The Trzciniec culture is a Bronze-Age archaeological culture in Eastern Europe (c. 1600 – 1200 BC). It is sometimes associated with the Komariv neighbouring culture, as the Trzciniec-Komariv culture.
History
The Trzciniec culture developed from three Corded Ware-related cultures: Mierzanowice, Strzyżów and Iwno.
The areal of the Trzciniec culture corresponds to parts of today’s Poland (including Kujawy, Małopolska, Mazowsze, South Podlasie) and western Ukraine.
The Trzciniec culture was succeeded by the Lusatian culture, which developed around Łódź.
Characteristics
The best known settlements of the Trzciniec culture were in Złota Pińczowska, Więcławice Świętokrzyskie, Goszyce, and west Bondyrz, close to the kurgans of Guciów. Some of these sites include important treasures containing materials such as ornamental gold and silver like in Stawiszyce and Rawa Mazowiecka.
Inhumation and cremation in a flat grave were important features of Trzciniec culture. Cases of inhumation were discovered in Wolica Nowa, in the form of kurgans. Evidence of kurgan inhumation have been found at Łubna-Jakusy, whereas kurgan cremation has been found at Guciów.
Genetics
A genetic study published in Nature Communications in January 2018 examined the remains of seven possible Trzciniec individuals buried in Turlojiškė, Lithuania between 2,100 BC and 600 BC. The three samples of Y-DNA extracted belonged to haplogroup R1a1a1b(two samples) and CT, while the seven samples of mtDNA extracted belonged to haplogroup U5a2a1, T2b (three samples), H5, H4a1a1a3 and H.
A genetic study published in the American Journal of Physical Anthropology in April 2020 examined the mtDNA of eighty individuals ascribed to the Trzciniec culture. The individuals were determined to be closely related to peoples of the Corded Ware culture, Bell Beaker culture, Únětice culture and the Mierzanowice culture. They were notably genetically different from peoples of the neighboring Strzyżów culture, which displayed closer genetic relations to cultures further east.