4 cent. AD. It seems that Callatis beads at that time were distributed in various regions of nowadays Lithuania: stray finds are also known from Stragnai and Maudžiorai cemeteries. Also such bead was found in Aukštakiemiai Cemetery (former Oberhof grave 153) recorded by H. Moora and M. Schmiedehelm (Fig. 9). Most probably the distribution of Callatis beads was proceeded through the same routes in European Barbaricum that were used for the trade of glass beakers of Eggers type 230. One sherd of such vessel was found in Kernavė settlement site of Eastern Lithuania. This sherd and beads of Callatis type testify that Lithuanian areas also might play a role of some capillary in the vivid route between NW Pontus region and Cherniachov culture and Scandinavia. [academia.edu]