In this paper, the authors focused on discussing problems related to the notion of “emptiness”, the category often functioning in archaeological narratives. Its aim is to try to answer the question: why the application of various methods can lead to results that only partly meet the expectations of researchers? This text treats the “emptiness” only as a metaphor, and in no way refers to the real, past situation. The experience gained during the aerial reconnaissance conducted in the north-eastern part of Lower Silesia was the starting point. The analysis of its results shows how complex conditions affect the effectiveness of an applied method. The text discusses various circumstances influancing the obtained results. At the same time, it was shown that the presence of the “settlements’ emptiness” in a given area is not a confirmation of the lack of settlements in the past (in prehistory or early Middle Ages), but to a significant extent – it is the effect of information resource resulting from the used methods.
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