DOI: 10.33547/terra.fertilis08
Die „Große Wildnis” – eine Grenze zwischen dem germanischen Besiedlungsraum und dem
westbaltischen Kulturkreis in der römischen Kaiserzeit und der Völkerwanderungszeit
by Wojciech Nowakowski 
in Terra fertilis, terra deserta. Exploitation of marginal zones, edited by M. J. Przybyła, J. Rodzińska-Nowak and M. Wojenka, Neue Studien zur Sachsenforschung 15, Braunschweig – Kraków: Braunschweigische Landesmuseum, Uniwersytet Jagielloński, Profil-Archeo, pp. 127-136.
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This paper examines the phenomenon of the so-called “Great Wilderness” (Große Wildnis) as a natural and cultural boundary between the Germanic settlement zone and the West Baltic cultural area during the Roman Iron Age and the Migration Period. The study focuses on the Masurian Plain, whose geomorphological conditions—sandy soils, numerous lakes, and extensive forests—limited agricultural development while favouring forest-based economies, including hunting, beekeeping, and the exploitation of natural resources such as bog iron and amber.
Drawing on archaeological evidence, the article analyses patterns of settlement and material culture in and around this marginal zone. The available data, largely derived from accidental finds rather than systematic excavations, suggest that settlement within the “Great Wilderness” was sparse and irregular. While neighbouring cultural groups—such as the West Baltic barrow culture, the Przeworsk culture, and later the Bogaczewo culture—occasionally expanded toward its edges, there is little evidence of permanent or intensive occupation within the forested interior.
The study further demonstrates that although contacts between Germanic and Baltic populations intensified during the Roman period, particularly in connection with the amber trade, the “Great Wilderness” continued to function as a buffer zone rather than a corridor of communication. Even in periods of cultural change, including the Migration Period and the emergence of the Olsztyn Group, settlement activity remained concentrated along the margins of this region.
In conclusion, the “Great Wilderness” is interpreted as a long-lasting environmental and cultural barrier shaped primarily by natural conditions. Its role as a borderland persisted over centuries, separating neighbouring populations while simultaneously offering limited opportunities for resource exploitation rather than sustained colonisation or transit.