Search results

1

Christopher Loveluck, Northwest Europe in the Early Middle Ages, c. AD. 600–1150. A comparative archaeology, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge 2013, ss. XXIV + 472.

100%

Polek K.

Res Gestae. Czasopismo Historyczne

|

2015

|

vol. 1

341-348

2

Okucie pochwy miecza z Gardzienia koło Iławy. Przyczynek do studiów nad uzbrojeniem na pograniczu bałtyjsko-słowiańskim

80%

Janowski A., Szczepański Ł.

Komunikaty Mazursko-Warmińskie

|

2018

|

issue 3(301)

416-439

EN

n 2017, the lower fitting of a sword scabbard, discovered some 500 m east of Lake Stęgwica near Gardzień, Iława district, was transferred to the collections of the Ostróda Museum. The artefact is damaged, but only superficially. Despite the degradation of some parts of the decoration, on the basis of the general shape, the legible parts and stylistic features, this object can clearly be classified as type Va in the typology of the Lithuanian weapon specialist Vytautas Kazakevičius. The chronology of the artefact spans the 11th–13th centuries. According to the authors, the Gardzień chape should be considered a product of Prussian provenance, or perhaps from Courland, which is suggested by a find from Siraičiai in Lithuania, with the closest analogous ornamentation. The place where the chape was discovered was, during the early Middle Ages, in the zone broadly understood as the Slavic-Baltic border. In this sense, it is possible to connect the context of the discovery to the tripartite division of Prussian territorial ties: tribal territory (Pomesania), land (Prezla) and the lauks (campus Schinewite). The presence of this artefact in the area of today’s Gardzień can be associated with the frontier character of this region in the Middle Ages and the resulting militarisation of the population forced to face neighbouring aggression more often than usual.

3

Rekonstrukcja w 1949 roku przez Andrzeja Nadolskiego drewniano-ziemnego wału wczesnośredniowiecznego grodu łęczyckiego

80%

Poklewski-Koziełł T.

Acta Archaeologica Lodziensia

|

2013

|

vol. 59

67-73

EN

The first archaeological excavation at the great stronghold in Tum near Łęczyca was started in 1948 by Professor Konrad Jażdżewski together with Janina Kamińska, Andrzej Nadolski and a number of other archaeologists. In accordance with relevant research methodologies, the excavation was begun by digging through the main rampart. During the works, numerous traces of rotten timber, the remains of timber defensive structures dating back to the 8th century BC, were discovered. Antoni Klein, an engineer and resident of nearby Łęczyca, helped in documenting these archaeological finds by creating his own alternative picture documentation, in which he successfully rendered the original size of the rotten timbers and reconstructed the woodwork joints. Andrzej Nadolski used this documentation to make a series of reconstruction drawings of the entire rampart structure. The timbers from the lowest section of the rampart, which had survived in the wet ground and retained their natural size, served as a reference point for him. Under the direction of Andrzej Nadolski, Antoni Klein’s son, Andrzej Klein, prepared the technical as well as lifelike reconstruction drawings of the rampart. Professor Konrad Jażdżewski made every effort to supply the newly created archaeological centre of Łódź with high quality exploratory equipment and measuring instruments. The archaeological excavations conducted at Tum stronghold in the years 1948-1955 were considered as exemplary Polish excavations in respect of modernity and precision of documentation. In his reconstruction of the stronghold fortifications, Andrzej Nadolski made the best use of these methodological as well as technical opportunities and his reconstruction of the early medieval stronghold defensive structures in question, prepared with the help of very talented Antoni and Andrzej Klein, remains a model work

4

Wczesnośredniowieczna broń obuchowa z terenu Polski w dorobku Andrzeja Nadolskiego z perspektywy kolejnych lat badań

80%

Kotowicz P., Michalak A.

Acta Archaeologica Lodziensia

|

2013

|

vol. 59

47-62

EN

Andrzej Nadolski is regarded as one of the most distinguished arms and armor specialist in Europe. Studies over Polish weaponry taken just after World War II provided in 1954 a first in our continent monograph in this subject. Much contribution in this work was done in the field of knowing early medieval blunt weapon – hammer axes, battle axes and maces. Studies of early medieval arms and armor, taken by A. Nadolski, were a huge challenge, also because he included sparse information from the written, iconographic as well ethnological and linguistic sources. The main contribution of this research was however typo-chronological classification of collection of 172 hammer- and battle axes from the territory of Piast state. This system, used by Author in all of his further works, was widely accepted by many Polish archeologists, and is being employed, sometimes uncritically, until today. Due to the fact that the total number of known artefacts increase a lot (Fig. 1), and this classification cannot be developed, it seems that it is not possible to use this typology to all known materials from the territory of Poland. In the consequence of only 5 known artefacts, Author did not propose any classification for maces. From that time, known number of this kind of objects increased almost 10 times (Fig. 2), but most of them are chance finds, without any proper archeological context. Besides typo-chronological aspects, Author discussed also many other problems concerning this kind of weapon, including the presence of small holes in the axe and hammer-axe heads, their decoration, length of the shafts, distribution of particular forms. Nadolski demystify also claims of German researchers, who treated many forms of axes as so-called „Viking”, but having in fact their roots in the territory of Central Europe, and could have been produced by local blacksmiths, what was proven by metallographic examinations. Last years caused increase of interest also in the field of mace manufacturing, especially in technological context. This survey showed enormous meaning of Nadolski’s monograph for Polish arms and armour studies, and some ideas were developed also in further papers – eg. in the article concerned of symbolic destination of clubs. However, state of research caused that many aspects of blunt weapon was, for scholar from Łódź, unavailable. In case of all categories of blunt weapon a major step forward was made recently, thanks to the increase of number of known artefacts, as well as development of research in the neighboring countries. During the archaeological excavations conducted in the last 60-years, large collections of this kind of weapon were obtained, sometimes, like in the case of water finds, preserved in whole. This fact encouraged scholars for detailed specialist analysis. Due to discovering of wooden and leather cases, as well as relicts of textiles on the axe heads, some studies concerning the problem of preserving blunt weapon have been also recently taken. From today point of view crucial issue, caused by analogy of forms of some of the specimens regarded as heads of war flails and maces, is appropriate identification of artefacts. Increase of data caused also that it was possible to specify some aspects or make new hypothesis about origin and chronology of some of types of hammer axes, battle axes and maces, as well as decoration and symbolic meaning of these artefacts. It was also noted that maces were used not only in a hand to hand combat, but also as a throwing weapon. The only category of early medieval blunt weapon which was not included in any of A. Nadolski’s works, are war flails (kistens). Significant progress in case of these artefacts was made just at the beginning of 21st c. (Fig. 3). As most of the war flails were discovered in south-eastern territories of Poland, they were regarded as a result of contact with Rus mielieu, where they were most popular in the 12th-13th c. Specimens from the Piast’s state were found in important centers of ducal power and there are no proves whether they came there thanks to a trade or presence of duke’s mercenaries. The presented above review of early medieval blunt weapon clearly shows A. Nadolski’s significant contribution in specify of many of its problems. The monograph of early Polish weaponry, published in 1954, was a breakthrough work, which became, for many years, a „manual” for archeologists interested in arms and armour in Poland. However, the enlargement of number of known artefacts and increase of our knowledge about early medieval weaponry, caused that indiscriminate use of conclusions from this book is luckily impossible today. After almost 60 years since the „Studies...” was published, it is probably time for another attempt to recapitulate our knowledge in this subject.

5

Profesora Władysława Łosińskiego wkład w polską archeologię wczesnego średniowiecza, czyli przyczynek do szkicu o pokoleniu archeologów okresu badań „Milenijnych”

80%

Kara M., Michałowski A., Rębkowski M.

Slavia Antiqua: rocznik poświęcony starożytnościom słowiańskim

|

2018

|

issue 59

9-19

PL

Profesora Władysława Łosińskiego wkład w polską archeologię wczesnego średniowiecza, czyli przyczynek do szkicu o pokoleniu archeologów okresu badań „Milenijnych”

6

Zagadnienie tzw. grodów kultowych na wczesnośredniowiecznym Pomorzu

80%

Kajkowski K.

Slavia Antiqua: rocznik poświęcony starożytnościom słowiańskim

|

2018

|

issue 59

129-152

PL

Zasadniczym problemem badawczym, jakim poświęcono prezentowane uwagi, jest zagadnienievidentyfikacji i obecności na Pomorzu struktur osadniczych określanych w literaturze archeologicznej jako grody kultowe. Charakterystyce poddano cechy konstrukcyjne oraz zarejestrowane w obszarach zamkniętych pierścieniem wałów źródła wykopaliskowe mogące podważać osadnicze i/lub militarne przeznaczenie grodów. Do tych ostatnich zaliczono słabo czytelną warstwę kulturową (lub jej brak) i obecność obiektów i/lub zabytków mogące wskazywać na czasowy, a w związku z tym nieutylitarny charakter pobytu w ich obrębie grup ludzkich. Wyznaczone kryteria zaobserwowano na kilkunastu grodziskach pomorskich, które poddano możliwe dokładnej analizie. W jej wyniku dokonano dalszych spostrzeżeń pozwalających na hipotetyczne włączenie niektórych z badanych grodzisk do korpusu obiektów mogących mieć związek z realizacją potrzeb kultowo-obrzędowych.

7

Aneks 2 Elementy tekstylne na fragmentach skórzanego obuwia

70%

Sikorski A.

Materiały Zachodniopomorskie

|

2020

|

vol. 16

123-134

EN

Pieces of textile on fragments of leather footwear from excavations at Ujście 5.

8

Aneks 1 Ekspertyza antropologiczna szczątków kostnych

70%

Wrzesińska A.

Materiały Zachodniopomorskie

|

2020

|

vol. 16

119-121

EN

Analysis of human remains from archaeological site at Ujście 5.

9

W poszukiwaniu dźwięków przeszłości. Zagadkowy przedmiot z Ostrowa Lednickiego

61%

Wrzesiński J.

Studia Lednickie

|

2019

|

vol. 18

151-178

EN

People devote almost all their life to ensure themselves and their family a proper standard of living. Their activities focus on acquiring food, organizing a safe living space and ensuring safety. However, if our activity was restricted only to the vital needs formulated in this way, it would not only be a far-reaching simplification but most of all a rejection of the greatest characteristics of a human being — their free will and their mind. These allow one to move to the spiritual realm, and search for social bonds without restricting oneself only to living functions. People need community integration not only through work, but also through entertainment, sensations and experiences, which result from various experiences in life from the moment of birth till death. In the 2nd half of the 10th century the land under the Piast reign was entering the Latin civilization circle. Western cultural trends started to permeate the local traditions. New settlements and cultural centres were developing and the existing ones were being remodeled. The residences of secular and church authorities came to be an indispensable and representative facility in new central places. One of the most important gord centres located in the centre of the Piast rulership is the area of Lednica lake. On the biggest island of the lake — Ostrów Lednicki — in the 1st half of 10th century a gord was established, around which a local settlement centred for several centuries. Just on Lednica gord a complex of residential-sacral buildings was created. For over 150 years research has been conducted on the island — both archaeological and the broadly understood interdisciplinary research connected with it. A gord, an open settlement on the island, settlements and burial grounds on the shores of the lake, as well as the waters of the lake were included in the study. One of the research places included the eastern shore of Lednica island, where at the turn of the 1980s and 1990s constructions and layerings connected with the abutment of the east bridge were uncovered (fi g. 1). This research, carried out by Mateusz Łastowiecki in excavation I/87, brought valuable information concerning the construction of the bridge, a point of contact between the bridge and the island, the character of the layerings, and a significant number of monuments, among which the objects made of organic raw material constituted a significant part. A tiny wooden object was one of them (inv. no. 103/91 – MPP/A/158). Unfortunately it was preserved fragmentarily (fi g. 2). It was made of foliaceous wood — beech (European beech Fagus sylvatica L) — and it has a clearly legible and neat form. It resembles a heart in shape (preserved roughly in half) with three holes — two wholly retained and one partially (fi g. 3). A straight broken back-end goes from the wider part of the “heart”. If we look at the object along its longer axis, it can be noticed that the holes do not align — vertically they mark three separate lines. The total length of the preserved piece is 11.6 cm, while the width in the widest place is 3.9 cm. The diameter of the holes, which were drilled slightly aslope with respect to the flat surface of an object, is around 0.6 cm. The “subcordate” part is 8.2 cm long and 0.8 cm thick. In the side plane of the object the “subcordate” part moves at a slight angle to the longitudinal one. There is a slight perpendicular protrusion, a convex — a kind of a threshold — at the point of contact of the two parts. Two transversal cuts around 0.8 cm away from one another are visible at this threshold. At the bottom ultimate longitudinal part, a clear perpendicular cut which creates a shallow (2 millimeter) step which goes to the edge of the fracture is visible (fi g. 5). At the upper part of the described piece, two small symmetrically placed indentations are distinguishable. The object was found in the excavation marked I/87, in quarter B, in the layer IIIa3. On the basis of the cultural material which appeared in the exposed layers and taking into consideration the dates of dendrochronological analysis, the chronology of the IIIa–d layers (in which the described object was found) can be dated to the 2nd–3rd quarter of the 11th century. The described piece of a distinctively formed object certainly comes from the damaged musical instrument. The broken piece is a peghead plate with a short neck. As already mentioned, it can come from a rebec — a stringed musical instrument. The origins of the rebec can be ambiguous. It is rooted in the Middle East, and it reached Europe through the Arabs. The name of the instrument derives from Arabic, in which it is known as rababu. It appears in a similar form from at least the 10th century, and the period between the 10th and 14th centuries is the time of its greatest splendour. Bowed string instruments — rebecs and vielles — were depicted in medieval iconography. On the basis of these sources, a classification of the instrument is possible. It shows that several kinds of these instruments were built in the Middle Ages (fi g. 6, 7). Pieces of diverse objects which are found during archaeological excavations, very often create a lot of problems during the identification of their original appearance and the reconstruction of the intended use of a particular piece. The above-mentioned team made an attempt to identify a piece of the find from Lednica. The initial examination, discussion over the details of the construction and the foregoing experience directed our search towards musical instruments — chordophones — i.e. wooden stringed instruments. The medieval iconography does not facilitate the identification. Information about the use of chordophones by the Slavs already comes from the end of the 6th century. According to the message of the Byzantine writer Theophylact Simocatta, in 591 soldiers from a personal unit of the emperor Maurice (Maurikios) captured three unarmed Slavs, who had come from the Baltic Sea (Sclaveni from the West Ocean). At the moment of their capture they were unarmed, but they were carrying musical instruments — kitharas. It is believed that this is the oldest written source which confirms that Slavs were familiar with musical practices, and the instruments described in it were κιθάραι (kitharas) and λύραι (lyres). It is thought that these names can refer to the plucked string instruments with a corpus-soundbox, to which the Proto-Slavic name gusles can refer. The oldest Cyril-Methodius’ Bible translation speaks in favour of equating the name κιθάραι with Slavic gusles. Interestingly, we can read twice about stringed instruments in Gallus Anonymus, who describes the reign of the first Piast rulers. So far, less than ten wooden chordophones from archaeological research in the area of the Piast reign, from the 10th–15thc., have been known. Lyres, vielles, a nyckelharpa and a gittern have been identified among those. Two wooden lyres come from the 10th–11th century cultural layerings of a gord in Opole. Another lyre, which comes from the 2nd half of the 13th century, was found during archaeological research in a fishing village in Gdańsk. A piece of a wooden outer board of an instrument — probably of a nyckelharpa — from Wolin, can be dated to the 3rd quarter of the 13th century. A gittern of a small size comes from the layerings of the 15th century Elbląg, whereas two other instruments classified as vielles were obtained in the course of archaeological research. One of them comes from 14th century Elbląg, the other one, dated to the 16th century, was found during excavation works in Płock. The greatest number of wooden instruments — from the areas which were in the closest vicinity to the Piast reign — was found on the territory of Ruthenia, especially in Veliky Novgorod. The shape of an object found at Ostrów Lednicki and its detailed examination supported by the material from excavation works permitted the suggestion that this is a part of a wooden stringed instrument. It could probably be a peghead headstock of a rebec’s neck, an instrument where the strings were rubbed with the bow. The reconstructed instrument from Lednica was built from two pieces of wood. The headstock plate, the neck and the corpus were made from one piece, and the soundbox, which was cut into the corpus, was covered with an outer board. During the reconstruction of the complete, probable original look of the instrument, several small but legible signals, visible on the described piece, were taken into consideration. The state of preservation fostered the moderately correct reconstruction of the upper part of the instrument. The fracture of the neck appeared just at the horizontal axis of an object, while the partially preserved upper part of a headstock allowed one to line out a line which gave it a full shape. A very small part of a neck survived, but it was long enough to adjust the proportions. Fortunately, the presence of a small transverse cut suggested the point of the fixing and glueing of the outer board. At the point of transition from a headstock into the neck there are traces which allow one to conclude where a fixing for hanging (?) an instrument was placed. Two holes and a fragment of a third one preserved in the subcordate part formed a basis for drawing conclusions about the number of strings and the arrangement of the string pegs. The traces of the cuts on a small transverse bump-fret (a nut) constituted a clue concerning the number of strings and their distance over the neck. The angle created by the headstock and the preserved piece of the neck, as well as the location of a fret, allowed one to roughly work the further part of an instrument out. A subtle but legible indentation at the neck, marked the fixing point of the outer board of a corpus. The reconstructed instrument was equipped with a flat bridge, and strings from sheep intestines were prepared. The rebec reached 46 cm in length, and at the widest point it was 10 cm wide. A bow (length of 67 cm) was made from willow switch, whereas the string from horsehair. What is the significance of the small piece of a wooden object — found during research at the Lednica bridge abutment — for the inhabitants of Lednica? Who was it for and what was its role? We will probably never find this out. However, as a result of the research and discussions we can state that this is a piece of a peghead of a wooden stringed instrument. It could be a part of a gusle (as generally understood, stringed instruments), maybe of a rebec, possibly of a gudok. The name of the find is certainly significant for musicologists, historians who focus on musical instruments, or music theorists; however, for those who conduct research at Ostrów Lednicki and study the gord which was established there, the identification of an instrument itself is the most relevant. It is important that we can say that at the time when the gord with sacred places was functioning at Ostrów Lednicki, there were musicians who were playing not only liturgical music but certainly secular music too.

10

Wczesnośredniowieczne grodzisko Bojná-Valy na Słowacji. Nowe interpretacje

61%

Robak Z.

Historia Slavorum Occidentis

|

2021

|

issue 1 (28)

36-64

EN

The Early Medieval hillfort Bojná-Valy in Slovakia is among the best known structures of this type in Europe. Until recently, it was attributed central functions but a new hypothesis suggests that it served as a kind of barracks.

11

Chronologia względna wczesnośredniowiecznych grodzisk środkowego i dolnego biegu Liwca próba analizy w świetle badań geologiczno-geomorfologicznych

61%

Wróblewski W.

Wiadomości Archeologiczne

|

2001

|

vol. LIV

|

issue 54

3-21

EN

The basin of the Liwiec River is one of archaeologically least investigated areas of central-eastern Poland (between the Vistula, Bug and Wieprz Rivers). Evidence from the 12th and 13th c. written sources is lacking. Regular study of the Early Medieval pattern of settlement on the Liwiec was initiated only in 1983 when excavation was started of the Early Medieval earthwork at the village of Grodzisk (Phase 1 – 10th c., phase 2 – mid 11th c. to the beginning of 13th c.). In the present study an attempt is made to define the relative chronology of Early Medieval earthworks on the Middle and Lower Liwiec with the help of data obtained from the investigation study of the region’s geology and geomorphology rather than strictly archaeological evidence. A major challenge in the interpretation of archaeological evidence recovered from the Liwiec cachment is how to accurately define its chronology. Over 90% of finds dated to the Early Medieval period is made up by pottery which unfortunately is not a very sensitive chronological indicator. Moreover, pottery finds originate from outside closed assemblages making it difficult at present to elaborate a clear scheme of relative chronology. The generally used system of dating Early Medieval pottery within the framework of absolute chronology has a margin of error of 100–200 years. This poses a serious problem when studying the processes of settlement dynamics. There is a need therefore to seek other methods for defining chronological phases of local 10th–13th c. settlement network in the Liwiec cachment. In investigating the geology and geomorphology in the Liwiec valley the aim was to determine the water levels in the river in the Early Medieval Period. Detailed analysis was made in the middle and lower course of Liwiec, which have well defined flood terraces. These are useful in reconstructing the natural history of the river during the last several hundred years. With a length of 126 km and cachment of ca. 2.770 km² Liwiec is a swiftly flowing stream registering substantial (up to 3 m in its lower course) fluctuation in its water levels and strongly meandering as well. Liwiec has developed numerous old channels, especially in its middle and lower course, branches and stretches of standing water. In its upper stretch the valley is much less well-defined as a result of hydrographic conditions changing over time. The first series of geomorphology studies in the Liwiec cachment was carried out in 1987 at the Early Medieval earthwork in the village of Grodzisk. It was established that in the period when the earthwork was in use he channel of the Liwiec was 6–7 m higher than at present. Gradual erosion of the river bed started at the turn of the 12th and the 13th c. leading to a marked drop in the water level in the river. All of this suggests that the 14th c. castle at Liw cannot have had a predecessor in the form of an Early Medieval – 12th c. earthwork. In the period when the Grodzisk earthwork was still in function (12th/13th c.) the site subsequently occupied by the castle at Liw, which lies within the valley would have been below the waterline. The next step was a study of the geology of other four Early Medieval earthworks situated on the Middle and Lower Liwiec: Barchów (previously dated to the 10th–11th c.), Liw (12th c.?), Grodzisk and Wyłazy (11th––12th c.). Except for Grodzisk all these sites had been investigated to a limited extent by sondage and were dated primarily on the basis of the modest quantity of pottery finds. The study included also three other conjectured no longer existent Early Medieval earthworks (Łochów, Węgrów and Kucyk, previous localisation: Wyszków) which tend to be overlooked by researchers. Their approximate location in the field was established following a careful analysis of meagre late 19th and 20th c. references. Researchers concerned with Early Medieval settlement in Poland generally assume that in the older phases of this period (6th–9th c.) the groundwater table and water levels in rivers were considerably lower than today and that this made it possible for villages and earthworks to be set up in river valleys. According to this concept settlement started to move out of the valleys towards the valley margin with the rise in water levels, i.e., from the 10th c. onwards. Nevertheless, a number of 11th–13th c. settlements is known which are found on the river valley floor. It may be added that geologists and hydrologists have yet to reach a consensus on the subject of groundwater levels and development of river valleys in the youngest stages of the Holocene. Consequently, the results of the geomorphologic study presented here may be related only to the analysed stretch of the Liwiec Valley and should not be mechanically be transposed onto other areas. The second series of investigations of geology and geomorphology was carried out in 1989. Its results fully confirmed the conclusions reached in 1987 with regard to Grodzisk. Only the earthwork at this site lies outside the river valley on the edge of the upland. A similar location, on the highest, fourth, terrace is seen at Wyłazy. The establishment at Barchów and the castle at Liw occupy a younger, third river terrace. The oldest flood terrace in the valley of the Liwiec is the at present poorly preserved terrace IV. Terrace III is slightly younger while terraces I and II are much later developments. Assuming the gradual decline of the water levels in the Liwiec it may be supposed that the oldest of the studied earthworks is the one at Grodzisk, rising on the edge of a marshy and river valley unsuitable for settlement. Lowering of the water level in the river and development of terrace IV made settlement possible also in the valley of the Liwiec; consequently, the earthwork at Wyłazy would have developed presumably still in the period when the Grodzisk earthwork was in function. Decidedly the youngest earthwork would be Barchów, situated on terrace III while Liw is an establishment dating to the mature Medieval Period (14th c. onwards). Analysis of the geology and geomorphology of earthworks in question helped to establish their relative chronology. In the proposed scheme, earthworks at Grodzisk, Wyłazy and Łochów are dated to the oldest horizon I, while earthworks at Kucyk, Barchów and Węgrów(?) date to the younger horizon II. Both chronological horizons fit in the period between the 10th and the 13th c. In horizon II there was a visible concentration of stronghold settlement in the middle course of the Liwiec; perhaps functions served by the earthwork at Wyłazy were taken over after it was deserted by the earthwork at Podnieśno, previously dated to the 11th c. For the studied stretch of the Liwiec it may be assumed that the process of colonisation of the river valley proper took place parallel with the falling water levels only in the younger phases of the early Middle Ages. Both the analysis of archaeological data and of indirect written evidence relating to administrative and church territorial divisions of this part of Poland in the early Middle Ages suggest that the area lying between the Bug and Liwiec had a frontier, Polish-Ruthenian character. Data available is too imprecise to attempt reconstruction of the Polish-Ruthenian frontier in the region. But we may assume that most probably from the middle of the 11th c. a frontier belt started taking shape here, open in character, following the line of the water divide of both the rivers in question. The relative chronology of early Medieval earthworks lying on the Middle and Lower Liwiec presented here is a further step leading to a more precise than at present definition of the character and course of the Polish-Ruthenian border area between the 11th and the 13th c. in the region.

12

Interwencyjne badania archeologiczne na wczesnośredniowiecznej osadzie w Kołczewie, gmina Wolin

61%

Dworaczyk M.

Materiały Zachodniopomorskie

|

2019

|

vol. 15

395-404

EN

The early medieval settlement at Kołczewo 2 was discovered already in 1953 during field walking and verified in 1980. The settlement was dated to the 9th–12th century. During the latest rescue excavations four features of diverse function were recorded, dated to the 11th century.

13

Kościana rękojeść nahajki z okolic Grabowca, w pow. hrubieszowskim

61%

Kokowski A., Kokowska E.

Wiadomości Archeologiczne

|

2011

|

vol. LXII

|

issue 62

252-253

EN

A group of stray finds, prehistoric and medieval, deriving from the area near Grabowiec in eastern Poland, includes a remarkable 117 mm long object (Fig. 1) fashioned from the long bone of a mammal by sawing off its epiphyses, hollowing out the shaft and drilling in one of its ends three openings arranged in a triangle. The surface of this object, on one of its faces only, is covered with a finely engraved ornament. The artefact is probably a handle of a knout. Its leather lash would have been attached by tying a knot at the end of the handle without the holes after passing the thong through the hollowed out bone. Additionally, the thong would have been secured and stabilised using rivets or wire staples fitted into the three holes at the opposite end. No analogies to the bone handle from Grabowiec were found in analyses published so far, possibly because ordinary bone handles tend to be overlooked and still await discovery in e.g., groups of artefacts interpreted as knife handles or hafts of some other implement. The bone handle from Grabowiec is hard to date. Other objects from the same set can only suggest a dating of between the 10th and the 13th century. This is the dating also of most knouts known from the territory of Kievan Rus’.

14

Miecz wczesnośredniowieczny z okolic Sztumu

61%

Ościłowski J.

Komunikaty Mazursko-Warmińskie

|

2018

|

issue 3(301)

524-545

EN

n the collection of the Polish Army Museum in Warsaw, there is an Xa-type sword following Ewart Oakeshott’s classification deriving from the vicinity of Sztum. This sword is decorated on both sides with an ornament: in the form of the letter S within a circle on one side, and an equal-armed cross (cross potent) on the other. Formal features of the sword indicate its production between the mid-11th and 12th centuries, while analogies for its decorations, as well as the region where it was found, also point to the sword being dated to the first half of the 13th century.

15

Osadnictwo z okresu wczesnego średniowiecza w Sianowie, stan. 1, pow. koszaliński

61%

Dolata-Daszkiewicz I., Kamyszek L., Wiktorowicz P., Żygadło L.

Pomorania Antiqua

|

2019

|

vol. Tom XXVIII

s. 23-64

EN

The article presents archaeological discoveries in Sianów, Koszalin District. In the years 2015–2017 the Institute of Archaeology and Ethnology of the Polish Academy of Sciences conducted rescue archaeological research on the Site 1 in Sianów (AZP 13-22/17), Sianów Commune. The site is located 500 m north-west of the Sianów village and occupies the southern and south-eastern slope of the hill (Golec Hill; 26.60 m above sea level), about 200 m from its culmination (Fig. 1, 2). Based on the discovered artefacts, two settlement phases, falling into the Bronze Age/the early Iron Age and the Middle Ages, as well as three short-term settlement episodes associated with the economic exploitation of the site, which took place in the Mesolithic, the Neolithic and at the turn of the Eras, and the phase of economic exploitation in the Early Modern and the Late Modern periods, can be distinguished on the excavated part of the site. 19 features are connected with the medieval settlement (Fig. 3–6; Tables 1, 2), including 6 domestic pits (A92, A249, A273, A276, A278, B58), 5 extraction pits in the type of clay pits (A280, A280a, A280b, A280c, A280d), 7 fires/hearths (A88, A236, A237, A238, A275, B54, B55) and 1 functionally unspecified feature (A178). The set of early medieval pottery, consisting of 1154 fragments of vessels (Fig. 7–23; Table 3), three iron artefacts: a knife and two nails (Fig. 24: 3–5), as well as two fragments of rotary quern-stones – the half of the lower stone and the half of the upper stone (Fig. 24: 1, 2), were obtained in the course of the exploration of the immovable features and cleaning of the excavation surface.

16

A sign, a symbol or a letter? Some remarks on omega marks inlaid on early medieval sword blades

61%

Janowski A., Kurasiński T., Pudło P., dr Andrzej Janowski - Ośrodek Archeologii Średniowiecza Krajów Nadbałtyckich I. A. i. E. P. w. S., dr Tomasz Kurasiński Ośrodek Badań nad Dawnymi Technologiami I. A. i. E. P. w. Ł., dr Piotr Pudło - Instytut Archeologii U. Ł.

Acta Universitatis Lodziensis. Folia Archaeologica

|

2013

|

vol. 29

PL

Walory oręża podnosić miało m.in. sygnowanie, przy czym zabieg ten znajdował rozmaite realizacje: od umieszczenia pojedynczego piktogramu do złożonych układów w postaci napisów, ciągów literowo-znakowych lub bardziej złożonych motywów ornamentacyjnych, niekiedy o charakterze narracyjnym. W artykule zwrócono uwagę na możliwości interpretacji umieszczanego na głowniach mieczowych symbolu w kształcie “W”, niekiedy określanego w literaturze przedmiotu także jako “omega” “haftka”, “podkowa” czy “kabłączek skroniowy”. Zebrano informację na temat 32 mieczy, na których zidentyfikowano w sposób mniej lub bardziej pewny znak “W” (Polska – 7 egz., Finlandia – 5 egz., Niemcy – 4 egz., Rosja, Holandia – po 3 egz., Estonia, Anglia – po 2 egz., Białoruś, Czechy, Francja, Irlandia, Norwegia, Słowacja – po 1 egz.). Nie wykazują one tendencji do koncentrowania się w jakimś wybranym rejonie Europy, aczkolwiek większość z nich używana była w pasie północnoeuropejskim, grupując się przede wszystkim wokół wybrzeży Morza Bałtyckiego i Północnego. Analiza typologiczna wykazała znaczne zróżnicowanie formalne omawianego zbioru. Zwracają również uwagę szerokie ramy czasowe, zamykające się w przedziale VIII–XI w., przy czym większość okazów pochodzi z X–1. poł. XI w. Znak “W” znajduje się z jednej strony głowni, przy czym występuje on tam jako samodzielny (pojedynczy lub podwojony) motyw, ewentualnie w zestawie z innymi symbolami, bądź też w większej liczbie. Najczęściej mamy do czynienia z układem horyzontalnym dwóch zwróconych ku sobie zakończeniami “W”, pomiędzy którymi znajdować się mógł inny symbol, na ogół krzyż. Zdarzają się też konfiguracje bardziej złożone. Omega posiada dużą wymowę symboliczną w sferze religijnej, zwłaszcza w kręgu kultury chrześcijańskiej. Wyobrażenie jej na mieczu, zwłaszcza w połączeniu z krzyżem, wolno z dużym prawdopodobieństwem uznać za odnoszącą się do Boga symboliczną formę inwokacji, mającą sprowadzić na walczącego tak sygnowanym mieczem łaskę i ochronę Pańską. Intencją uwidocznienia tej sygnatury na głowni mogła być także chęć zamanifestowania przynależności religijnej posiadacza oręża. Z drugiej jednak strony należy liczyć się z magiczną wymową omawianej sygnatury, niezależną od pierwotnej intencji jej zastosowania. Niewątpliwie więc kwestia interpretacji “W” wymaga dalszych pogłębionych studiów, zmierzających do ustalenia, co stało się impulsem do sygnowania głowni mieczowych właśnie w ten sposób oraz jakie były uwarunkowania historyczno-kulturowe pojawienia się rozpatrywanego znaku na mieczach i dalsza jego recepcja.

17

Wczesnośredniowieczne garnki radzimskie

61%

Kowalczyk A.

Studia Lednickie

|

2019

|

vol. 18

271-281

EN

The article describes three early medieval vessels found on Ostrów Radzimski (Murowana Goślina municipality, Poznań county, Wielkopolskie voivodeship), including an early medieval vessel which depicts human figures, which is unique in Poland [Kostrzewski 1948]. The artefacts were moulded from pottery clay mixed with sand; then they were wholly thrown on a potter’s wheel. At the bottoms of two pots an identical pottery mark was identified. The pots are of similar size; there are horizontal engraved grooves, which become more frequent towards the top parts of the vessels. The presence of two horizontal, parallel slats, cut diagonally, is a characteristic feature. It imitates the crinkle-cut ornament. On the basis of the observed technical and technological characteristics, as well as the morphological and stylistic characteristics, it can be assumed that the vessels were made by the same potter on the same potter’s wheel [see Kowalczyk 2017c: 166]. The artefacts, despite numerous similarities, slightly differ in terms of their dimensions. This results from the manufacturing technique — moulding, and then throwing on a potter’s wheel. When the rich adornment on the vessels is taken into account, one can see the differences which stem from the potter’s unconventional treatment of the surface of the pottery. When considering the technical and technological characteristics as well as morphological and stylistic characteristics, the described vessels should be dated to the end of the 10th–11th century [see Kostrzewski 1948], maybe the D2 stage according to Wojciech Dzieduszycki [1982: 111], that is, from the 10/11th century till the fi rst half of the 11th century. They were probably used by the inhabitants of the Early Piast castle town on Ostrów Radzimski. The vessels were probably made under the influence of West Pomeranian impacts.

18

Chrześcijańskie wpływy na muzułmańską antropologię we wczesnym średniowieczu na przykładzie wybranych tradycji

61%

Kościelniak K.

Folia Historica Cracoviensia

|

2004

|

vol. 10

EN

Exposing an exceptional closeness of God to human being, the mystery of incarnation is a fundamental truth of Christianity. This phenomenon is unknown to Islam, which puts strong emphasis on the transcendence of the Creator. Nevertheless, due to the acculturation in the 7th to 9th century, some thoughts on divine proximity permeated the utterances attributed to Muhammad.

PL

Tajemnica wcielenia, która ukazuje wyjątkową bliskość Boga do człowieka, jest fundamentalną prawdą chrześcijaństwa. Fenomen ten obcy jest islamowi, który silnie podkreśla transcendencję Stwórcy. Jednak na skutek akulturacji VII-IX wieku do wypowiedzi przypisywanych Mahometowi w wyniku oddziaływania chrześcijaństwa dostały się myśli, podkreślające bliskość Boga wobec człowieka.

19

Touchstones from Early Medieval Burials in the Collection of the State Archaeological Museum in Warsaw

61%

Ježek M.

Wiadomości Archeologiczne

|

2013

|

vol. LXIV

|

issue 64

147-152

PL

Częstymi elementami wyposażeń grobowych z okresu wczesnośredniowiecznego są przedmioty kamienne, które powszechnie uznaje się za osełki. Użycie mikroskopu elektronowego pozwoliło na wielu z nich zidentyfikować ślady metali nieżelaznych, w tym metali szlachetnych. Przedmioty te służyć zatem musiały jako kamienie probiercze. Obecność takich przedmiotów w wyposażeniach grobowych jest wskaźnikiem pozycji społecznej zmarłego. Taka interpretacja kamieni probierczych ma szczególne znaczenie w wypadkach, w których w grobie nie znaleziono innych przedmiotów mogących wskazać status społeczny osoby w nim pochowanej. Obecność kamieni pobierczych w grobach dziecięcych uznajemy za przejaw niespełnionych nadziei rodziców. W porównaniu z innymi tego rodzaju znaleziskami z Europy, analizowane przedmioty z zbiorów Państwowego Muzeum Archeologicznego w Warszawie różnią się między innymi nieobecnością śladów mosiądzu. Obecny stan badań nie pozwala na ostateczne wyjaśnienie tego faktu, tym bardziej, że każda nowa analiza może zmienić ten stan rzeczy. Liczne ślady metali szlachetnych stwierdzono na przedmiotach znalezionych na cmentarzysku w Pokrzywnicy Wielkiej, pow. nidzicki, leżącej na północnych rubieżach Mazowsza, podobnie jak na niektórych kamieniach probierczych z dwóch innych stanowisk z północnego Mazowsza: Łączyna Starego, pow. przasnyski, i z Korzybia Małego, pow. płoński. Na pozostałych analizowanych przedmiotach stwierdzono ślady testowania przedmiotów wykonanych z innych metali nieżelaznych.

20

New Types of the Oldest Polish Coins

61%

Bogucki M.

Wiadomości Numizmatyczne

|

2022

|

vol. 66

181-197

PL

Artykuł prezentuje odkrycia monet nowych typów, które można przypisać do najstarszego mennictwa polskiego. W przypadku łańcucha połączeń stempli PRINCES POLONIE udało się zidentyfikować jeden nowy stempel, w niezwykle zbarbaryzowanym stylu, co po raz kolejny ukazuje, że nie istnieje jednolity styl najdawniejszych monet polskich oraz, że w mennictwie Bolesława Chrobrego panował chaos. W przypadku drugiego łańcucha połączeń stempli – .VIDV ujawniono aż siedem nowych tłoków. Ich szczegółowa analiza wskazuje, że monety wybijane tymi stemplami nie musiały być produkowane w jednym czasie, lecz nawet przez kilkanaście lat. Nowo ujawnione stemple nie rozwiązały problemu atrybucji denarów z legendą .VIDV, lecz ich przynależność do mennictwa Bolesława Chrobrego lub Mieszka II jest bardzo prawdopodobna.

EN

This article presents discoveries of new types of coins that can be assigned to the oldest Polish coinage. In case of the PRINCES POLONIE die-chain, it was possible to identify one new die, in an extremely barbaric style, which once again shows that there is no uniform style to the oldest Polish coins and that there was chaos in Bolesław I the Brave’s coinage. In the case of the second – .VIDV die-chain as many as seven new dies have been revealed. Detailed analysis shows that the coins produced with these dies were not necessarily produced at the same time, and that production could have lasted up to several years. The newly revealed dies do not solve the problem of the attribution of denarii with the .VIDV inscription, but their ascription to the coinage of Bolesław I the Brave or Mieszko II is very likely.

Refine search results

Christopher Loveluck, Northwest Europe in the Early Middle Ages, c. AD. 600–1150. A comparative archaeology, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge 2013, ss. XXIV + 472.

Okucie pochwy miecza z Gardzienia koło Iławy. Przyczynek do studiów nad uzbrojeniem na pograniczu bałtyjsko-słowiańskim

Rekonstrukcja w 1949 roku przez Andrzeja Nadolskiego drewniano-ziemnego wału wczesnośredniowiecznego grodu łęczyckiego

Wczesnośredniowieczna broń obuchowa z terenu Polski w dorobku Andrzeja Nadolskiego z perspektywy kolejnych lat badań

Profesora Władysława Łosińskiego wkład w polską archeologię wczesnego średniowiecza, czyli przyczynek do szkicu o pokoleniu archeologów okresu badań „Milenijnych”

Zagadnienie tzw. grodów kultowych na wczesnośredniowiecznym Pomorzu

Aneks 2 Elementy tekstylne na fragmentach skórzanego obuwia

Aneks 1 Ekspertyza antropologiczna szczątków kostnych