List of ancient Baltic peoples and tribes

The following is a list of ancient Baltic peoples and tribes.

Background

This is a list of the ancient Baltic peoples and tribes. They spoke the Baltic languages (members of the broader branch Balto-Slavic), a branch of the Indo-European language family, which was originally spoken by tribes living in area east of Jutland peninsula, southern Baltic Sea coast in the west and Moscow, Oka and Volga rivers basins in the east, to the northwest of the eurasian steppe. Modern descendants are the Lithuanians and Latvians (they themselves assimilated other related Baltic tribes).

Map of eastern Europe in 3-4th century CE with archeological cultures identified as Baltic-speaking in purple. Their area extended from the Baltic Sea to modern Moscow.
During the Migration Period in 5-6th century CE, the area of archeological cultures identified as Baltic is becoming more fragmented.
By the 7th–8th century CE, only Eastern Galindians remain in the east within the Slavic territory.
Distribution of the Baltic tribes, circa 1200 CE. The Eastern Balts are shown in brown hues while the Western Balts are shown in green. The boundaries are approximate.

List of ancient Baltic peoples and tribes

Groups Peoples/nations Tribes/localities
Eastern Balts Eastern Galindians Moscow region
Dniepr Balts Dnieper basin
Eastern (Middle) Balts Latvians Latgalians
Lithuanians Aukštaitians ("highlanders")
Samogitians ("lowlanders")
Prussian Lithuanians
Transitional Balts[1] Selonians Toponomastic only.
Semigallians Toponomastic only.
Curonians, Curonian Kings Toponomastic only.
Western Balts Yotvingians or Sudovians Historic region
Prussians Sambians
Scalvians
Nadruvians
Natangians
Bartians
Pomesanians
Pogesanians
Western Galindians
Warmians or Varmians
Sasnans
Lubavians
Pomeranian Balts Pomerania

Extinct

Notes

  1. Bojtár page 207.
  • Gimbutas, Marija (1963). The Balts. London, New York: Thames & Hudson, Gabriella. Archived from the original on 20 August 2008. Retrieved 2008-09-06. E-book of the original.
  • Baranauskas, Tomas (2003). "Forum of Lithuanian History". Historija.net. Archived from the original on 6 September 2008. Retrieved 2008-09-06.
  • Sabaliauskas, Algirdas (1998). "We, the Balts". Postilla 400. Samogitian Cultural Association. Archived from the original on 2008-04-02. Retrieved 2008-09-05.
  • Straižys, Vytautas; Libertas Klimka (1997). "The Cosmology of ancient Balts". www.astro.lt. Retrieved 2008-09-05.
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