DOI: 10.33547/terra.fertilis18
The chamber grave of Poprad-Matejovce in the context of settlement dynamics of the North Carpathian Group in the Early Migration Period
by Nina Lau 
, Karol Pieta and Judyta Rodzińska-Nowak
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. 309-324.
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Abstract: This article analyzes the chamber grave of Poprad-Matejovce in northern Slovakia within the broader context of settlement dynamics of the North Carpathian Group during the Early Migration Period. The burial, discovered in 2006, is of exceptional importance due to the outstanding preservation of organic materials, including wooden structures, textiles, and leather, which enable a detailed reconstruction of funerary practices and material culture.
The study situates the grave within a short-lived but extensive settlement phenomenon spanning both sides of the Western Carpathians in the late 4th and early 5th centuries AD. This colonization, often linked to the expansion of the Przeworsk culture, involved the occupation of previously sparsely settled or abandoned mountainous regions. The authors examine the origins, development, and abrupt decline of this settlement system, highlighting its connection to broader socio-political processes such as migration, demographic pressure, and external threats, including the expansion of the Huns.
Particular attention is given to the Poprad-Matejovce grave as a unique burial within this settlement context, where evidence for cemeteries is otherwise scarce. The richly constructed tomb, consisting of two wooden chambers and elaborate furnishings, reflects strong Roman cultural influences as well as local traditions. The grave goods and architectural features indicate that the deceased was a member of a high-status elite, likely belonging to the first generation of settlers in the region.
The article argues that the grave should be interpreted not only as a marker of social status but also as a deliberate act of identity construction within a newly established community. The burial may have functioned as a symbolic claim to territory, a means of legitimizing emerging social structures, and a focal point for collective memory. By integrating archaeological, environmental, and cultural evidence, the study offers new insights into the relationship between elite burials and settlement dynamics in periods of migration and social transformation.