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Jānis Ciglis Interaction of the Baltic and Baltic-Finnic Cultures in the lower Gauja Region
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The pin from Liepenes II burial field does not have hemispheres at the ends yet, it is slightly longer
than the pins of Saaremaa and seems to be from the same, or a little later, time period as Laugaļi pins.
The decorative pin of Liepenes II burial field can be dated to the 1st half – middle of the 9th century.
Admittedly, very little material have been found yet, however, it allows to bring forward
two interesting ideas in the form of hypothesis. The first one – the fact that pins similar to the
one from Liepenes II burial field are widespread in Northern Kurzeme (apart from the above-
mentioned examples, a slightly differently shaped pin was found in Zlēkas) is an evidence of the
contacts between both coasts of the Gulf, or even of separate incomers from Northern Kurzeme
to Vidzeme coast and the lower Gauja. This was not surprising, since already in the 8th century
Scandinavians started intensive search for the shortest way to the east, from where silver mas-
sively flowed into the Baltic Sea region in the form of Arabian dirhams. This is proved by finds
of two tortoise fibulae of the Vendel period. Possibly, also the route along the Gauja was checked,
which is confirmed by finds of Scandinavian articles in the monuments of Gauja Latgallians, for
example, the 9th century find of a Scandinavian chain holder at Liepiņi burial field in Drabeši.
In the late 9th century and the 10th century, Northern Kurzeme had come under a powerful
Scandinavian influence, this is evidenced by the finds of tortoise fibulae, bracelets and weapons.
Supposedly, Northern Kurzeme was used as a support centre in the further quest eastwards.
In the barrow of Liepenes II burial field, investigated in 1984, no evidence has been ob-
tained about cremation graves. In Laugaļi, pins were found also in the grave. Isn’t it an evidence
that in Northern Kurzeme the transition from graves with piled stones to the flat skeleton graves
characteristic of the Vends had started considerably earlier – already in the 9th century?
The problem of Liv origin is not fully resolved yet, several versions still exist. Currently,
most of the researchers consider that Livs were incomers at the lower Daugava and the lower
Gauja. They came to the lower Daugava from Northern Kurzeme and later, about the mid-11th
century, from the Daugava to the lower Gauja. It was emphasized that Scandinavians, too, had
a certain role in the process of Liv arrival. An exile archaeologist Jēkabs Ozols even believed
that the Livs were settled by Scandinavians in the lower Daugava region. Roberts Spirģis sees
the presence of the inhabitants of the present-day-Finland during the turn of the 10th and 11 th
centuries in the formation process of the Livs. Adherents to the theory of the local origin of the
Livs, Ā. Stubavs and E. Tõnisson, are unable to maintain their opinion any longer.
In any case, a number of artefacts characteristic of the Latgallians were found near the
Daugava, which are of an earlier date than the finds associated with the Livs. For example, in
Līve Estate (Dünhof ) burial field a cuff-shaped bracelet of an early form characteristic of
the Selonians was obtained. An evidence of the preservation of the Baltic ethnical element
(Selonian?) in this place still in the Late Iron Age is a neck ring with saddle-shaped and hook-
shaped ends, two neck rings with a thoreutic bow and tetrahedral ends, and a neck ring with
conical ends. A warrior’s bracelet of an early shape characteristic of the Latgallians (the 8th–9 th
century) and three narrow-blade axes were found in Kaibalas of Lielvārde. In Aizkraukle burial
field, until the 10th century, Latgallian artefacts dominated, and they were later superseded by
artefacts characteristic of the Livs. Until the 9th century, shapes characteristic of the Balts were
represented at Ķente Hillfort. A Semigallian pin with a triangular head was found in the excavations
at Mārtiņsala. This type of pins is dated to the 8th century in Semigallian monuments. Anyway, the
archaeological materials of the lower Gauja, until the 10th century, were characteristic of the Balts.
It is assumed that Liv monuments near the Daugava appeared around the mid-10th cen-
tury. These datings are mainly based on finds of Scandinavian tortoise fibulae. However, this sup-
position should be verified. When reviewing earlier burials of the Daugava Liv burial fields, the
impression is created that some male burials probably could be dated to a slightly earlier period.
Unfortunately, a detailed analysis of the weapons from the early Viking Age as well as of their com-
parison with the Scandinavian archaeological material is lacking. Possibly, even the termination of
population at Ķente Hillfort could be associated with Scandinavian activities that opened the way
for entry of Baltic-Finnic inhabitants from Northern Kurzeme. In the newly opened lands, after
the formation of certain isolation from other territories of the Baltic Finns, cultural distinctions
developed. In the 10th century, in the lower Daugava the ancient Liv people formed from the Baltic
Finns having arrived there, but those remaining in Northern Kurzeme acquired or preserved the
name of the Vends. For the Daugava Livs, the flat burial fields were the earliest ones. Barrow burial
fields of the Daugava Livs appeared only around the middle of the 11th century.
E. Tõnisson referred the arrival of the Livs in the lower Gauja region to the mid-11th
century. This assumption is based on the archaeological material of barrow burial fields, where
indeed the earliest artefacts can be dated only with the mid-11th century. In 2013, E. Jemeļjanovs
managed to make new significant discoveries in the archaeological excavations at Jāņkalns Hill
in Turaida. Finds of artefacts can be interpreted as grave goods of flat skeleton graves that were
disturbed as a result of agricultural land utilisation. During ploughing artefacts were moved
from their original places, and the bones had decayed. Most importantly, a number of artefacts
can be dated to the 10th century, and this is the first reliable find of artefacts in the vicinity of
Turaida. This suggests that already in the 10th century the Gauja Livs, like the Daugava Livs, had
flat burial fields. A reliable flat burial field is in Mežšauti, to the west of Inciems. Some single
finds of this burial field are of an earlier date than the artefacts of barrow burial fields, including
the Arabian dirham. Possibly, flat burial fields were near Turaida Kupenas and Inciems, where
the 11th–13th century single finds were obtained.
Discoveries at Turaida Jāņkalns Hill urged a closer review of the artefacts found at Turaida
Hillfort, in the layer of Kaupo castle – whether there were also the shapes characteristic of the 10th
century among them. Pin with a triangular head and a three-leaf rosette is one of the earliest finds
associated with the Livs in the territory inhabited by the Gauja Livs. In Estonia their appearance
was dated to the late 9th century and they were in use in the 10th century. This is an evidence of
contacts with Saaremaa. Another find includes ring-headed pins, characteristic for Semigallians.
There are two finds of these pins at Turaida Hillfort – a head of one of the pins, and fragments of
another one, with the spike broken off. In Semigallian monuments they are dated to the 9th–10 th
centuries, maybe some specimens can be dated to the early 11th century. A ring found at Turaida