PDF file (4 MB) - Arheoloogia Tartu Ülikoolis

Modern Period. The collected material in general shows that the Uderna II settlement
has been continuously inhabited from the 11 th century.
The Uderna II Settlement Site in the Early Modern Period
The Livonian-Russian war which begun on the second half of the 16 th century, marks
the beginning of the Early Modern Period in Estonia. The long period of war activity
has only left one specific type of artifact into the archaeological material of village
Uderna - green-glazed greyware from Northwest Russia. From the written sources, far
more information can be obtained. This information shows that the community of the
village suffered greatly from the almost century-long period of war activity. During the
period, and the years following, almost all of the families in the village were destroyed
by war, famine or the epidemics, or possibly, left their homes to live elsewhere. This did
not mean that the village was left uninhabited, though – it seems to become filled with
newcomers (some of them probably foreigners) quite fast after the peace was restored.
This process is quite typical to Estonia in the 17 th century.
There are also some other changes in the consistence of the archaeological material of
the settlement site. From the beginning of the Early Modern Period, there are
considerably less ornaments among the artifacts. The weapons practically seem to
disappear from the village. And, lastly, the villagers start smoking. From the written
sources, one more change can be seen – two villages of Uderna are joined into one
sometime during the 17 th century. This is probably caused by them going into the
ownership of one family and manor.
The Great Northern War that took place in the beginning of the 18 th century was
probably as devastating to the village as the Russian-Livonian war had been. However,
no written sources or archaeological proof exist to confirm this. A visible change comes
into the archaeological material from the second half of the 18 th century – almost all of
the coins found from the settlement site are from that period. A fork, a table knife, and
fragments of faience cups probably also belong to that (or a later) period. These artifacts
also seem to refer to the possible wealth and high status of the family using them.
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