Krummesser-type knives from the settlement of the Trzciniec culture in Tur Dolny-Busina, site 3, district Pińczów

Abstract

The paper discusses four Krummesser knives discovered on a multiphase settlement in Tur Dolny-Busina, site 3, Pińczów area, which is dated from the Early Bronze Age to the Early Iron Age. Until now, finds of these types of knives have not often come from safe archaeological contexts, which has fuelled discussions about their chronology. Two of the presented knives come from archaeological features linked with the Trzciniec culture, which provides valuable information on their chronology. The article presents a detailed description of the morphology of the artefacts. The geological analysis allowed us to identify the raw material. In addition, all artefacts were subjected to microscopic examination to determine the method of their production and documented traces of use on their surfaces. As a result of the conducted analysis, it was found that three of the knives were made from local raw materials with minimal modification, while the fourth seems to be made in a specialized workshop and is probably imported.