This is paper reviews the latest biography of Bolesław II by Norbert Delestowicz. The review emphasises the need for a skilfull usage of written and archaeological sources in the study of the second half of the eleventh century and criticises the factual content of the book.
The article explores an expedition of Henry II, king of Germany, to the domain of Bolesław the Brave in 1005. While the issue has raised considerable interest in academic literature, the analyses have been carried out mainly in the context of major events i.e. the wars of 1002-1005, 1007-1013 and 1015-1018. In this work, an attempt has been made to narrow down the perspective to Henry II’s expedition of 1005 which reached as far as Poznań. To this end, I have analysed the written sources (specifically the records of Thietmar of Merseburg, a German chronicler) in an effort to indicate not only the expedition’s itinerary but also its rate and the state of preparation of the two major parties of the conflict, the German Reich and the Piast dominion. In addition, I have decided to make use of my experience of historical re-enactment in a pioneering way, in order to find out if the rate of the marching maintained by contemporary re-enactors of historical events provides a good comparison background for the rate of Henry II’s expedition of 1005. Next, archaeological sources provided some supplementary information on the conflict of 1005. In the light of all these data I have managed to adopt a different and unique approach to the analysed issue.
This article deals with the issues of an 11th century grave field in Morawy village in Kuyavia. In the first Piast times, the area was an integral part of the dynasty’s dominion. Discovered in the 1930s, the grave field is of great importance from the point of view of considerations of ethnically foreign settlements in Poland.
This paper discusses the problem of Polish-Ruthenian contacts at an early stage of the Piast realm (from the rule of Mieszko I to the end of Mieszko II’s rule), focusing on the significance of written sources. It also looks at place names, possibly related to the Ruthenian population, and archaeological sources.
Korabniki, Niewody and Rybitwy in the Region of Kujawy as Service Settlements Connected with the Ducal Water Regale(Summary)The article discusses one of the fundamental domains of the economy of the Piast state. Studies on the water regale are closely connected with an analysis of the hydrography of the mediaeval Kujawy region. The ensuing findings are discussed in the first part of the text. A presentation of the pertinent problems was based on written sources and ascertainments made by geologists and geographers. In this manner, it became possible to recreate at least partly the water network in the Kujawy region at the time of the Piast monarchy. A further part of the study reflects on such service settlements as Korabniki, Niewody and Rybitwy. These analyses enabled the author to claim that the titular settlements functioned next to water reservoirs and acted as an important economic hinterland for provincial and castellan castle-towns. Next, the text considers archaeological findings from the Middle Ages testifying to the role played at the time by water courses and reservoirs. Part of the discoveries made by archaeologists confirm the great role played by the discussed service settlements. The collected research results confirm that the significance of the ducal water regale in Kujawy was closely linked with the specific water network of this province.
In the article I tried to decide if archaeology as a science and its research methods may form a valuable complement to the research on rural population. In the light of the analysed issues such as demography of the early medieval societies living under Piasts’ rule, everyday life of the rural population, and servient settlements, it seems that the archaeology still remains a significantly unused science. Therefore, in the future it is necessary to pay special attention to the microregional research within the limits of which the archaeology provides really valuable data for studies on issues of rural population.
PL
W artykule spróbowaliśmy rozstrzygnąć, czy archeologia jako dyscyplina naukowa oraz jej metody badawcze mogą stanowić wartościowe uzupełnienie dla badań nad ludnością wiejską. W świetle analizowanych zagadnień, takich jak: demografia wczesnośredniowiecznych społeczności zamieszkujących władztwo Piastów, życie codzienne ludności wiejskiej i osadnictwo służebne, wydaje się, że archeologia pozostaje wciąż mocno niewykorzystaną dyscypliną naukową. W związku z tym w przyszłości należy zwrócić szczególną uwagę na badania mikroregionalne, w ramach których archeologia dostarcza bardzo wartościowych danych do studiów nad problematyką ludności wiejskiej.
The stronghold in Grzybowo is one of the most important early Piast settlements with its origins dating back to 919–923. The construction of a powerful castle by the Piasts remains an object of consideration, given that they already used large strongholds in Giecz, Poznań, and Ostrów Lednicki in the centre of their domain. Grzybowo complemented these four sites, and soon (10th century) Gniezno followed suit. Perhaps the intention was to emphasise their dominion over the area, at the same time allocating specific strongholds to the family members to give them a sense of power. Among the numerous cultural materials recovered during the archaeological excavations are objects connected with the use of horses. Their skeletal remains have been separated in the archaeological material. In the early Middle Ages, the horse played an important military as well as cultural role. Historical sources suggest a significant role played by horses when travelling, in combat, and as the owner’s status symbol. The withers height of the Grzybowo horses suggests that they could have been high thus suitable for riding. The use of horses by the residents of the stronghold and the nearby settlements is supported by pieces of equestrian equipment, including fragments of horseshoes, and elements of bridles made of iron or antlers.
The article discusses the issue of stoneware in the time of the Grzybowo stronghold’s operations. Special emphasis has been placed on imports and contacts between the stronghold’s communities and various distant areas, ruled by the Piast dynasty and others.
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