scholarly journals THE SLAVIC AGE IN THE BALTIC SEA REGION: THE ECONOMIC RISE OF THE SLAV-INHABITED BALTIC SEACOAST IN THE EARLY MIDDLE AGES

2019 ◽  
pp. 9-28
Author(s):  
Olha Shchodra ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Economic Development ◽  
International Trade ◽  
Baltic Sea ◽  
Middle Ages ◽  
Early Medieval ◽  
Trade Routes ◽  
Baltic Sea Region ◽  
Oder River ◽  
The Baltic

Abstract Background. The article attempts to explore the reasons of the economic rise in the Slav-inhabited Baltic Sea region, including the role of geographical factors; the impact of international trade on the economic development of the Slavic region; the role of the coastal Slavs in developing the Baltic trade routes as well as the network of river and land communications in Central and Eastern Europe. The paper mainly focuses on the participation of the Slavs in the formation of transcontinental trade routes and the development of trade between Europe and the Arab East. Purpose. To explore medieval written sources, archaeological sources and historical literature on the economic development of the Baltic Slavs; identify the main factors of their economic rise, including the establishment of cities and the development of trade. Results. The following conclusions are made in the article: the first early medieval cities in the southern Baltic were founded by the Slavs; as early as in the VII century in the Oder river basin alone there were about a hundred settlements in the lands of lutych tribes. The cities founded by the Slavs on the southwest coast of the Baltic were large trade centers such as Veligrad (ger. Mecklenburg), Volyn (ger. Yumna), Staryhrad (ger. Oldenburg), Kolobreg, Shchetin, Arkona and others. According to the German chronicler Adam Bremensky the Slavic city of Volyn located on the island at the mouth of the Oder river, was one of the largest early medieval cities in Europe and a major international trading center. The emergence of early cities was stimulated by economic development in the Baltic Slavic region, including agriculture and crafts. However, trade was the main factor in the economic rise of the Slav-inhabited Baltic sea region. The favorable geographical location contributed to the formation in its territory of a network of waterways and landways, which were branches of international trade highways. Contrary to established views of the Slavs as exclusively agricultural people, sources indicate that the main occupation of the coastal Slavs was trade. They also engaged in the maritime piracy, the centers of which were the islands of Fembra (ger. Femarn) and Ruyan (ger. Rügen). The coastal Slavic tribes were pioneers in paving the first trade routes and in developing international trade in the Baltic region. Trade activities of the coastal Slavs to a large extent ensured the establishment of trade links between different regions of Europe and the development of transcontinental trade between Europe and the Arab East. The transcontinental water and land routes passed through the lands inhabited by the Slavs (Slavonia). An important role in its development in the early Middle Ages also belongs to the Danube Slavs (the state of Samo, Great Moravia) and Rus. Key words: early Medieval Age, Baltic Slavs, obodrytes, lutyches, ruyans, international trade routes, trade with the Arab East.

Grain Market Integration in the Baltic Sea Region in the Nineteenth Century

2015 ◽  
Vol 75 (3) ◽  
pp. 749-790 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fredrik N.G. Andersson ◽  
Jonas Ljungberg
Keyword(s):  
Factor Analysis ◽  
Baltic Sea ◽  
Market Integration ◽  
Dynamic Factor Analysis ◽  
Dynamic Factor ◽  
The Baltic Sea ◽  
Baltic Sea Region ◽  
Atlantic Economy ◽  
The Baltic

This article explores the development of market integration within the Baltic Sea region and with England, from the 1840s to the late 1880s. It exploits two new datasets on grain prices. The degree of market integration is estimated using a wavelet variant of dynamic factor analysis that takes account of both time and distance. Additionally, we use the London corn market as the benchmark for the degree of market integration. Our results show that the role of distance disappeared in the wheat and rye, but not in the oats and barley trade, as the Baltic Sea Region became integrated into the Atlantic economy.

scholarly journals Opportunities for sustainable economic development in coastal territories of the Baltic Sea Region in the context of digital transformation

Baltic Region ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (2) ◽  
pp. 7-26
Author(s):  
Goran Roos ◽  
Natalia Ye. Kubina ◽  
Yulia Yu. Farafonova
Keyword(s):  
Sustainable Development ◽  
Economic Development ◽  
Baltic Sea ◽  
Digital Transformation ◽  
The Baltic Sea ◽  
Sustainable Economic Development ◽  
Baltic Sea Region ◽  
Blue Economy ◽  
Socio Economic Development ◽  
The Baltic

The article explores opportunities for the sustainable economic development of coastal territories in the Baltic Sea region (BSR) arising in blue economy sectors in the framework of digital transformation. The study argues that more active commercialisation of territorial resources can facilitate the sustainable economic development of the BSR coastal territories, following digitally-driven innovations. The paper provides an overview of methodological approaches to territorial sustainability. It also assesses the 2009—2018 level of the socio-economic development of the BSR coastal territories, underpins the importance of the blue economy and highlights the role of digital transformation in reaching the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in the BSR through digitally-driven innovations. A comparative and problem-targeted statistics analyses show significant differences in the dynamics of socio-economic development in the BSR coastal territories with their GRP per capita being generally lower than the national or macroregional average. A review of literature on sustainable development in the BSR has shown that a more active use of the unique resources of coastal territories along with a technology-driven growth of the blue economy sectors can counterbalance the negative impact of the uneven development of these territories on the progress towards the SDGs in the BSR. Increasing the competitiveness of the BSR coastal territories requires investment in digital solutions in the blue economy sectors and building communication infrastructure. The review of key innovations in the blue economy sectors shows that their implementation gives impetus to other industries by reducing costs, creating new jobs, and improving the quality of products and services.

scholarly journals Role of Air Cargo and Road Feeder Services for Regional Airports – Case Studies from the Baltic Sea Region

2016 ◽  
Vol 17 (2) ◽  
pp. 87-99 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anatoli Beifert
Keyword(s):  
Baltic Sea ◽  
Aviation Industry ◽  
Air Cargo ◽  
The Baltic Sea ◽  
Baltic Sea Region ◽  
Catchment Areas ◽  
Development Plans ◽  
The Baltic ◽  
Regional Airports

Abstract Although airports play an important role the global and European economies, according to the new guidelines of the EU Commission on the new state aid rules for a competitive aviation industry (EC, 2014), it will be more difficult for unprofitable airports, to get financial public subsidies in the future. The Commission noted that the majority of regional airports experience severe problems to cover their operative costs, resulting from among other things from overlapping of airports’ catchment areas. The main objective of the above mentioned measures is not to close the regional airports, but to motivate them to operate on cost efficient, profitable and more flexible basis, stating however that and that the most inefficient airports will be still closed. In order face upcoming challenges, the regional airports shall reconsider their future development plans. Traditionally, the airports including small and regional airports focus on the passenger traffic and thus, the possible benefits and opportunities of the air cargo market are totally underestimated or even completely ignored. Most regional airports in the Baltic Sea region act totally isolated and do not have a clear picture of the current situation on the international air cargo market today, its future perspectives and sustainable development plans remain basically hidden. There are some examples when trying to meet the market demand, the regional airports have made huge, but unfortunately unjustified investments, e.g. improving airport infrastructure, runways, etc. However, the airports’ infrastructural investments alone cannot fulfil the expected “remedy” role for the airports’ sustainability. This paper aims at investigating the positioning and the role of the regional airports in the current hub-and-spoke network, focusing on the relevance and potential of the air cargo sector for the regional airports development. The optional freight value proposition for the development of the regional airports and their possible participation in the air cargo market as a supplement instrument to generate additional revenue also by means of so-called “air trucking” services will be presented and discussed.

scholarly journals Establishing transboundary tourist space in the Baltic Sea region

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (Special Issue 1) ◽  
pp. 149-157
Author(s):  
DENIS CERIĆ ◽  
MAREK WIĘCKOWSKI
Keyword(s):  
European Union ◽  
Baltic Sea ◽  
Middle Ages ◽  
Regional Identity ◽  
The European Union ◽  
The Baltic Sea ◽  
Cross Border ◽  
Baltic Sea Region ◽  
The Baltic ◽  
Cross Border Cooperation

Background: The Baltic Sea region has been an area of intense political, economic and cultural contacts since the early Middle Ages. However, it severely suffered both during the Second World War and in its aftermath through to 1989. Since the mid-1990s, initiatives, programs and organisations promoting cooperation in this region have been put in place, and, in line with the expansion of the European Union, there have been far more opportunities (both organisational and financial) for cross-border cooperation, including in a transboundary context. Material and methods: The main sources of data for quantitative analysis have been official reports of Interreg Programme projects in the Baltic Sea region, as given effect to in the period between 2007 and 2013. In turn, qualitative analysis has drawn on descriptions of selected projects, mainly in reports and on relevant websites. Results: This article acquaints the reader with issues underpinning cross-border cooperation in the transboundary context of the Baltic Sea region, focusing on key aspects relating to the establishment of transboundary tourist space. Several examples of EU co-financed cross-border cooperation in tourism are also presented in greater detail. Conclusions: The process of establishing transboundary tourist space across the Baltic Sea is seen to depend greatly on co-financing by the European Union. Such EU-backed projects serving the development of cross-border tourism in the transboundary context of the Baltic Sea region can be assigned to four groups entailing: (1) the integration of transport, (2) tourism management, (3) the generation of tourist products, and (4) the development of a regional identity. However, it is typical of these projects for cooperation in the development of tourist attractions and products to be led by entities from the more developed part of the region, which therefore receive more funding than partners’ beneficiaries from the Baltic’s less-developed part. Preliminary analysis thus suggests that EU projects may not necessarily help to even out differences, i.e. reduce disparities, between the “Old” and “New” EU, even if they may be significant in helping to combine potential.

scholarly journals Comparative analysis of early medieval anthropomorphic wooden figurines from Poland. Representations of gods, deceased or ritual objects?

2020 ◽  
Vol 72 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Paweł Szczepanik
Keyword(s):  
Comparative Analysis ◽  
Baltic Sea ◽  
Middle Ages ◽  
The Baltic Sea ◽  
Early Medieval ◽  
Unique Character ◽  
Long Time ◽  
The Baltic ◽  
Baltic Sea Basin ◽  
Written Sources

Miniature anthropomorphic images, due to their unique character, have attracted the attention of archaeologists for a very long time. This text analyses the forms, significance and functions of items coming from the early Middle Ages, which were discovered in the area of Poland. The set of wooden objects is diverse in terms of form and probably also in terms of meaning. The biggest number of artefacts come from Pomerania, but some of them were found in other places. The Baltic Sea basin will be used as a broad comparative background during this analysis. Information from written sources and from broad anthropological reflection will also be used in an attempt to determine the functions and meanings of these miniature figurines. Thanks to this analysis, it will be possible to show the importance of anthropomorphic figures in the context of early medieval religion and beliefs.

scholarly journals The Empire of Rus’: prehistory and the beginnings of formation

2020 ◽  
Vol 69 ◽  
pp. 64-98
Author(s):  
Olha Shchodra ◽  
Keyword(s):  
International Trade ◽  
Middle Ages ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Trade Routes ◽  
The Balkans ◽  
The North ◽  
Leading Role ◽  
Political Consolidation ◽  
Political Associations ◽  
The Baltic

Background: The article attempts to study the processes of political consolidation of Slavic tribes in the IV–VIII centuries, to establish the main factors that influenced the formation of the early Slavic states; trace the prehistory of Rus’ and determine the beginnings of the Rus’ empire. Purpose: To identify a set of medieval sources for studying the history of the early Slavic states, to analyze the information of medieval writers about the Slavs and Rus’ people, their early state formations and titles of rulers to help establish the nature and degree of state-building processes. Analysis of written sources shows that the first reports of the early Slavic states appear in the Byzantine chronicles in the VI century during the era of the Great Migration, when large-scale migration in the Balkans formed large Slavic regions and Slavic expansion was a serious threat to the territories of the empire. Arab authors begin to mention the Slavs and Rus’ people later, in the VII–VIII centuries, during the beginning of Arab expansion within Byzantium and the development of international trade between Europe and the Arab East in which the Slavs played a leading role. According to sources the formation of Rus’ in southern Eastern Europe was preceded by the formation of large military-political associations of the Slavs - the unions of the Ants and Dulibs, Greater Croatia. Here as in the Baltic Pomerania and the Danube, they originated in the Slavic areas through which international trade routes passed. International trade contributed to the development of cities, strengthened the process of political consolidation and became an important factor in the formation of the early Slavic states and the formation of the Rus’ empire. Its territorial core was the Middle Dnieper region through which passed the routes connecting the north and south of the continent, as well as the transcontinental trade route between the European West and the Arab East. The establishment of control over water and land international routes was the main reason for the expansion of the Rus’ people which resulted in the formation of the largest European empire in the Middle Ages. Keywords: migrations of the Slavs, early Slavic states, the Ant Union, the Dulib Union, international trade routes, Rus’ people, Rus’ empire.

scholarly journals Regional higher education co-operation: a research proposal to compare the Baltic Sea and the Black Sea regions

2011 ◽  
Vol 3 (2) ◽  
pp. 199-224
Author(s):  
Stefan Ewert
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Baltic Sea ◽  
Black Sea ◽  
Regional Integration ◽  
The Black Sea ◽  
The Baltic Sea ◽  
Black Sea Region ◽  
Baltic Sea Region ◽  
The Baltic

While the Baltic Sea Region is considered to be a pioneer region in the development of regional integration and identity, the Black Sea Region is regarded to be a laggard in terms of regionali¬zation and region building. My paper summarizes the role of regional higher education co-operation in the Baltic Sea regionalization process in theory and analyzes the empirical background of these assumptions. Yet, inasmuch an evaluation of the regions` status as a pioneer is possible only in a comparative perspective, I propose to compare the Black Sea and the Baltic Sea Region regarding their higher education networks systematically. My paper asks for the transferability of arguments in favor of a strong regional higher education co-operation in the Baltic Sea Region since the 1990s to today’s situation of the Black Sea Region. It concludes with some fundamental considerations on a comparative research project.

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