Until the 9th century, historical sources referred to the Prussians as the Aesti. Around the same time, the name Bruzi appears and subsequently becomes the term used for the inhabitants of the southeastern Baltic shores. Seemingly, the cultural landscape of the early Middle Ages appears to align with the image of the Prussians depicted in medieval sources, and the settlement structure seems to reflect a clear division into three cultural zones. On the one hand, this could suggest that as early as the 7th century, a stable cultural system had formed, which endured for centuries. On the other hand, this is an oversimplification—changes that took place in this region during the 9th and 10th centuries do not fit into straightforward models. We observe the survival of post-Olsztyn community enclaves, a significant cultural and settlement crisis, increased Scandinavian activity in the region, and finally, the image of a strong, pagan people who became the target of Christianization efforts.

Eastern Pomerania in the early Middle Ages was a region with a complex and dynamically evolving political, settlement-territorial, and social structure. The strongholds that emerged there served various functions, ranging from tribal centres to local ducal power hubs, which, like the rest of Pomerania, periodically came under the control of the early Piast state. This paper will address topics such as the origins of strongholds, their structure and functions during the tribal period, changes in the settlement-territorial framework, and the role of strongholds during periods of political transformation. The analysis of their functions will go beyond traditional defensive and military interpretations, also considering economic, administrative, and communication aspects. Special emphasis will be placed on reconstructing the organizational structure of strongholds, their place within the system of power, and the role they played in shaping the settlement network of the region.