CZECHOSLOVAK PEOPLE — MATIEGKA. 479 
THE GALLIC (LA ITENE) AND THE ROMAN PERIODS, 
From the second century B. C. to the first century A. D., the cen- 
tral parts of Bohemia suffered a temporary invasion from the west by 
still another Gallic tribe, a physically strong and generally advanced 
stock, whose culture may be traced westward as far as the drainage 
areas of the Marne and Seine Rivers. They were evidently warlike 
people of Keltic deriA'^ation and their skeletal remains show prev- 
alently a tall stature with mixed cranial type (about one-third 
brachj^cephalic). They were bearers of the La Tene culture, traces 
of which extend as far as Moravia, Poland, and even Slovakia. They 
formed settlements in Bohemia which were of some duration. 
The La Tene culture in its latter phases begins to show contact 
with Roman culture, and toward the end the marks of such a contact 
are numerous. Finally there are even burials showing exclusively 
Roman culture, but found onlj singly and dispersed. 
Notwithstanding these new influences, the Slav mode of cremation 
of the dead extended gradually over the entire country, displacing the 
other methods. The mortuary offerings of the first to sixth centu- 
ries show considerable development in metal objects with Roman 
influence. As cremation was then universal, we have no adequate 
data on the physical qualities of the people during this period, but 
there was doubtless a considerable diversity. During these times 
still other tribes entered Bohemia, One of these, to whom we ascribe 
the so-called " Merovingian burials," was evidently a Germanic tribe, 
while the others were additional Slavonic groups. 
The Merovingian graves (sixth to seventh century, A. D.) are 
thinly dispersed over the northwestern districts of Bohemia, and it 
is possible that they belong essentially to Franc traders, with indi- 
vidual women who may have married into the country. The graves 
show extended skeletons with dolichocephalic skulls. The mortuary 
offerings include, besides characteristic pottery, iron weapons, glass 
beads, and in female graves considerable characteristic jewelry, with 
glass-bead necklaces, bone combs, etc. Contemporaneous with the 
Merovingian graves is an extension of Slavonic graves over all south- 
ern Bohemia. 
HISTORIC PERIOD. 
The above period passes directly into the historic Czech period, 
the period of the Bohemian dukes, and shortly after are noticeable 
the influences of Christianity. Cremation burials with mortuarj?^ 
offerings diminish, to be replaced by ordinary interments; but the 
extended bodies are still buried with the head toward the west and 
feet toward the east, as if to look toward the east. The grave is 
occasionally surrounded or covered by stones, later by posts or boards, 
