Brzegowe umocnienia obronne Ostrowa Lednickiego

• Authors: Górecki Janusz

Title variants

EN

Defensive Strengthening Constructions of the Shore of Ostrów Lednicki (Lednica Holm)

• Languages of publication: PL

Abstracts

EN

The problem of the topography reconstruction of the early medieval stronghold on Ostrów Lednicki (Lednica Holm) is an important research issue. It is connected with the spatial structure transformations of the power centres in the Greater Polish core of the oldest Polish state. The fortifications were among the topographical elements of this island. Still not very long ago it was believed that the strengthening constructions at Lednica Holm were of homogenous character, i.e. they consisted of defensive embankments made of timber and earth. The latest research conducted on the western side of the Holm (2003–2006) changed the state of knowledge about the military architecture of this ruling centre of the first Polish dynasty. The research resulted in the discovery of the strengthening system of the island shoreline. It was localized along the borderline between the land and waters of Lake Lednica on the almost hundredmetre-long stretch. First mentions concerning the Lednica earthworks appeared in the 19th century whilst the first archaeological research was conducted here in 1951 (K. Żurowski). The shore constructions uncovered at that time were recognized as the remains of the harbour. Such state of research was verified only by the investigation of J. Górecki. Exposed fortifications are the type of land and water arrangement as they run not only on the side of the island shore (on the ground) but also their important part includes the constructions situated in shoreline waters of the lake. Accumulation in layers of earth, in which the strengthening structures were deposited, builds four stratigraphic horizons which were dated to the time of glacier’s appearance and up till the 20th century. The discussed fortifications lied on the horizon of the second layers. They were dated on the basis of the age determination of timber. The one used during their construction was cut between 975-985. This dating was additionally confirmed by the example of the Byzantine copper coin attributed to the emperor Basil II (976-1025) which was found here and which is extremely rare in Poland. The oak timber used in the constructions was placed in accordance with very strict rules to form the chest construction (grating). This sort of lattice was strengthened with some stilts dug into ground vertically and diagonally. Size of the oak grating sides oscillated between 210-320 cm (for the longitudinal sides) and 210-230 cm (for the crosswise ones). The maximum width of the earthwork (observed in the research) reached up to about 9 m; it must have been wider actually as the constructions were deposited in the lake where even today numerous stilts can be noticed. The stilts occur in few rows (not more than four) and with different density – they were planted every 20-30 cm or more distantly – every 50 cm. Rock material was another element of the shore strengthening construction – huge granite cobblestones served as the stone kind of breakwater and were also thrown between the stilts. Rock material together with stilts formed the foreland of the fortification. Its purpose was to delay the moment of direct contact of an enemy’s boat with the shore of the island and to give the defenders additional time for repulsing the potential attack. The land and water defensive structures of the shore uncovered on Lednica Holm are not an isolated case. The military constructions of that kind are known for example from the Baltic area (Wołogoszcz) or from the Drawskie Lakeland (Lake Żółte). They have been also recorded in the Slavonic strongholds within the area of today’s Germany – in Behren-Lűbchin and Parchim. To sum up, it can be stated that the research of the western shore of Lednica Holm revealed hitherto unknown type of defensive construction on that part of the island. That discovery cast new light on the issues of fortification of the Holm. The discussed research showed that this fortification was of dual nature – it consisted not only of the appropriate stronghold rampart but also of the system of the land and water strengthening chest constructions of the shore. This kind of earthworks considerably enriches our comprehension relating to the transformations of the spatial arrangements of fortification in one of the main centres of the early medieval Polish ruler – the stronghold on Lednica Holm and more generally the knowledge about the military architecture of the early ruling centres of the Piast dynasty in the second half of the 10th century.

• Publisher: Muzeum Pierwszych Piastów na Lednicy
• Journal: Studia Lednickie
• Year: 2011
• Volume: 10
• Pages: 107-127

Dates

published

2011

Contributors

author

Górecki Janusz

• Muzeum Pierwszych Piastów na Lednicy

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Identifiers

ISSN

0860-7893