BARBARICUM, vol. 8, Warszawa 2009 Bartosz KONTNY Institute of Archaeology, University of Warsaw Magdalena NATUNIEWICZ-SEKUŁA Institute of Archaeology and Ethnology, Polish Academy of Sciences A spur from Myślęcin (?) as an odd piece in a puzzle As it is widely known, burials in the Wielbark culture are characterized by the absence of weapons in graves. The few exceptions from this rule have been discussed in the literature of the subject (KACZANOWSKI, ZABOROWSKI 1988; KOKOWSKI 1993; KONTNY 2006A; KONTNY 2006B; KONTNY, NATUNIEWICZ-SEKUŁA 2006, 2007). The same rule applied to elements of horse harness but spurs were apparently exempt. Publications on spurs in the Wielbark culture have been sporadic (GODŁOWSKI 1970, 8–9, 39; KOKOWSKI 1993, 337–338; KOKOWSKI 1995, 290–291; SOKOŁOWSKI 2004; also, see ROMAN 1997 for a publication on chair-shaped spurs, however the study is incomplete and contains errors). The subject must be considered as under- researched, and no comprehensive study on spurs in the Wielbark culture is available (although there is SOKOŁOWSKI 2004, a noteworthy unpublished B.A. thesis on spurs from Subgroup E after J. Ginalski (1991). It should be noted that only some of the spurs from the territory of the Wielbark culture have their equivalents in Ginalski’s classification, which is based on Przeworsk culture material (Subgroups C, E and F). Others, although they seem to be stylistically related to the Przeworsk culture spurs in Subgroup G after J. Ginalski, constitute a distinct solution that is specific to the territory of the Wielbark culture (KONTNY, NATUNIEWICZ-SEKUŁA 2006, 307–308; 2007, 161), and to the territories of the Balts (cf. TISCHLER, KEMKE 1902, Pl. XVI–XVII). Similarly noteworthy is the presence of chair-shaped spurs (which are much rarer in the Przeworsk culture) and of Leuna type spurs (GIESLER 1978). Spurs in the Wielbark culture clearly indicate an influence from Skandinavia and the Przeworsk culture, and possibly also from the territories of Balts. This article does not claim to be a comprehensive study of spurs. Instead, we would like to shed a light on a very interesting spur find which had been published several dozens years ago… *** The spur in question comes from a collection of artefacts acquired from unprofessional excavations in Wielbark culture sites in Weklice, Elbląg com. – formerly Wöklitz or Woeklitz, Kreis Elbing and MyĞlęcin, Elbląg com. – formerly Meislatein, Kr. Elbing (KRAUSE 1825). In the 1820s, a Protestant minister named Krause wrote from Przezmark to Carl (Friedrich) Abramowski, administrator of Elbing, to inform him that the villagers from MyĞlęcin were finding various beads and urn fragments on a nearby hill. Reverend Krause had also taken notice of the so-called Burgberg (“Hilfort Hill”) near Weklice, a hill where he was hoping to find ritual vessels and relics formerly used by pagan priests, and which he believed was hiding the remains of the Wekliz castle. Krause informed Abramowski about his ideas, who granted the minister’s request and assigned 60 men to excavate in the area in May 1822. The results were disappointing: they only found charcoals and fragments of old vessels in varying colours and quantities lying several feet under the ground. One Sunday, the villagers from the neighbouring MyĞlęcin were spurred to undertake “excavations” of their own on a sandy hill near their village. Their results proved much more interesting. They sent word to Abramowski, who ordered repeated excavations by about 100 men. Within the space of several days, artefacts were found and delivered to Abramowski (then paying a visit to Przezmark) and to his host,