Ancient Prussians: areas of settlement (to a problem of the Jatvings origin)
In the article the ancient Prussians settlement is estimated on the basis of a correlation of the positions of the Polish and Russian scientific schools. The facts of local dynamics of the Western Balts settlement are allocated (moves between the areas of the Sambia Peninsula, the adjacent coast of the Baltic Sea and Masury Lakeland) during 1 half of Ith. AC under the influence of external immigrants, which had the economic bases (amber trade). A conceptual position is proposed that the mass disappearance of the Western Balts monuments in Masury Lakeland (during VII-XI cc.) was the consequence of the next external influence on the region in 3/4 of Ith AC, as a result of which the carriers of the Sudovian culture moved to the Sambia Peninsula. A conclusion is drawn that there is no direct succession between the antique “Sudines” and the medieval “Sudovians/Jatvings” and, accordingly, the latter are formed directly on the basis of the Prussian culture. It is offered to correlate the return move of the Prussians (to Masury Lakeland and further to Upper Nemanland, in the Early Middle Ages (IX-XI cc.)) with the influence of the next wave of external immigrants (foundation of the trading center of Kaup, the subsequent organization of a Trading way from Kaup upstream of the Neman river). It is expedient to define the Jatvings as one of the late Prussian branches and to correlate the areas of their settlement with the medieval confederation of the Prussian tribes.