Reichert, L Die Funde der jungslawischen Feuchtbodensiedlung von Parchim-Löddigsee, Kr. Parchim, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern

The present publication presents the results of more than twenty years of research in late Slavonic archaeology, not only in the area of Western Mecklenburg, but in the Northeast of Germany and its neighbouring areas, from the Kingdom of the Franks to Poland/Hungary and from Scandinavia to the Byzantine Empire. For the first time ever, from 1981 to 1999 a fortified late Slavonic trading place with a subsequent, late medieval settlement was excavated in its full extent in Parchim-Löddigsee, Lkr. Parchim (Mecklenburg-Vorpommern). As a result of waterlogged deposits the place was characterised by an excellent preservation - even of organic material -, and by a find assemblage which differs widely from the average assemblage in Slavonic settlement sites; for example, it contained a large amount of imported objects. Besides thousands of pottery sherds and animal bones ca 6.000 small finds were recovered for analysis. This enabled to scientifically reconstruct a so-called central place in the middle of the Northwest Slavonic settlement area, which was not known in this form before. Amongst other things, the place was characterised by a massive fortification, the presence of an aristocratic class, a long-distance trading net and selective craft; above all the place had a central sanctuary. In train of ameliorations activities in 1975, late Slavonic pottery, animal bones and wooden construction elements were recovered. On one hand the preservation of organic remains was given, on the other hand the preservation was endangered by the ongoing land improvement activities. The first indication that the site somewhat differed from ordinary Slavonic settlement sites was given by a richly decorated antler artefact. This and other extraordinary surface finds finally lead to the beginning of large-scale excavations. From 1981 to 1991 more than half of the settlement area was excavated, and the place operated as the “main research project of the Landesmuseum Schwerin”. In train of th