university of klaipėda lithuanian institute of history roman širouchov ...

Fischhausen (Primorsk) districts. This way could lead then through the
Lochschtedt strait to the Baltic sea, reaching at the end South Curonian
trade centres of Palanga and Žardė.
4. Pregel-Deima-Curonian Lagoon trade route
32
This route appears to be attractive for further research, because
along downstream of Priegel and Deima several large hill-forts, ceme-
teries and dense concentration of stray finds of the Curonian type arte-
facts are to be located in the area of lower Deima, with V type ladder
brooches, spiral and zoomorphic bracelets, crucifix pins, “antenna”
type swords and some other artefacts of Curonian type occurred in the
today’s Polesk district (Löbertshof and Viehof cemeteries). Some of
these items could come here directly from Pilsotas land through
Curonian Lagoon. This area is important for further study of possible
contacts between Prussian, Scalvian and Curonian populations.
III.3. Trade relations between Prussians and Curonians
Despite the fact, that all the 11 th -13 th authors together with mod-
ern researchers describe Curonian economy as “plunder”, trade and
especially domestic trade had to play important role in Curonian eco-
nomic and life-style. Similarity of patterns of material culture, together
with lack of burial forms of Curonian type in Prussian lands as well as
Prussian forms in Curonian area might explain the nature of their con-
tacts as primarily commercial, in a trade exchange meaning. The forms
of ornaments of Curonian type, so popular in other areas of East Baltic