Archeologiczne Zeszyty Sprawozdawcze 1/2024

Publisher’s Foreword

Dear Readers,

I am pleased to present to you the first issue of Archeological Report Notebooks, a new biannual publication that will feature reports, reviews, and announcements. While this is not a new concept, it is one that has been disappearing over time. Since the changes in the evaluation system for academic staff, journals that used to publish so-called “material papers” have started to fade away, transforming into problem-oriented journals. Archeological Report Notebooks aims to fill this gap. The idea for AZS was born two years ago from the belief that some archaeological discoveries remain locked in boxes and will never see the light of day unless there is a platform that welcomes them without the need for an excessively broad context. When the idea finally matured and the news of AZS’s creation was posted online, it quickly spread, garnering widespread positive feedback. This only reinforced my conviction that I had made the right decision. I intend for Archeological Report Notebooks to be published twice a year, in June and December. The journal will feature texts on research shortly after its completion and artifacts that await further study. I am confident that AZS will reach field archaeologists and museum professionals, and it will also serve academics as a source of materials for problem-based research. The subject matter covers a broad scope of archaeology without territorial or chronological limitations. Many archaeologists have texts stored away in their drawers, and now it is time to bring them out. We welcome ongoing submissions and encourage you to send your articles via email to the publisher’s address. You are holding the first issue of Archeological Report Notebooks. It consists of six articles from across Poland, covering topics from the Neolithic to modern times. The articles are divided into two sections. The first is “Research,” where you will find texts on fieldwork, and the second is “Artifacts,” which features articles on individual finds or groups of finds with common characteristics. In the future, more sections will be added, but at this stage, the two-category division is sufficient. I would like to thank the authors for their trust and enthusiasm, as well as the editorial committee and reviewers for their support. It is a great joy to work with committed individuals in a positive atmosphere. I am confident that this is the first of many forewords from the publisher that I will prepare.

Editor-in-Chief
Natalia Sawicka

Contents of the Issue

Research

Justyna Baron, Marcin Bohr, Kamila Gaczorek, Aleksandra Hrynkiewicz-Bogenryter, Gabriela Wojciechowska
Sprawozdanie z badań wykopaliskowych przeprowadzonych w latach 2014-2018 na osadzie z epoki brązu w Ruszowicach w powiecie kłodzkim na stanowisku 5 (AZP 93-24/32)

Excavations at the Ruszowice 5 site, conducted between 2014 and 2018 by staff from the Institute of Archaeology, University of Wrocław, with the participation of students, led to the discovery of a Bronze Age settlement. Seven trenches were opened during the investigation, and three hundred and twenty-one immovable features were explored, including the outlines of two dwellings. The movable artefacts, collected from the surface, the plough layer, and the cultural layer, mostly comprised ceramic fragments and pieces of daub. Additionally, flint and metal artefacts, as well as two stone axes, were discovered. These findings provide valuable insights into the settlement and daily life during the Bronze Age in the area of present-day Poland.

Radosław Kuźbik
Dwa zespoły grobowe z cmentarzyska Wrocław- Starachowice ul. Rdestowa

In this article, issues regarding funeral customs during the cultural transformation occurring at the turn of the Early and Late Bronze Age are discussed. Two cremation graves, discovered in 2017 during rescue excavations at the Wroc- ław-Strachowice cemetery on Rdestowa Street, were used as examples. This discovery provides new insights into the Early Urnfield period in central Silesia.

Jakub Mosiejczyk, Łukasz Połczyński, Effimia Angeli
Wyniki sondażowych badań archeologicznych przeprowadzonych w 2022 roku w otoczeniu Pałacu Biskupiego we Włocławku

Results of the archaeological research carried out in 2022 near the Bishop’s Palace in Włocławek  Considering the archaeological discoveries made so far, Włocławek is among the oldest cities in Poland. The area of the Old Town of Włocławek and the Bishop’s Palace were founded on an early medieval settlement, known as site no. 1. During the urban development, a defensive residence was built, reflecting the strategic and commercial importance of the town on the left bank of the Vistula River. As the seat of the Kujavia region, Włocławek served key administrative functions in the kingdom restored by Casimir I the Restorer. In 1123, Bolesław III Wrymouth established Włocławek as the capital of a bishopric, a development that included the construction of a Romanesque-style cathedral. In the 14th century, the Piast royal town was set aside for the construction of a bishop’s castle. This paper presents the latest archaeological works in the Old Town of Włocławek. Excavations were carried out in 2022 near the site of the former Piast princely castrum, the later castle, and, finally, the bishop’s residence with its commercial facilities (street 6 Gdańska). The investigation was implemented through a rescue excavation for the documentation of the stratigraphy, the architectural remains, and the moveable artefacts of former human activity in the area. Three test trenches of 2.5 × 2.5 m, with a total research area of no more than 20 m2, were located near the building. The investigation resulted in the preservation of architectural remains in their original location, together with their registration, photography, and descriptive and illustrative documentation. The results of this archaeological effort, as well as the background of archaeological activity in the area, are briefly discussed in this paper. Among the most notable artefacts were a small collection of decorated stove tiles and a cannonball dated to the XVII-XVIII centuries.

Artifacts

Ewa Lisowska
Neolityczny toporek z okolic Przeworna, gm. Strzelin

In the summer of 2015, during archaeological research conducted in the Przeworno area, one of its residents provided a stone axe for analysis. The artifact, a family heirloom, was privately owned and discovered in the mid-20th century in the fields near Przeworno—though the current owner could not specify the exact location of its discovery. Despite the incomplete data regarding the findspot, the artifact, due to its very good state of preservation, represents a valuable addition to the knowledge of the Neolithic period in the Strzelin Hills.

Daniel Czernek, Jacek Pikulski, Marek Trojan
„Kółka w kółka”– problematyka ornamentowych metalowych krążków z obszaru centralnej Małopolski

This article concerns enigmatic artifacts, which have been found in the central part of historic Lesser Poland (Małopolska) throughout the last decade. They were made of bronze alloy and have a flat, circular (annular) shape with large, mostly regular, round hole in a central part. All of them are ornamented with multiple smaller, concentric circles. So far 78 such items, preserved mostly in pieces, have been registered. Currently, due to the discovery context of these finds it is hard to determine their chronology and cultural context. It is possible, however, concerning their presence in a specific area, that those artifacts were once elements of a regional outfit, probably medieval / post-medieval/ modern. One should also note that in many cases those artifacts were discovered in the context of military finds, such as spurs. The authors’ goal is to draw researchers’ attention to such items.

Michał Lis, Jakub Rąpała
Medalik św. Antoniego Padewskiego z badań archeologicznych na Wawelu

During 2023 and 2024, comprehensive research was conducted in areas VII and VIII of Wawel Hill. These investigations were directly connected to the initiation and continuation of a project aimed at making the archaeological reserves within the “międzymurze” (the area between the walls) accessible to the public (Firlet 1993, 9-15). The archaeological work in the “międzymurze” began in July 2023 and is scheduled to continue until September 2024 as part of the Wawel Underground project (Wawel Podziemny, 2024). Four research excavations were carried out in areas where the infrastructure of the tourist route and the exposure of architectural relics located in Wawel’s reserves were planned. In December 2023, work began in trench no. 2/23-24 for the construction of a connector between reserves 1 and 2. The stratigraphy explored in this trench reflects features of 19th-century Austrian backfill, which served as infill for the “kleszczowy” wall (Firlet 1993, 76-80). The artifacts themselves were redeposited in the 19th century during the expansion of Wawel’s fortifications. Among the collected early modern artifacts, a medal depicting St. Anthony of Padua is particularly noteworthy.