ABSTRACT
The last years of interdisciplinary investigations on the Southern Baltic coast have provided numerous new results concerning the landscape development, settlement history and material culture of the Early Medieval Period. Around the turn of the seventh century, coastal settlements specialised in craft production, trade and exchange, and were founded in many places. These sites were established as parts of sub-regional networks and formed important contact zones between Scandinavia and Central Europe. As will be argued, at least some of them were probably established by Scandinavians in the Slavic-settled area. In particular, the varying burial customs that were practised on and in the vicinity of the trading centres indicate that a socially and ethnically heterogeneous society had emerged, as a result of acculturation processes. Data obtained in the course of archaeological excavations have supported information indicated in written sources.
