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Wolin - Episode 18032
141 Plays6 years ago
Wolin, a Polish island in the Baltic Sea, has evidence of a human presence from the Neolithic, but is best known as the site of trading settlements from the early medieval period.
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Transcript
Introduction to Wolin Island
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You're listening to the Archaeology Podcast Network. Wolin, a Polish island in the Baltic Sea, has evidence of a human presence from the Neolithic, but is best known as the site of trading settlements from the early medieval period.
Introduction to ARK365 Podcast
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This is episode 32 for February 1st, 2018. I'm Chris Webster, and welcome to the ARK365 Podcast, 2018 edition. ARK365 is a podcast today, every day, in 2018.
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This network is supported by our listeners.
Supporting the Network
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You can become a supporting member by going to arcpodnet.com slash members and signing up. As a supporting member, you have access to high quality downloads of each show and a discount at our future online store and access to show hosts on a members only Slack team.
00:00:49
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For professional members, we'll have training shows and other special content offered throughout the year. Once again, go to arcpodnet.com slash members to support the network and get some great extras and swag in the process. That's arcpodnet.com slash members.
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This episode is written by Christopher
Historical Overview of Wolin
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Booth. The ford across the river Bozwina used to get from the mainland to the island of Wollin has been in use since the Neolithic, but archaeological evidence has shown that the earliest settlement in the town of Wollin on the island of the same name was not established until the 5th or 6th century. The town then appears to have been abandoned for about 100 years until the beginning of the 9th century.
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At this point there is evidence that the area of the town was leveled and new construction was started. At this point there is also evidence for the earliest fortifications at the site including a palisade of half meter wide tree trunks, a rampart, and a retaining wall. By the end of the century there was a centrally fortified area and two suburbs spreading to the north and south of the center which were also enclosed and fortified in the 10th century. Around 896 AD a new port was constructed.
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There is medieval document dating to the mid-ninth century entitled the Bavarian Geographer mentions that there was a Slavic tribe called the Wolinians who had 70 strongholds on their island. The town is first referred to as Wolin in 965 by Hispano-Arabic Jewish chronicler and traveler Ibrahim ibn Jakub.
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Archaeologists believe that in the early Middle Ages, Wolin was a trade emporium that rivaled the other emporia of Birka and Hadebi for importance. Contemporary chronicles describe the town as having several thousand inhabitants and twelve gates. This population included several groups including Wolinians, Scandinavians, Saxons, and Rus' people.
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The Emporium, being coastal, is also described as having a lighthouse described as the lamp of Vulcan. Archaeological finds on the island are not very rich, but they do cover an area of 20 hectares, making it the second largest Baltic marketplace of the Viking Age after Hadebi. After the period of the Emporium, the island and town changed hands repeatedly into the
Wolin's Changing Control
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20th century. Around 972, the island became controlled by Prince Mysko, the first of Poland.
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Polish influence ended in around 1007, after which the island became famous for its pirates who plundered Baltic shipping for 40 years until King Magnus of Norway attacked the town in Reprisal. From the 12th century to the 17th century, the island changed hands from the Pomeranian Duchy to Poland to the Holy Roman Empire. In 1630, the island was captured by Sweden, became part of Prussia in 1679, and from 1871, Germany. After World War II, the territory was returned to Poland.
Viking Festival on Wolin
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This storied island and town has a huge amount of history, though it is still explored archaeologically. It is also home to Europe's biggest Germanic Slavic Viking festival. Thank you.
Conclusion and Further Listening
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Thanks for listening to Arc 365. If you want to hear more Arc 365, check out www.arcpodnet.com slash Arc 365 for the 2017 and 2018 episodes. Check out arcpodnet.com slash Arc 365 dash G30 for the last 30 episodes. Please subscribe and rate on your service of choice. We're available on iTunes, Stitcher, and Google Play, among others. Support the APN at arcpodnet.com slash members. Thanks for listening and thanks for being awesome.
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This show is produced and recorded by the Archaeology Podcast Network, Chris Webster and Tristan Boyle, in Reno, Nevada at the Reno Collective. This has been a presentation of the Archaeology Podcast Network. Visit us on the web for show notes and other podcasts at www.archpodnet.com. Contact us at chrisatarchaeologypodcastnetwork.com.