- Volkaite-Kulikauskiene, R. Senov?s lietuvi? drabužiai ir j? papuošalai (I–XVI a.), (Vilnius, 1997).
- Sedula, a Lithuanian folklore group who dress in 15th century Lithuanian dress. English Summary.
Article published in Lithuanian Museums journal. - Analysis and Identification of Fibre Constitution of Archaeological Textiles Materials Science 12(3) 2006.
Analysis of two 13-14th century textile fragments. Discusses the difficulty of differentiating between various bast fibres. - Elvyra Pe?eli?nait?-Bazien?. Archaeological Textiles of 2/2 diagonal twill found in the coastal cemeteries of the 1st–12th centuries in Lithuania Archaeologia Lituana 5 2004.
English summary at end of article.
March 15, 2010
Lithuania — Textiles and Dress
February 17, 2010
Estonia — Dress & Textiles
The earliest published knit fragment from Estonia dates to the 13-14th centuries, and is believed to have been a woman’s mitten. The other technique used for making mittens, gloves and socks was naalbinding.
- A Study of a 13th Century Votic Knit Fragment by Anneke Lyffland [PDF].
- Jüri Peets. 1987. Totenhandschuhe im Bestattungsbrauchtum der Esten und anderen Ostseefinnen Fennoscandia archaeologica IV:105-116 [PDF]German language article, discusses the Votic mitten above, as well as other naalbinded and knitted gloves, mittens and socks.
Clothing information online appears to be rarer to find:
- Reconstructed Dress of an 11th century West-Estonian man at the Läänemaa Muuseum website.
- A Reconstructed 12-14th century tablet woven band from Estonia. With pattern.
- Drawing of reconstructed 13th century female dress from Northern Estonia.
- Estonians on the console of the triumphal arch of the Karja Church, 13th c. From here.
- Figure 17: Diagram of a garment from Parisselja, region Pärnu-Jaagupi (Estonia), 14th-15th centuries, fromNahlik, Adam. 1965. Tkaniny Wsi Wschodnioeuropejskiej X-XIII W. Acta Archaologica Lodziensia, 13.
- Medieval Leather Footwear from Tallinn, by Krista Saarv in Archaeologia Baltica 6
- A 15th century poulaine from Tartu, Estonia.
- Head decorations of the early modern period in Viljandimaa, with colour plates [both PDF].
From the journal Viljandi Muuseumi aastaraamat, discussing late 16th century diadem-style headwear from southern Estonia.
December 11, 2009
Estonia – Architecture
Building Materials
- Baltic Sea Heritage
- Traditional Building Materials of the Baltic Sea Region [PDF]
- Plaster Conservation at Pöide Church, a 13th century church on Saaremaa. [PDF]
Building Structures
- Andres Tvauri (2007) Air Heating System in Medieval Vijandi, and Elsewhere in Estonia Viljandi Muuseumi aastaraamat pp.75-100.
Discusses 14-15th century hypocaust heating systems. - Riina Juurik, Anti Lillak (2007) Archaeological Investigations at the Castle of the Teutonic Order in Viljandi Viljandi Muuseumi aastaraamat pp.101-111.
- Arvi Haak (2006) Archaeological Excavations at Helme Castle of the Teutonic Order in 2006 Viljandi Muuseumi aastaraamat pp. 76-85
Lighthouses
- Baltic Lights: Historic Lighthouses
- Kõpu Lighthouse
Estonia – Arts
General
The Tartu Recorder
- Taavi-Mats Utt “Medieval Recorder Found in Tartu” Estonian Music Review No. 9, 2006
- Andres Tvauri and Taavi-Mats Utt “Medieval Recorder from Tartu, Estonia” Estonian Journal of Archaeology (11)2 2007, pp.141-154
- A Memento: The Medieval Recorder
by Nicholas S. Lander
Jewellery
- Ülle Tamla, Harvi Varkki “Learning the Technologies of Making Beaded Wire” Estonian Journal of Archaeology 13(1) 2009
- Bibliography of finds of jewellery [PDF]
Carving
- Trapezoid Tombstones [PDF]
- When She Strides She Clatters, includes a photo of a 13-14th century sculpture of individuals in Estonian dress
Working with Bone
- Heidi Luik “Could Broken Combs have had New Lives?” Estonian Journal of Archaeology 12(2) 2008
Medieval
- Jüri Kuuskemaa Gothic Art in Estonia Estonian Art 1 1997. Sadly the pictures no longer load.
Renaissance
- Bernt Notke, German Renaissance artist whose artwork can be found in Tallinn.
- Helena Risthein “The Altarpiece of the Tallinn Brotherhood of Blackheads” Estonian Art 6(2) 1999
- Jüri KuuskemaaThe Renaissance in Estonia Estonian Art 2 1997
March 11, 2009
Latvia – Language
- Medieval Latvian Given Names
by Aryanhwy merch Catmael (Sara L. Uckelman) Contains names listed as being prior to 1650, up to M. - Annotated Bibliography of Lithuanian & Latvian Name Books by Aryanhwy merch Catmael (Sara L. Friedemann)
February 9, 2009
Lithuania – Archaeology
General
- Children’s Toys and Games in Lithuania of the 13-17th Centuries (Based on Archaeological Data)
- Ieva R?klaityt?. The personal toilet items from the excavations of the Vilnius Lower Castle’s Palace Archaeologia Lituana 2004.
Leather and Textile Archaeology
- The archaeological tablet-woven bands in the National Museum of Lithuania [PDF]by Virginija Rimkut?, Vilnius Academy of Arts, Lithuania.
- Five 16th century leather purses from the Karmelava necropolis.At the Vytautas the Great War Museum Link updated 11/12/09
- Ar?nas Puškorius. Researches of Pajauta valley in Kernav? leather findings from excavations of 1986
Metal, Weapons and Jewellery
- 1-4th century archaeological finds
- 5-9th c. jewellery
- 9-12th c. grave, with jewellery and weapons
- 10-12th c. jewellery
- Jânis Ciglis “Some notes on the chronology of Latgallian and Selonian artefacts in the Middle Iron Age” Archeologia Lituana (2)2001 [PDF]
- Arnis Radins “X–XIII amži? latgali? kap? laidosena ir ?kap?s” [10-13 centuries, Latgallian graves [with?] old cords and shroud]
Archeologia Lituana (2)2001 [PDF] - Andrejs Vasks “The Kalnazîverti pectoral ornament: archaeology and folklore” Archeologia Lituana (7)2006 [PDF]
- Audron? Bliujien? “Curonian Bead Sets with Bronze Spacer Plates and their Scandinavian Parallels” Fornvaennen (96) 2001 [PDF]
- Audron? Bliujien? “Some Notes on Curonian Women’s Bead Sets with Bronze Spacer Plates in their Headbands, Headdresses made of Cloth and Unaccountable Ware During the Viking Age and Early Medieval Times” Archaeologia Baltica (6) 2006 [PDF]
Numismatics
- Article in Lithuanian at the National Museum
Amber
General Resources
Here are resources, like databases and journals, that are useful.
- Acta Historica Tallinnensia. Primarily Estonian-language history journal focusing on Estonian and Baltic history.
- Archaeologia Lituana Lithuanian language archaeological journal. You can browse through the English version for summaries that interest you, but need to switch to the Lithuanian version of the site to download the entire article.
- Archaeologia Polonia has its’ archives available for free online up to 2006.
- Baltistica. Lithuanian language history journal. You can browse through the English version for summaries that interest you, but need to switch to the Lithuanian version of the site to download the entire article.
- The Balts, e-book of the 1963 text by Marija Gimbutas.
- De Cultu Civili Estonico (Estonian Culture Magazine) published by the Estonian Institute. Largely is focused on modern history and culture in Estonia, but also has articles discussing medieval history, including the Baltic Germans.
- eLABa, short for elektronini? Lietuvos Akademini? Biblioteka (Lithuanuian electronic Academic Library just doesn’t have the same ring to it.) It allows you to search for scholarly articles published in Lithuanian journals, that often can be downloaded for free.
- The Estonian Art Journal
- Estonica: Encyclopedia about Estonia
- Estonian Journal of Archaeology has some of its’ volumes online: 2006
- Fornvännen has put its’ archives from 1906-2005 online, for free, in PDF format.
- Lituanistica. Lithuanian language journal with a focus on history and culture. The articles often have English summaries
- Lituanus, quarterly English-language journal focusing on Lithuania. It seems everything over one year old is freely available in their archives.
- Medievalists.net occasionally reports on academic articles and theses with a Baltic focus.
- Medžiagotyra [Materials Science] Lithuanian journal occasionally has articles on textiles.
- Kaup Re-enactment Resources. Russian website with numerous books, mostly in Lithuanian or Russian.
- Viljandi Muuseumi aastaraamat [Yearbook of Viljandi Museum], an Estonian-language journal, with English and German summaries, covering topics such as archaeological finds in Vijandi Parish.
2007 onwards, and the subscription site for non-open volumes.
Lists of Museums with Websites:
- The Latvian Museum Association (Latvian language)
- Latvian Museums on LatNet.
- Association of Lithuanian Museums
- Museums of Lithuanuia
- Information Centre of Estonian Museums by the Estonian Museum Association
February 8, 2009
Lithuania – The Žiemgala Journal
The following list, is of articles that are hopefully of interest, published in the journal Žiemgala (ISSN: 1392-3781)
This is based off an old Livejournal post, tweaked and updated for the Knowledge Pages project.
Archaeology, including grave goods
- Guntis Gerhards “Žiemgalos Gyventojai V-XVIII amž.” [Inhabitants of Semigallia in the 5th–18th centuries. Anthropological investigation] (2) 2000
- Vytautas Kazakevicius “Žiemgalos Didiko Kapas” [The Grave of a Semigallian Nobleman] (1)2001
- Deimantas Karvelis “Radvil? Birž? pilis ir jos arsenalas XVI-XVII a.” [Radvilos’ Biržai castle and its arsenal in the 16th-17th centuries] (1) 2002
- Virginija Ostašenkovien? “V?lyvieji Šiaur?s Vidurio Lietuvos Senkapiai” [Old Burial Places in Northern Lithuania] (2) 2005
- Virginija Ramanauskait?-Ostanšenkovien? “Šiaur?s vidurio Lietuva laikotarpiu iki Kristaus” [The Northen part of middle Lithuania during before Christ] (1)2003
- Virginija Ramanauskait?-Ostašenkovien? “Rudiški? senkapio radiniai” [The finds of Rudiškiai burial ground] (2)2002
Article | English Summary - Ernestas Vasiliauskas “Raktuv?s piliakalnis: Archeologiniai tyrin?jimai” [Raktuv? mound. Archaeological excavations] (1) 2002
- Ilona Vaškevi?i?t? “Ginklai Žiemgali? moter? kapuose” [Weapons in the graves of Semigallian women] (2) 2006
- Ilona Vaskevi?i?t? “Pietin?s žiemgali? ribos” [Boundaries of Southern Ziemgala] (1) 1999
Town and place-name history
- Alma Brazi?nien? “Šiaur?s Lietuva seniausiuose žem?lapiuose” [Northern Lithuania in Old Maps] (2) 2003
- Valentas Cibulskas “Senosios žagar?s bažny?ia” [The church of Old Žagar?] (2) 2001
- Valentas Cibulskas “Pasvalio bažny?ia” [The Church of Pasvalys] (1)2001
- Valentas Cibulskas “Joniškio bažny?ia” [The church of Joniškis] (2) 2000
- Edvardas Gudavi?ius “Žagar? XIII a. Žiemgalos ?vyki? fone” [Žagar? in the background of events in Semigallia in the 13th century] (2) 2002
- Robertas Jurgaitis “Kur stov?jo Bu?i?n? pilis?” [Where did Bu?i?nai Castle stand?] (1)2003
- Algimantas Kaminskas “Krincinas” [The town of Krincinas] (2)2003
- Deimantas Karvelis “Birž? pilis – Radvil? valdos centras” [Biržai Castle from the end of the 16th century till the middle of the 17th century] (1)2003
- Deimantas Karvelis :Visuomen? ir bažny?ia Radvil? Birž? kunigaikštyst?je XVI a. pabaigoje – XVII a. viduryje” [The church, town and society of Biržai from the end og the 16th century til the middle of the 17th century.] (1)2004
- Deimantas Karvelis “Birž? miestas ir miestie?iai XVI a. pabaigoje–XVII a. viduryje” [The town of Biržai and its citizens in the end of the 16th century and the middle of the 17th century] (1)2005
- Deimantas Karvelis “Žydai, karaimai ir totoriai Radvil? Birž? kunigaikštyst?je XVI a. pab. – XVII a. pirmojoje pus?je.” [Jews, Karaites and Tatars in the Duchy of Biržai in the end of the 16th century and the first half of the 17th century] (2) 2002
- Deimantas Karvelis “Birž? kunigaikštyst?s ryšiai su Kuršo ir Žiemgalos
kunigaikštyste XVI a. pabaigoje – XVII a. viduryje” [Relations between the Duchy of Biržai and the Duchy of Curonia and Žiemgala] (2) 1999 - K?stutis Labanauskas “Žagar?s Dvaro Parkas” [The Žagar? estate park] (1) 1998
- Nijol? Lukšionyt?-Tolvaišien? “Žagar?s dvaro architekt?ros ypatyb?s” [The architectural peculiarities of Žagar? Manor] (1) 2002
(Mentions in the summary that the place Žagar? has been known since the 13th c.)
- Kazys Misius “Švobiškis” [A town from the 16th century] (2) 2002
- Algimantas Miškinis “Pakruojis” [The Town of Pakruojis] (2) 1998
- Povilas Spurgevi?ius “Naujosios Žagar?s bažny?ia” [The church of Naujoji Žagar?] (1) 2003
- Ernestas Vasiliauskas “Žiemgala XII-XIII a.” [Žiemgala in the 12-13th c.] (2)2003
- Darius Vilimas “Pastabos d?l Pakruojo ?k?rimo datos” [Date of the Foundation of Pakruojis, 1520s-30s] (2)2005
February 1, 2009
Prussia
Prussia is the old name given to the area that is now largely the Kaliningrad Oblast of Russia.
Inhabited by the Prussian tribes, until being conquered by the Teutonic Knights, it had contact with Scandinavia to the west, and the Rus to the east, trading in furs, amber and slaves.
Two of its’ famous Viking-age towns were Kaup (German; Wiskiauten) and Truso.
- Archaeology
- Prussian Clans of the 13th century, map on Wikipedia.
- Archaeologists find traces of legendary Viking centre. 2006 news article by Thoralf Plath.
- Archaeological investigations at Wisiauten
- The Early Medieval Trading Settlement of Truso [PDF] by Marek F. Jagodzi?ski From the Lagomar Project
- Prussian Archaeology, with little distinction between Old-, and German- Prussians. [German Language]
- Archaeology of the Kaliningrad Region, by VI Kulakov [Russian Language]
- Handle and Sheath of Sword found at Kaup, Barrow 174 by VI Kulakov, O. Job [Russian Language]
- Re-enactment Groups
- Kaup: Club of Historical Modeling and Reconstruction.Lots of scans from books, and photographs of museum exhibits under ‘reconstruction’.
- Artwork
- Brass etchings from Christoph Hartknoch’s Old and New Prussia, 1684. [in German]
- Language
- Interestingly, the word ’spruce’ has Prussian roots.
- Prussian Reconstructions, by Dr. Letas Palmaitis
- The Monuments of Old Prussian
- The Elbing Vocabulary
- Electronic text by Frederik Kortlandt
- Vocabulary, including black and white scans of the manuscript, by Peter Holcwesscher and Letas Palmaitis [PDF]
- The Simon Grunau Vocabulary
- Electronic text by Frederik Kortlandt
- Black and white scan of the manuscript [PDF]
- The Basel Epigram (The oldest known document written in Old Prussian.)
- The Old Prussian Basel Epigram by Jos Schaeken
- The Origin of the Lithuanian Language by William R. Schmalstig discusses the discovery of the manuscript.
- Onomastics
- Rheinhold Trautmann’s Die altpreußischen Personennamen (Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht, Göttingen; 1925)
January 14, 2009
Estonia – Language Onomastics and Toponymy
Onomastics
- Academy of St. Gabriel Report 2094: Discusses medieval Livonian and Estonian personal names.
The Wanradt-Koell Catechism
- The first mention of a text written in Estonian dates from 1525, but the first text that has survived until the 21st century is the Wanradt-Koell Catechism.
- Photograph of a Fragment, at Estonian History in Pictures.
- Another photograph at the Estonian Institute.
- Black and white photographs, at a blog about pre-war Estonian literature.
Toponyms and Place Names
- Karski in the Middle Ages: Certain Problems [PDF]
Article from Viljandi Muuseumi aastaraamat discussing Karski castle and the parish of Halliste.