Lukasz Polczynski
University of Gdansk, Insitute of Archaeology, Department Member
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
The article presents the results of the rescue excavations at the Swarzewo 41 (AZP 03-41/2) settlement site located in Władysławowo commune, ca. 3 km south of the Baltic Sea coastline and 2.5 km west of the Puck Bay (N: 54,778390;... more
The article presents the results of the rescue excavations at the Swarzewo 41 (AZP 03-41/2) settlement site located in Władysławowo commune, ca. 3 km south of the Baltic Sea coastline and 2.5 km west of the Puck Bay (N: 54,778390; E:18,381715). The site has been explored on October 18, 2018, and October 24 – November 09, 2018 by Azupiranu Jakub Prager in advance of the construction of a gas processing plant under the BalticGas Project. In total, an area of 2470 square metres was excavated (Fig. 1). Within the research, a total number of 13 archaeological features were documented and excavated, and 623 pottery shards, two pieces of daub, and one flint were recovered and analysed. Distribution of archaeological features was limited to a small area, mainly in trench 4 (Fig. 2). Pits were grouped in an area of ca. 11 metres radius with six pits with traces of burnt and one fire pit in the central part of this area. No traces of permanent settlement were observed. This probably indicates that Swarzewo 41 was a short-term settlement. The pottery is characteristic of Lusatian-Pomeranian cultural cycle and can be broadly dated to the Late Bronze Age/beginning of Early Iron Age (from the end of Bronze V to Hallstatt D). The pottery underwent macroscopic technological (raw material and admixture), taphonomic (degree of fragmentation and surface damage) and stylistic (characteristic of rims, bases and handles, and types of vessels) analyses. As the analysis demonstrated, pottery fragments were remains of about 66 vessels. Pottery fragmentation was categorized on the basis of shards size (1 cm, 2–3 cm, 4–6 cm, 7–10 cm, 11< cm), the part of the vessel represented (B–body, W–rim, D–base, U–handle, N–leg) and the degree of surface damage (Table 1). Ceramic is highly fragmented and poorly preserved which is typical of the pottery excavated from the settlement sites related to the Lusatian-Pomeranian cultural cycle. The pottery paste contains mineral admixture – mainly a medium grain (1–2 mm) crushed rocks, less frequently sand (Table 2). Five items were made with well-prepared, fine pottery paste without admixture. Among them is a small, highly fragmented bowl (Figs. 4, 5:11). Its original surface coated with engobe has been damaged in the curse of depositional and post-depositional processes. Thanks to this, it is possible to observe traces of the potter's hands and botanical imprints left during the manufacturing of the vessel (Fig. 4). Despite the poor state of preservation and fragmentation it was possible to distinguish following forms of the vessels: a pot, round plates, bowls, and probably a fragment of a reel-like briquetage item (Figs. 5, 6).
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Research into the development of LBK villages rarely focuses on those features that can be interpreted as sunken-floored buildings. The aim of this article is to draw attention to the presence of this type of feature and to analyse its... more
Research into the development of LBK villages rarely focuses on those features that can be interpreted as sunken-floored buildings. The aim of this article is to draw attention to the presence of this type of feature and to analyse its significance in the context of village development based on several examples of LBK sites excavated in Małopolska (Lesser Poland). We believe that in many instances analysing the locations of sunken-floored buildings and their diversity in terms of their potential functions can lead to the identification of domestic/kitchen zones that centered around these features. Their location in the vicinity of longhouses, traces of fire, and the presence of pottery sherds and grain remains may indicate that sunkenfloored buildings served as an important additional ancillary space for the residents of longhouses and constituted part of the farmstead.
Research Interests:
This article presents a collection of early modern cloth seals revealed during an excavation in Gdańsk (Poland). Our aim is to present a collection of an often-neglected category of artefacts. These are cloth seals from towns and villages... more
This article presents a collection of early modern cloth seals revealed during an excavation in Gdańsk (Poland). Our aim is to present a collection of an often-neglected category of artefacts. These are cloth seals from towns and villages located along the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth and Habsburg Monarchy border. Tracking the import of cloth to Gdańsk (the most important commercial centre on the Baltic Sea at that time) based on the analysis of the origin of textile seals is crucial as it allows us, in some sense, to reconstruct the cloth market of mid-seventeenth century Gdańsk.
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
This article presents a collection of early modern cloth seals revealed during an excavation in Gdańsk (Poland). Our aim is to present a collection of an often-neglected category of artefacts. These are cloth seals from towns and villages... more
This article presents a collection of early modern cloth seals revealed during an excavation in Gdańsk (Poland). Our aim is to present a collection of an often-neglected category of artefacts. These are cloth seals from towns and villages located along the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth and Habsburg Monarchy border. Tracking the import of cloth to Gdańsk (the most important commercial centre on the Baltic Sea at that time) based on the analysis of the origin of textile seals is crucial as it allows us, in some sense, to reconstruct the cloth market of mid-seventeenth century Gdańsk.
Research Interests:
The article presents a collection of modern cloth seals revealed during excavations at Gdańsk – Długie Ogrody. The collection includes 19 seals. The origin of six of them has been identified, the other bear only personal or privy marks,... more
The article presents a collection of modern cloth seals revealed during excavations at Gdańsk – Długie Ogrody. The collection includes 19 seals. The origin of six of them has been identified, the other bear only personal or privy marks, or their state of preservation does not allow any identification.
Research Interests:
Research into the development of LBK villages rarely focuses on those features that can be interpreted as sunken-floored buildings. The aim of this article is to draw attention to the presence of this type of feature and to analyse its... more
Research into the development of LBK villages rarely focuses on those features that can be interpreted as sunken-floored buildings. The aim of this article is to draw attention to the presence of this type of feature and to analyse its significance in the context of village development based on several examples of LBK sites excavated in Małopolska (Lesser Poland). We believe that in many instances analysing the locations of sunken-floored buildings and their diversity in terms of their potential functions can lead to the identification of domestic/kitchen zones that centered around these features. Their location in the vicinity of longhouses, traces of fire, and the presence of pottery sherds and grain remains may indicate that sunkenfloored buildings served as an important additional ancillary space for the residents of longhouses and constituted part of the farmstead.
Research Interests:
„Pomorania Antiqua”, tom XXIV, 2015 The site Gdynia Wielki Kack 10 (AZP 09-42/18) is located within the Gdansk Littoral, the mesoregion of Cashubian Littoral. It occupies the culmination and the slopes of a small moraine elevations... more
„Pomorania Antiqua”, tom XXIV, 2015
The site Gdynia Wielki Kack 10 (AZP 09-42/18) is located within the Gdansk
Littoral, the mesoregion of Cashubian Littoral. It occupies the culmination and the
slopes of a small moraine elevations constructed of boulder clay with sand inclusions
(Kondracki 2001, pp. 59-63). From the southern and south-western slope of the hill
descends towards the valley of Potok Źródla Marii (Fig. 1). From the administrative
point of view the site belongs to the district of Gdynia Mały Kack.
The site was discovered during field surveys in 1983. Based on collected materials
the site was recorded as a traces of the Neolithic settlement. The site has been excavated
in two stages from 2007 to 2009 and the total area under studies reached almost 2 ha.
During both seasons of research more than 90 objects were registered. As a result
of the chronological analysis of the materials and stratigraphic data, 5 phases of settlement
(from the Neolithic to the Modern times) were distinguished.
The oldest phase was distinguished only based on ceramic material. In the feature
F29 (Wielbark culture) there was found one piece of pottery representing the oldest
- “pan European” phase A of the Corded Ware culture. The next phase constitute the
settlement of Pomeranian culture, (early Iron Age) (in total 42 features). Pomeranian
culture features concentrates in two areas: under the culmination of exaltation, in the
central-eastern part of the site and on the western slope of the same hill. The bulk of
features were connected with productive activity, no construction of residential character
were discovered. Also the raw stone, flint concretions, as well as individual pieces of
amber were recorded. Technological and stylistic characteristics of ceramics indicate
that the material corresponds should be dated from the period of HC - HD and the
beginning of the Pre-Roman period. The next chronological phase constitute of four
large pits dated to the period of Roman period. Traces of early medieval settlements
were discovered in the northern part of the site, specifically in the “saddle” between
the two elevations. The relics of dug-out and other settlement structures, based on
the pottery style, can be associated with the second half of XI and 1 half XII c. This
is probably a fragment of a larger settlement from this period, which is expected to
continue on the opposite side of the depressions. Last phase, the late Medieval, was
represented only by scarce ceramic materials, no feature was associated with this phase.
The settlements of the early Iron Age period on this site could be temporary.
It seems that the area was used only seasonally by Pomeranian culture. The question
of location of the main settlement and its relations to, located on the adjacent elevation,
the Iron Age cemetery (site 8), remains open. It seems that the early medieval
settlement structure was more stable. Villages and farms of this time were located in
the safe, low-lying places, necessarily with good access to water. Judging by the form
of the land cannot be ruled out that currently present ‘saddle’ between the hills was in
Medieval times a riverbed of a small watercourse – brook.
The site Gdynia Wielki Kack 10 (AZP 09-42/18) is located within the Gdansk
Littoral, the mesoregion of Cashubian Littoral. It occupies the culmination and the
slopes of a small moraine elevations constructed of boulder clay with sand inclusions
(Kondracki 2001, pp. 59-63). From the southern and south-western slope of the hill
descends towards the valley of Potok Źródla Marii (Fig. 1). From the administrative
point of view the site belongs to the district of Gdynia Mały Kack.
The site was discovered during field surveys in 1983. Based on collected materials
the site was recorded as a traces of the Neolithic settlement. The site has been excavated
in two stages from 2007 to 2009 and the total area under studies reached almost 2 ha.
During both seasons of research more than 90 objects were registered. As a result
of the chronological analysis of the materials and stratigraphic data, 5 phases of settlement
(from the Neolithic to the Modern times) were distinguished.
The oldest phase was distinguished only based on ceramic material. In the feature
F29 (Wielbark culture) there was found one piece of pottery representing the oldest
- “pan European” phase A of the Corded Ware culture. The next phase constitute the
settlement of Pomeranian culture, (early Iron Age) (in total 42 features). Pomeranian
culture features concentrates in two areas: under the culmination of exaltation, in the
central-eastern part of the site and on the western slope of the same hill. The bulk of
features were connected with productive activity, no construction of residential character
were discovered. Also the raw stone, flint concretions, as well as individual pieces of
amber were recorded. Technological and stylistic characteristics of ceramics indicate
that the material corresponds should be dated from the period of HC - HD and the
beginning of the Pre-Roman period. The next chronological phase constitute of four
large pits dated to the period of Roman period. Traces of early medieval settlements
were discovered in the northern part of the site, specifically in the “saddle” between
the two elevations. The relics of dug-out and other settlement structures, based on
the pottery style, can be associated with the second half of XI and 1 half XII c. This
is probably a fragment of a larger settlement from this period, which is expected to
continue on the opposite side of the depressions. Last phase, the late Medieval, was
represented only by scarce ceramic materials, no feature was associated with this phase.
The settlements of the early Iron Age period on this site could be temporary.
It seems that the area was used only seasonally by Pomeranian culture. The question
of location of the main settlement and its relations to, located on the adjacent elevation,
the Iron Age cemetery (site 8), remains open. It seems that the early medieval
settlement structure was more stable. Villages and farms of this time were located in
the safe, low-lying places, necessarily with good access to water. Judging by the form
of the land cannot be ruled out that currently present ‘saddle’ between the hills was in
Medieval times a riverbed of a small watercourse – brook.
Research Interests:
This article presents the results of excavations carried out in Brukniewo at site 33. This work
yielded numerous finds associated with a Neolithic Funnel Beaker culture settlement.
yielded numerous finds associated with a Neolithic Funnel Beaker culture settlement.