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Papers by Arkadiusz Koperkiewicz
The 88th Annual Meeting of the American Association of Physical Anthropologists, Cleveland, Ohio, 2019
The objective of this study is to assess the degree of craniofacial variation and sexual dimorphi... more The objective of this study is to assess the degree of craniofacial variation and sexual dimorphism exhibited by a skeletal sample of 32 adult (14 probable female, 16 probable male, 2 indeterminate) crania from Bezławki, a medieval (14th-15th century) Prussian cemetery site located in modern northeastern Poland. Christian Crusaders were actively colonizing the region during this time period; therefore, the cemetery is likely to include both indigenous Prussians and settlers. It is currently unknown whether the skeletal sample at Bezławki represents a morphologically homogenous or heterogeneous group. To address this question, three-dimensional cranial landmark data were collected using a Microscribe. Traditional craniometric and nonmetric trait inventories were also completed. The data were analyzed for shape using General Procrustes Analysis (GPA) and Principal Component Analysis (PCA) within EVAN, and one-way ANOVA and F-tests in Excel for testing variation between males and females. The PCA results indicated four male statistical outliers, a finding supported in part by the nonmetric trait inventories, and weakly by the traditional craniometrics. The ANOVA results revealed no significant differences between sex and all PC scores combined, whereas the F-tests indicated a significant difference in variance between the sexes in some PC scores. The findings were evaluated with respect to the isolation by geographic distance hypothesis (IBD), historical records of regional activity during the time period, and comparative bioarchaeological studies. This study generates population-specific data on cranial morphological variation in northeastern Europe during the late medieval period and informs historical patterns of migration into the region
Warmińsko Mazurski Biuletyn Konserwatorski, 2023
In volume 11/2019 of the "Warmian-Masurian Conservation Bulletin" it was discussed the problem of... more In volume 11/2019 of the "Warmian-Masurian Conservation Bulletin" it was discussed the problem of identifying the first urban location of Wartenburg (in Prussia) on the hill "Old Town" in the current village of Barczewko (ger: Alt Wartenburg)1. Here we will deal with the object
almost identical also in the context of its complete ignorance and underestimation of rank significance for the history of the region and the potential for partial loss. It's about complex archaeological site "Zamkowa Góra", in the village of Stare Miasto near Dąbrówno (ger:Gilgenburg). Today, very much we can say with high probability that this is a place in the so-called Galindia Forest, just like in Barczewko the first location of the city of Dąbrówna/Gligenburg. The author asks whether this is the location of the Dabrówno castle and whether it was related to the Battle of Grunwald.
Relikte, (O. Bartoszewski), 2022
Zeitschrift fur die Geschichte und Alterumskunde Ermlands, 2021
Immigrants and Locals in Late Medieval Warmia – Archaeological evidence for contacts and process... more Immigrants and Locals in Late Medieval Warmia – Archaeological evidence for contacts and processes of reconciliation at the cemetery of
Barczewko
S U M M A RY
The archaeological investigations in the town deserted Alt-Wartenburg (Barczewko) near Allenstein have revealed many remarkable insights into the urbanisation of Warmia in the late Middle Ages. Founded by the bishop of Warmia, the small town existed for only about 25-30 years between the late 1320s and 1354, when it was destroyed in a Lithuanian attack. The paper focuses on the burial place ofthe town.The cemetery of Alt-Wartenburg is not very large, only partially uncovered and the church to which it undoubtedly belonged has not yet been discovered. However, it is an extremely important finding for understanding the
development of the country in southern Warmia. First of all, it can be dated quite 30 Felix Biermann, Christofer Herrmann, Arkadiusz Koperkiewicz precisely to the time of the town’s existence. In addition, the skeletons recovered here and their anthropological examination provide information about the living conditions of the population in a founding town in late medieval Prussia. The burial rites and the grave goods - knives, coins, a fire steel, in particular a child’s grave richly furnished with jewellery, belt buckles, coins and a clay vessel - attest to the heterogeneous ethnic, religious and generally cultural situation in which
the land expansion in that region took place in the 14th century. The cemetery offers clear signs of contacts between locals and immigrants, of the encounter of different groups and mutual cultural assimilation processes. The foundation of the town by the bishop and the immigrants obviously did not take place in isolation, but involved the Prußian inhabitants of the surrounding countryside in one way or another.
Archaeologia Historica Polona, 2020
Barczewko is located near Olsztyn, in the Warmian-Masurian province (north-eastern Poland). The s... more Barczewko is located near Olsztyn, in the Warmian-Masurian province (north-eastern Poland). The site on Lake Wadąg was the place of the first location of today’s Barczewo (Ger. Wartenburg). Urban settlement with the castle/watchtower was erectedon the initiative of the bishop of Warmia at the end of the 1320s. The development of the young urban colony was interrupted in 1354 when it was invaded by Lithuanian troops, burned down and abandoned. The village that was later established nearbywas called Alt Wartenberg. The hill behind the village, referred to as the Old Town, has never been built on. The place is a specific time capsule, preserving the remains of buildings and the basic elements of the town’s spatial arrangement. In the years 2013–2019, a Polish-German research project was carried out here. After a series of non-invasive tests, the cellars of dwelling buildings with artefacts abandoned on the day of the raid, fortifications, market square buildings, central place of craft...
Gdańskie Studia Archeologiczne 8, 2020
Bitwa o kocioł. Wydobycie i restauracja średniowiecznego kotła z Barczewka 3 Battle for the cauld... more Bitwa o kocioł. Wydobycie i restauracja średniowiecznego kotła z Barczewka 3 Battle for the cauldron. The excavation and restoration of a medieval cauldron from Barczewko Abstrakt W 2015 r. podczas badań archeologicznych w ramach projektu "Barczewko / Alt-Wartenburg warmińskie Pompeje" w jednym z reliktów budynków odkryto miedziany kocioł wraz z akcesoriami. Na stanowisku zachowały się pozostałości młodej kolonii miejskiej na biskupiej Warmii zniszczonej w trakcie litewskiego najazdu w 1354 r. Budynek z kotłem mógł pełnić uniwersalną funkcję zaplecza kuchennego w tym także browaru. Nagła destrukcja spowodowała przetrwanie artefaktów w ich pierwotnym kontekście. Artykuł prezentuje problematykę związaną z zabezpieczeniem złożonej struktury zabytkowej, jej wydobyciem i przeprowadzeniem procesu konserwacji i rekonstrukcji.
Homini, qui in honore fuit. Księga pamiątkowa poświęcona śp. Profesorowi Grzegorzowi Białuńskiemu (red. A. Dobrosielska, A. Pluskowski, S. Szczepański), 2020
Marius Ščavinskas, A new type of elite coming in to the eastern Baltic Region: the example of the... more Marius Ščavinskas, A new type of elite coming in to the eastern Baltic Region: the example of the Western Balts [133] Łukasz Szczepański, Siekaniec denara PRINCES POLONIE z wczesnośredniowiecznego skarbu z Lubajn [155] Sławomir Wadyl, Wallewona finally found? Stronghold in Porębek in the latest excavations [165] Rozdział II. Pod rządami Zakonu, królów i książąt Darius Baronas, The River Nemunas during the war between the Teutonic Order and Lithuanians: a border and a corridor (1283-1410) [195] Łukasz Ćwikła, Osadnictwo pruskie w Polsce Centralnej. Szlachta herbu Prus nad Wolborką i Moszczenicą w XIV-XV wieku [213] Marcin Czerny, Średniowieczny Bratian w ujęciu polityczno-militarnym i administracyjno-gospodarczym [227] Wiesław Długokęcki, Urząd koniuszego w strukturze administracyjnej komturstwa malborskiego [241]
Warmińsko-Mazurski Biuletyn Konserwatorski, t. 11/2019, 2019
Wartberg warmińska kapsuła czasu i problemy konserwatorskie Barczewko na Warmii to wieś o średnio... more Wartberg warmińska kapsuła czasu i problemy konserwatorskie Barczewko na Warmii to wieś o średniowiecznym rodowodzie i historycznej nazwie Alt Wartenburg. Pierwszy człon nazwy (niem. Alt-stary) zawiera informację, że miejscowość poprzedzała lokalizację dzisiejszego Barczewa (niem. Wartenburg). Położone na południe od miejscowości pogorzelisko odsłonięte w trakcie ostatnio prowadzonych prac archeologicznych to zapis dwóch dekad pionierskiego etapu tworzenia miasta. Do dziś zachowały się nie tylko elementy szeroko rozumianej kultury materialnej, ale także otoczenie w postaci niezmienionego przez wieki krajobrazu kulturowego.
Lietuvos archeologija, 2019
In the 14th century, the Teutonic Order and the Grand Duchy of Lithuania engaged in severe armed ... more In the 14th century, the Teutonic Order and the Grand Duchy of Lithuania engaged in severe armed conflicts whose central element was raids on enemy territory. Since nearly all written evidence was authored by one side in the conflict, the chroniclers of the Order, the reliability of the reports in respect to violence and cruelties is not clear. Therefore, archaeological discoveries are of great importance for understanding these wars and their reality. An instructive example is the deserted town of Alt-Wartenburg in Warmia (Barczewko near Olsztyn, Northeast Poland), which was captured and destroyed in 1354 by a Lithuanian army and afterwards abandoned. Recent research has revealed considerable traces of the town’s violent end: burnt houses, weapons, skeletons of the victims, and other traces of ravages and violence. The site and the finds are discussed against the background of the written record, the warfare of its time and region, and other archaeological witnesses of this period....
Kulturelle Vernetzung in Europa. Das Magdeburger Recht und seine Städte, Dresden, s. 403-421., 2018
Archeologia Hereditas, Prace Instytutu Archeologii UW, Z. Kobyliński (red.), Warszawa, 2016
Castle and town of Alt Wartenburg (Barczewko, Warmian-Masurian Province) were founded ca 1325 by... more Castle and town of Alt Wartenburg (Barczewko, Warmian-Masurian Province) were founded ca 1325 by the bishop of Ermland in
the province of Galinden, as a military outpost and urban centre
in the colonisaion of so-called “Great Wilderness”. Nevertheless,
in 1354 the town was destroyed by Lithuanian Grand-dukes and
renewed later in a distance of some kilometres (nowadays Barczewo). the place of irst foundaion, a ringfort called Old town at
the shore of lake Wadąg, remained deserted and preserves the
relics of a Medieval town in the Prussian lands, exising hardly
three decades. the site was invesigated interdisciplinary within
the scope of a Polish-German research project in 2013-2015,
providing comprehensive insights into the foundaion and structure of the town, the foriicaion, house building, infrastructure
as well as the economic and living condiions of the inhabitants.
this paper gives an overview to the results and discusses them
in their historical context, with a focus on the town’s foriicaion: an earthen rampart probably with wooden construcions,
a V-shaped ditch and probably wooden towers, too.
Archäologie in Deutschland (02 2017 April-Mai), 2017
Backsteinarchitektur im Ostseeraum, Ch.Herrmann, E. Gierlich, M. Müller (red.), 2015
Archeologia Hereditas, Prace Instytutu Archeologii UW, Z. Kobyliński (red.), 2016
The archaeological site discussed in the paper is located in the north-eastern Poland. It was in... more The archaeological site discussed in the paper is located in the
north-eastern Poland. It was in the past the Prussian territory
terra Gunelauke. the area of today’s City Forest was located
within the bounds of the town of Olsztyn as early as in the
Middle Ages. However, was it the natural defense advantage
the only reason which decided on the locaion of Olsztyn? this
is highly likely, in the light of the archaeological research in the
Olsztyn’s City Forest that the robust Prussian setlement in this
area, preceding the colonisaion of Warmia, was also of crucial
importance for the locaion of the later town.
Caspar Hennenberger in his map from 1576, placed the
name Sanditen in the Wadąg river estuary, next to the symbol described in the legend as “the mountain where a castle
was”. Probably, Johann Michael Guise in the year 1926/1927
describes and documents the same feature. the foriied settlement - ideniied with Guise’s “castle” - in reality is a natural
headland, a glacial phenomenon with natural defense values,
around which the Łyna river creates a backwater.
the history of the beginning of the archaeological research
is connected with conducing deep illage in order to create
new areas to plant forests. Owing to this, for the first time,
a copious amount of potery coming from encroached cultural
straiicaion was found on the surface. the opportunity to renew the research in 2013 opened up because of the fact that
the Pruthenia Scieniic Society in Olsztyn joined the realisaion
of the internaional project Lagoons as crossroads for tourism
and interacions of peoples of the South-East Balic: from prior
history to the present. the extent of the ield study in 2013 included an area of about 400 sq.m. In 2006 and 2013 there were
48 setlement features found, most of which chronologically
should be associated with the Early Middle Ages (8th/9th–13th
cents). the oldest traces of intensive setlement come from the
mid 1st century BC and can be associated with the so-called
Western Balic Barrow Culture. the decline in the Period of the
Migraion of Peoples (6th and 7th centuries) is quite clear. It is
one of the most representaive setlement site of the so-called
Olsztyn Group, formerly referred to as the Masurian-Germanic,
or Old Prussian Culture. It was a phenomenon conspicuous by
its extremely rich and diverse material culture, which indicates
the permeation of various cultural impulses or ethnic ties,
including those with the Avarian world. A surprisingly large
number of metal objects and the spaial extent of this complex
suggest that this was probably one of the main centres of settlement in the basin of the middle Łyna river, and certainly the
most important one of the setlements founded so close to the
place where later Olsztyn was established. the discovery of Arabic coins from the late 8th century and the beginning of the 9th
century suggests that the local setlers paricipated indirectly
in the far-reaching trade between the Orient and Scandinavia.
this was supported by the undoubtedly convenient locaion
of the setlement complex by the Łyna river, which thanks to
its mouth to Pregoła river and further to the Balic Sea could
serve as a major communicaion route – leading into the Prussian lands. Most likely, the setlement in the City Forest was in
the area of impact of the Scandinavian truso, located on the
Lake drużno. the area of the complex located at the backwater
of Łyna river also has outstanding natural values. the archaeological studies have revealed completely unknown, new pages
of the Olsztyn history and have restored the memory of the
irst autochthonic inhabitants even from the period before the
establishment of the city
POLISH-MACEDONIAN EXCAVATIONS AT NEGOTINO GRADIŠTE PRELIMINARY REPORT 2009 – 2015, 2015
Negotino Gradište has been systematically excavated by a multinational team since 2009. The site ... more Negotino Gradište has been systematically excavated by a multinational team since 2009. The site goes as far back as the 5th century BC. The earliest coin found at the site so far is a tetrobol of Acanthus, dating to ca. 525-470 BC. Fourth-century, Hellenistic, and Roman levels have been excavated so far. There is a hiatus in settlement between the Late Hellenistic and Augustan periods. The site was deserted in the early 2nd century AD. Probably in the reign of Arcadius (AD 383-408) it was roughly fortifi ed as a refuge settlement.
Średniowieczne Skarby Srebrne z Pojezierza Iławskiego w zbiorach Muzeum Warmii i Mazur, J. Sobieraj (red.), 2013
Legenda: 1-ośrodek grodowy; 2-ośrodek in Culmine; 3-główne szlaki drożne; 4-lokalizacja skarbu z ... more Legenda: 1-ośrodek grodowy; 2-ośrodek in Culmine; 3-główne szlaki drożne; 4-lokalizacja skarbu z Olbrachtówka.
Zjawiska magiczno- demoniczne na terenie dawnych ziem pruskich na tle porównawczym (II), , 2019
W krajobrazie plemiennym Prus Bezławki można usytuować na terytorium pogranicza dawnej Barcji i G... more W krajobrazie plemiennym Prus Bezławki można usytuować na terytorium pogranicza dawnej Barcji i Galindii. W czasach kolonizacji południowych obszarów ziemi pruskiej w połowie XIV w. wieś ta leżała na rubieży tzw. Wielkiej Puszczy Galindzkiej (ryc. 1). Był to już obszar wyludniony po wieku powstań, pacyfikacji i przymusowych przesiedleń na inne tereny. Zarządzane wiecowo związki pruskich ziem plemiennych nie były w stanie przeciwstawić się dobrze zorganizowanej korporacji rycerskiej. Konsekwentnie realizowano akcję o charakterze militarnym i cywilizacyjnym, z silną motywacją religijną. Zakon Krzyżacki przyjął strategię zajmowania nowych terytoriów i umacniania się na nim poprzez budowę odpowiedniej infrastruktury. W akcję kolonizacyjną i chrystianizacyjną zarazem włączano przedstawicieli możnych rodów pruskich, pozyskując ich hojnymi nadaniami 1. Nieliczne zachowane cmentarzyska z tego okresu możemy traktować jako najstarsze nekropolie pruskich neofitów. Przechowują one szczątki ludzkie, które mogą być zapisem życia, diety, warunków egzystencji, przebytych chorób. Badania dotykają także sfery duchowej, a podstawowa kwestia dotyczy skali recepcji chrześcijaństwa. Prace w Bezławkach rozpoczęto w 2008 r. przy okazji prac konserwatorskich wieży kościoła, który w średniowieczu był strażnicą krzyżacką (ryc. 2). Wykonano prace archeologiczne, inwentaryzację obiektu i skromne początkowo zamierzenie przerodziło się w interdyscyplinarny projekt badawczy, którego celem było przywrócenie pamięci i zapobieżenie dewastacji 2. W krajobrazie kulturowym wsi zachowały się elementy średniowiecznego kompleksu osadniczego-domniemane grodzisko pruskie i umocnienia nad rzeką Dajną, układ przestrzenny wsi oraz górujący nad całością niewielki zamek, zamieniony w czasach nowożytnych na kościół. Przy okazji tamtych badań odkryto również cmentarzysko w centrum historycznej 1
Święta Lipka PERŁA NA POGRANICZU ZIEM, KULTUR I WYZNAŃ, 2020
Jubileuszowy dla świętolipskiego sanktuarium rok 2018 skłania do refleksji o początkach chrześcij... more Jubileuszowy dla świętolipskiego sanktuarium rok 2018 skłania do refleksji o początkach chrześcijaństwa na tym terenie. Wiara wynika z pragnienia życia i potrzeby nieśmiertelności, a doświadczenie śmierci, jak głosi wiele teorii, inspirowało u człowieka religijne pobudzenie 2. Według klasycznej już koncepcji Les rites de passage w ceremonii pogrzebowej najbardziej złożone są rytuały okresu przejściowego oraz włączenia zmarłego w zaświaty 3. Naturalnym byłoby zatem poszukiwanie śladów nowej religii pośród zjawisk rejestrowanych w trakcie badań średniowiecznych nekropolii. Sama archeologia nie może dać pojęcia o różnorodności praktyk grzebalnych, co potwierdzają badania społeczności tradycyjnych. Uzmysławiają, że pomysłowość człowieka nie miała ograniczeń w tym zakresie 4. Studia nad śladami zachowań funeralnych, odsłanianych w trakcie badań wykopaliskowych cmentarzysk dawno wymarłych ludów, są jednak często jedynym sposobem umożliwia
Health is routinely studied in living populations using quantifiable measurements such as allosta... more Health is routinely studied in living populations using quantifiable measurements such as allostatic load and frailty. In recent years, particularly since the introduction of the osteological paradox, there has been increased interest among bioarchaeologists in how these concepts can be applied to the study of health in past populations. Although health is not directly observable in skeletal remains, assessment of frailty can be useful for understanding the implications of long-term exposures to stress on well-being and mortality. This study builds upon past research in this area by incorporating commonly observed indicators of physiological stress, such as dental disease and osteoarthritis, into a cumulative index that can be used to assess frailty in archaeological populations. A sample of 37 individuals (males, n=15; females, n=16; indet., n=6) between the ages of approximately 14 and 65 years from the Late Medieval site of Bezławki in northeastern Poland, were examined for evidence of 13 biomarkers of physiological stress related to nutritional deficiencies, growth disruption, infection, and trauma. These categories were chosen based on their potential to affect the lifestyles of individuals in the past and present. Following examination, each individual was assigned a frailty score, which was then compared across groups within the population. While results indicate no statistically vi TABLE OF CONTENTS
The 88th Annual Meeting of the American Association of Physical Anthropologists, Cleveland, Ohio, 2019
The objective of this study is to assess the degree of craniofacial variation and sexual dimorphi... more The objective of this study is to assess the degree of craniofacial variation and sexual dimorphism exhibited by a skeletal sample of 32 adult (14 probable female, 16 probable male, 2 indeterminate) crania from Bezławki, a medieval (14th-15th century) Prussian cemetery site located in modern northeastern Poland. Christian Crusaders were actively colonizing the region during this time period; therefore, the cemetery is likely to include both indigenous Prussians and settlers. It is currently unknown whether the skeletal sample at Bezławki represents a morphologically homogenous or heterogeneous group. To address this question, three-dimensional cranial landmark data were collected using a Microscribe. Traditional craniometric and nonmetric trait inventories were also completed. The data were analyzed for shape using General Procrustes Analysis (GPA) and Principal Component Analysis (PCA) within EVAN, and one-way ANOVA and F-tests in Excel for testing variation between males and females. The PCA results indicated four male statistical outliers, a finding supported in part by the nonmetric trait inventories, and weakly by the traditional craniometrics. The ANOVA results revealed no significant differences between sex and all PC scores combined, whereas the F-tests indicated a significant difference in variance between the sexes in some PC scores. The findings were evaluated with respect to the isolation by geographic distance hypothesis (IBD), historical records of regional activity during the time period, and comparative bioarchaeological studies. This study generates population-specific data on cranial morphological variation in northeastern Europe during the late medieval period and informs historical patterns of migration into the region
Warmińsko Mazurski Biuletyn Konserwatorski, 2023
In volume 11/2019 of the "Warmian-Masurian Conservation Bulletin" it was discussed the problem of... more In volume 11/2019 of the "Warmian-Masurian Conservation Bulletin" it was discussed the problem of identifying the first urban location of Wartenburg (in Prussia) on the hill "Old Town" in the current village of Barczewko (ger: Alt Wartenburg)1. Here we will deal with the object
almost identical also in the context of its complete ignorance and underestimation of rank significance for the history of the region and the potential for partial loss. It's about complex archaeological site "Zamkowa Góra", in the village of Stare Miasto near Dąbrówno (ger:Gilgenburg). Today, very much we can say with high probability that this is a place in the so-called Galindia Forest, just like in Barczewko the first location of the city of Dąbrówna/Gligenburg. The author asks whether this is the location of the Dabrówno castle and whether it was related to the Battle of Grunwald.
Relikte, (O. Bartoszewski), 2022
Zeitschrift fur die Geschichte und Alterumskunde Ermlands, 2021
Immigrants and Locals in Late Medieval Warmia – Archaeological evidence for contacts and process... more Immigrants and Locals in Late Medieval Warmia – Archaeological evidence for contacts and processes of reconciliation at the cemetery of
Barczewko
S U M M A RY
The archaeological investigations in the town deserted Alt-Wartenburg (Barczewko) near Allenstein have revealed many remarkable insights into the urbanisation of Warmia in the late Middle Ages. Founded by the bishop of Warmia, the small town existed for only about 25-30 years between the late 1320s and 1354, when it was destroyed in a Lithuanian attack. The paper focuses on the burial place ofthe town.The cemetery of Alt-Wartenburg is not very large, only partially uncovered and the church to which it undoubtedly belonged has not yet been discovered. However, it is an extremely important finding for understanding the
development of the country in southern Warmia. First of all, it can be dated quite 30 Felix Biermann, Christofer Herrmann, Arkadiusz Koperkiewicz precisely to the time of the town’s existence. In addition, the skeletons recovered here and their anthropological examination provide information about the living conditions of the population in a founding town in late medieval Prussia. The burial rites and the grave goods - knives, coins, a fire steel, in particular a child’s grave richly furnished with jewellery, belt buckles, coins and a clay vessel - attest to the heterogeneous ethnic, religious and generally cultural situation in which
the land expansion in that region took place in the 14th century. The cemetery offers clear signs of contacts between locals and immigrants, of the encounter of different groups and mutual cultural assimilation processes. The foundation of the town by the bishop and the immigrants obviously did not take place in isolation, but involved the Prußian inhabitants of the surrounding countryside in one way or another.
Archaeologia Historica Polona, 2020
Barczewko is located near Olsztyn, in the Warmian-Masurian province (north-eastern Poland). The s... more Barczewko is located near Olsztyn, in the Warmian-Masurian province (north-eastern Poland). The site on Lake Wadąg was the place of the first location of today’s Barczewo (Ger. Wartenburg). Urban settlement with the castle/watchtower was erectedon the initiative of the bishop of Warmia at the end of the 1320s. The development of the young urban colony was interrupted in 1354 when it was invaded by Lithuanian troops, burned down and abandoned. The village that was later established nearbywas called Alt Wartenberg. The hill behind the village, referred to as the Old Town, has never been built on. The place is a specific time capsule, preserving the remains of buildings and the basic elements of the town’s spatial arrangement. In the years 2013–2019, a Polish-German research project was carried out here. After a series of non-invasive tests, the cellars of dwelling buildings with artefacts abandoned on the day of the raid, fortifications, market square buildings, central place of craft...
Gdańskie Studia Archeologiczne 8, 2020
Bitwa o kocioł. Wydobycie i restauracja średniowiecznego kotła z Barczewka 3 Battle for the cauld... more Bitwa o kocioł. Wydobycie i restauracja średniowiecznego kotła z Barczewka 3 Battle for the cauldron. The excavation and restoration of a medieval cauldron from Barczewko Abstrakt W 2015 r. podczas badań archeologicznych w ramach projektu "Barczewko / Alt-Wartenburg warmińskie Pompeje" w jednym z reliktów budynków odkryto miedziany kocioł wraz z akcesoriami. Na stanowisku zachowały się pozostałości młodej kolonii miejskiej na biskupiej Warmii zniszczonej w trakcie litewskiego najazdu w 1354 r. Budynek z kotłem mógł pełnić uniwersalną funkcję zaplecza kuchennego w tym także browaru. Nagła destrukcja spowodowała przetrwanie artefaktów w ich pierwotnym kontekście. Artykuł prezentuje problematykę związaną z zabezpieczeniem złożonej struktury zabytkowej, jej wydobyciem i przeprowadzeniem procesu konserwacji i rekonstrukcji.
Homini, qui in honore fuit. Księga pamiątkowa poświęcona śp. Profesorowi Grzegorzowi Białuńskiemu (red. A. Dobrosielska, A. Pluskowski, S. Szczepański), 2020
Marius Ščavinskas, A new type of elite coming in to the eastern Baltic Region: the example of the... more Marius Ščavinskas, A new type of elite coming in to the eastern Baltic Region: the example of the Western Balts [133] Łukasz Szczepański, Siekaniec denara PRINCES POLONIE z wczesnośredniowiecznego skarbu z Lubajn [155] Sławomir Wadyl, Wallewona finally found? Stronghold in Porębek in the latest excavations [165] Rozdział II. Pod rządami Zakonu, królów i książąt Darius Baronas, The River Nemunas during the war between the Teutonic Order and Lithuanians: a border and a corridor (1283-1410) [195] Łukasz Ćwikła, Osadnictwo pruskie w Polsce Centralnej. Szlachta herbu Prus nad Wolborką i Moszczenicą w XIV-XV wieku [213] Marcin Czerny, Średniowieczny Bratian w ujęciu polityczno-militarnym i administracyjno-gospodarczym [227] Wiesław Długokęcki, Urząd koniuszego w strukturze administracyjnej komturstwa malborskiego [241]
Warmińsko-Mazurski Biuletyn Konserwatorski, t. 11/2019, 2019
Wartberg warmińska kapsuła czasu i problemy konserwatorskie Barczewko na Warmii to wieś o średnio... more Wartberg warmińska kapsuła czasu i problemy konserwatorskie Barczewko na Warmii to wieś o średniowiecznym rodowodzie i historycznej nazwie Alt Wartenburg. Pierwszy człon nazwy (niem. Alt-stary) zawiera informację, że miejscowość poprzedzała lokalizację dzisiejszego Barczewa (niem. Wartenburg). Położone na południe od miejscowości pogorzelisko odsłonięte w trakcie ostatnio prowadzonych prac archeologicznych to zapis dwóch dekad pionierskiego etapu tworzenia miasta. Do dziś zachowały się nie tylko elementy szeroko rozumianej kultury materialnej, ale także otoczenie w postaci niezmienionego przez wieki krajobrazu kulturowego.
Lietuvos archeologija, 2019
In the 14th century, the Teutonic Order and the Grand Duchy of Lithuania engaged in severe armed ... more In the 14th century, the Teutonic Order and the Grand Duchy of Lithuania engaged in severe armed conflicts whose central element was raids on enemy territory. Since nearly all written evidence was authored by one side in the conflict, the chroniclers of the Order, the reliability of the reports in respect to violence and cruelties is not clear. Therefore, archaeological discoveries are of great importance for understanding these wars and their reality. An instructive example is the deserted town of Alt-Wartenburg in Warmia (Barczewko near Olsztyn, Northeast Poland), which was captured and destroyed in 1354 by a Lithuanian army and afterwards abandoned. Recent research has revealed considerable traces of the town’s violent end: burnt houses, weapons, skeletons of the victims, and other traces of ravages and violence. The site and the finds are discussed against the background of the written record, the warfare of its time and region, and other archaeological witnesses of this period....
Kulturelle Vernetzung in Europa. Das Magdeburger Recht und seine Städte, Dresden, s. 403-421., 2018
Archeologia Hereditas, Prace Instytutu Archeologii UW, Z. Kobyliński (red.), Warszawa, 2016
Castle and town of Alt Wartenburg (Barczewko, Warmian-Masurian Province) were founded ca 1325 by... more Castle and town of Alt Wartenburg (Barczewko, Warmian-Masurian Province) were founded ca 1325 by the bishop of Ermland in
the province of Galinden, as a military outpost and urban centre
in the colonisaion of so-called “Great Wilderness”. Nevertheless,
in 1354 the town was destroyed by Lithuanian Grand-dukes and
renewed later in a distance of some kilometres (nowadays Barczewo). the place of irst foundaion, a ringfort called Old town at
the shore of lake Wadąg, remained deserted and preserves the
relics of a Medieval town in the Prussian lands, exising hardly
three decades. the site was invesigated interdisciplinary within
the scope of a Polish-German research project in 2013-2015,
providing comprehensive insights into the foundaion and structure of the town, the foriicaion, house building, infrastructure
as well as the economic and living condiions of the inhabitants.
this paper gives an overview to the results and discusses them
in their historical context, with a focus on the town’s foriicaion: an earthen rampart probably with wooden construcions,
a V-shaped ditch and probably wooden towers, too.
Archäologie in Deutschland (02 2017 April-Mai), 2017
Backsteinarchitektur im Ostseeraum, Ch.Herrmann, E. Gierlich, M. Müller (red.), 2015
Archeologia Hereditas, Prace Instytutu Archeologii UW, Z. Kobyliński (red.), 2016
The archaeological site discussed in the paper is located in the north-eastern Poland. It was in... more The archaeological site discussed in the paper is located in the
north-eastern Poland. It was in the past the Prussian territory
terra Gunelauke. the area of today’s City Forest was located
within the bounds of the town of Olsztyn as early as in the
Middle Ages. However, was it the natural defense advantage
the only reason which decided on the locaion of Olsztyn? this
is highly likely, in the light of the archaeological research in the
Olsztyn’s City Forest that the robust Prussian setlement in this
area, preceding the colonisaion of Warmia, was also of crucial
importance for the locaion of the later town.
Caspar Hennenberger in his map from 1576, placed the
name Sanditen in the Wadąg river estuary, next to the symbol described in the legend as “the mountain where a castle
was”. Probably, Johann Michael Guise in the year 1926/1927
describes and documents the same feature. the foriied settlement - ideniied with Guise’s “castle” - in reality is a natural
headland, a glacial phenomenon with natural defense values,
around which the Łyna river creates a backwater.
the history of the beginning of the archaeological research
is connected with conducing deep illage in order to create
new areas to plant forests. Owing to this, for the first time,
a copious amount of potery coming from encroached cultural
straiicaion was found on the surface. the opportunity to renew the research in 2013 opened up because of the fact that
the Pruthenia Scieniic Society in Olsztyn joined the realisaion
of the internaional project Lagoons as crossroads for tourism
and interacions of peoples of the South-East Balic: from prior
history to the present. the extent of the ield study in 2013 included an area of about 400 sq.m. In 2006 and 2013 there were
48 setlement features found, most of which chronologically
should be associated with the Early Middle Ages (8th/9th–13th
cents). the oldest traces of intensive setlement come from the
mid 1st century BC and can be associated with the so-called
Western Balic Barrow Culture. the decline in the Period of the
Migraion of Peoples (6th and 7th centuries) is quite clear. It is
one of the most representaive setlement site of the so-called
Olsztyn Group, formerly referred to as the Masurian-Germanic,
or Old Prussian Culture. It was a phenomenon conspicuous by
its extremely rich and diverse material culture, which indicates
the permeation of various cultural impulses or ethnic ties,
including those with the Avarian world. A surprisingly large
number of metal objects and the spaial extent of this complex
suggest that this was probably one of the main centres of settlement in the basin of the middle Łyna river, and certainly the
most important one of the setlements founded so close to the
place where later Olsztyn was established. the discovery of Arabic coins from the late 8th century and the beginning of the 9th
century suggests that the local setlers paricipated indirectly
in the far-reaching trade between the Orient and Scandinavia.
this was supported by the undoubtedly convenient locaion
of the setlement complex by the Łyna river, which thanks to
its mouth to Pregoła river and further to the Balic Sea could
serve as a major communicaion route – leading into the Prussian lands. Most likely, the setlement in the City Forest was in
the area of impact of the Scandinavian truso, located on the
Lake drużno. the area of the complex located at the backwater
of Łyna river also has outstanding natural values. the archaeological studies have revealed completely unknown, new pages
of the Olsztyn history and have restored the memory of the
irst autochthonic inhabitants even from the period before the
establishment of the city
POLISH-MACEDONIAN EXCAVATIONS AT NEGOTINO GRADIŠTE PRELIMINARY REPORT 2009 – 2015, 2015
Negotino Gradište has been systematically excavated by a multinational team since 2009. The site ... more Negotino Gradište has been systematically excavated by a multinational team since 2009. The site goes as far back as the 5th century BC. The earliest coin found at the site so far is a tetrobol of Acanthus, dating to ca. 525-470 BC. Fourth-century, Hellenistic, and Roman levels have been excavated so far. There is a hiatus in settlement between the Late Hellenistic and Augustan periods. The site was deserted in the early 2nd century AD. Probably in the reign of Arcadius (AD 383-408) it was roughly fortifi ed as a refuge settlement.
Średniowieczne Skarby Srebrne z Pojezierza Iławskiego w zbiorach Muzeum Warmii i Mazur, J. Sobieraj (red.), 2013
Legenda: 1-ośrodek grodowy; 2-ośrodek in Culmine; 3-główne szlaki drożne; 4-lokalizacja skarbu z ... more Legenda: 1-ośrodek grodowy; 2-ośrodek in Culmine; 3-główne szlaki drożne; 4-lokalizacja skarbu z Olbrachtówka.
Zjawiska magiczno- demoniczne na terenie dawnych ziem pruskich na tle porównawczym (II), , 2019
W krajobrazie plemiennym Prus Bezławki można usytuować na terytorium pogranicza dawnej Barcji i G... more W krajobrazie plemiennym Prus Bezławki można usytuować na terytorium pogranicza dawnej Barcji i Galindii. W czasach kolonizacji południowych obszarów ziemi pruskiej w połowie XIV w. wieś ta leżała na rubieży tzw. Wielkiej Puszczy Galindzkiej (ryc. 1). Był to już obszar wyludniony po wieku powstań, pacyfikacji i przymusowych przesiedleń na inne tereny. Zarządzane wiecowo związki pruskich ziem plemiennych nie były w stanie przeciwstawić się dobrze zorganizowanej korporacji rycerskiej. Konsekwentnie realizowano akcję o charakterze militarnym i cywilizacyjnym, z silną motywacją religijną. Zakon Krzyżacki przyjął strategię zajmowania nowych terytoriów i umacniania się na nim poprzez budowę odpowiedniej infrastruktury. W akcję kolonizacyjną i chrystianizacyjną zarazem włączano przedstawicieli możnych rodów pruskich, pozyskując ich hojnymi nadaniami 1. Nieliczne zachowane cmentarzyska z tego okresu możemy traktować jako najstarsze nekropolie pruskich neofitów. Przechowują one szczątki ludzkie, które mogą być zapisem życia, diety, warunków egzystencji, przebytych chorób. Badania dotykają także sfery duchowej, a podstawowa kwestia dotyczy skali recepcji chrześcijaństwa. Prace w Bezławkach rozpoczęto w 2008 r. przy okazji prac konserwatorskich wieży kościoła, który w średniowieczu był strażnicą krzyżacką (ryc. 2). Wykonano prace archeologiczne, inwentaryzację obiektu i skromne początkowo zamierzenie przerodziło się w interdyscyplinarny projekt badawczy, którego celem było przywrócenie pamięci i zapobieżenie dewastacji 2. W krajobrazie kulturowym wsi zachowały się elementy średniowiecznego kompleksu osadniczego-domniemane grodzisko pruskie i umocnienia nad rzeką Dajną, układ przestrzenny wsi oraz górujący nad całością niewielki zamek, zamieniony w czasach nowożytnych na kościół. Przy okazji tamtych badań odkryto również cmentarzysko w centrum historycznej 1
Święta Lipka PERŁA NA POGRANICZU ZIEM, KULTUR I WYZNAŃ, 2020
Jubileuszowy dla świętolipskiego sanktuarium rok 2018 skłania do refleksji o początkach chrześcij... more Jubileuszowy dla świętolipskiego sanktuarium rok 2018 skłania do refleksji o początkach chrześcijaństwa na tym terenie. Wiara wynika z pragnienia życia i potrzeby nieśmiertelności, a doświadczenie śmierci, jak głosi wiele teorii, inspirowało u człowieka religijne pobudzenie 2. Według klasycznej już koncepcji Les rites de passage w ceremonii pogrzebowej najbardziej złożone są rytuały okresu przejściowego oraz włączenia zmarłego w zaświaty 3. Naturalnym byłoby zatem poszukiwanie śladów nowej religii pośród zjawisk rejestrowanych w trakcie badań średniowiecznych nekropolii. Sama archeologia nie może dać pojęcia o różnorodności praktyk grzebalnych, co potwierdzają badania społeczności tradycyjnych. Uzmysławiają, że pomysłowość człowieka nie miała ograniczeń w tym zakresie 4. Studia nad śladami zachowań funeralnych, odsłanianych w trakcie badań wykopaliskowych cmentarzysk dawno wymarłych ludów, są jednak często jedynym sposobem umożliwia
Health is routinely studied in living populations using quantifiable measurements such as allosta... more Health is routinely studied in living populations using quantifiable measurements such as allostatic load and frailty. In recent years, particularly since the introduction of the osteological paradox, there has been increased interest among bioarchaeologists in how these concepts can be applied to the study of health in past populations. Although health is not directly observable in skeletal remains, assessment of frailty can be useful for understanding the implications of long-term exposures to stress on well-being and mortality. This study builds upon past research in this area by incorporating commonly observed indicators of physiological stress, such as dental disease and osteoarthritis, into a cumulative index that can be used to assess frailty in archaeological populations. A sample of 37 individuals (males, n=15; females, n=16; indet., n=6) between the ages of approximately 14 and 65 years from the Late Medieval site of Bezławki in northeastern Poland, were examined for evidence of 13 biomarkers of physiological stress related to nutritional deficiencies, growth disruption, infection, and trauma. These categories were chosen based on their potential to affect the lifestyles of individuals in the past and present. Following examination, each individual was assigned a frailty score, which was then compared across groups within the population. While results indicate no statistically vi TABLE OF CONTENTS
Sprawozdanie z nadzorów i badań archeologicznych w miejscowości Lidzbark Warmiński, woj. warmińsk... more Sprawozdanie z nadzorów i badań archeologicznych w miejscowości Lidzbark Warmiński, woj. warmińsko-mazurskie prowadzonych przy okazji robót ziemnych związanych z wykonaniem drenażu w obrębie południowego ciągu murów obronnych zamku wysokiego w Lidzbarku Warmińskim, stanowisko XIX (taras południowy), działka nr 173/1
Raport archeologiczny, 2019
W latach 2019-2021 prowadzono nadzory archeologiczne przy okazji rewitalizacji kościoła franciszk... more W latach 2019-2021 prowadzono nadzory archeologiczne przy okazji rewitalizacji kościoła franciszkańskiego sw. Andrzeja w Barczewie. Głównym wykonawca prac konserwatorskich była firma Gorek Restauro. Badania archeologiczne przy tak unikalnym obiekcie, jakkolwiek ograniczone głównie do formuły "nadzór archeologiczny", przyniosły spektakularne wyniki. W trakcie prac odkryto w prezbiterium pochówki zakonników najpewniej z pocz. XVII w oraz depozyt ponad 1000 monet skryty pod posadzką. Odkrycia przybliżają nas do wydarzęń z przełomu XVI i XVII w kiedy za sprawą mecenatu biskupa Andrzeja Batorego odnowiono w klasztorze posługę braci mniejszych i odbudowano kościół. Skarb monet przenosi nas w czasy początków wojen szwedzkich i desantu szwedów na Warmię.
Olsztyn zamek międzymurze, 2012
Sprawozdanie wstępne z nadzorów archeologicznych prowadzonych na międzymurzu północnym zamku kapi... more Sprawozdanie wstępne z nadzorów archeologicznych prowadzonych na międzymurzu północnym zamku kapituły warmińskiej w Olsztynie, stan. XXIII (AZP 24-61/23) w związku z pracami konserwatorskimi północnego odcinka murów i pracami ziemnymi przy budowie instalacji odwodnienia
Sprawozdanie z nadzorów archeologicznych i dokumentacja powykonawcza w związku z inwestycją "Rewi... more Sprawozdanie z nadzorów archeologicznych i dokumentacja powykonawcza w związku z inwestycją "Rewitalizacja placu katedralnego oraz wieży katedry Św. Mikołaja w Elblągu" Miejscowość: Elbląg, woj. warm.-mazurskie Stanowisko XXXIII (stare miasto), rewitalizacja terenu między katedrą, a ulicami Mostową, Wodna i Rybacką dz. nr 145, 201/1, 111/16 obręb 15
2009 Barczewo - amfiteatr, Raport, 2009
Raport, 2007
Sprawozdanie z nadzoru archeologicznego przeprowadzonego w Gdańsku, przy kamienicy na ul. Mariack... more Sprawozdanie z nadzoru archeologicznego przeprowadzonego w Gdańsku, przy kamienicy na ul. Mariackiej 1 Wstęp W dniach 26.09-01.10.2007r. przeprowadzono nadzór archeologiczny w związku z pracami budowlanymi prowadzonymi w sąsiedztwie kamienicy, przy ul. Mariackiej 1 w Gdańsku. Prace te prowadzone były na podstawie pozwolenia Pomorskiego Wojewódzkiego Konserwatora Zabytków nr 415/8187/2006 z dnia 20.11.2006 r. Kamienica przy ul. Mariackiej 1 została wpisana do rejestru zabytków przez Wojewódzkiego Konserwatora Zabytków w Gdańsku decyzją nr 394 z dnia 6 września 1971r. Nadzór archeologiczny związany był z koniecznością wykonania robót ziemnych przy północnej elewacji kamienicy w związku z realizacją projektu renowacji i podpiwniczenia przedproża kamienicy w celu adaptacji piwnicy na lokal usługowy. Inwestorem był Andrzej Rybicki, właściciel kamienicy. Projekt przebudowy realizowano w oparciu o analizę historyczno-architektoniczną autorstwa Joanny Labenz i Grzegorza Sulikowskiego, zatwierdzoną przez Wojewódzki Urząd Ochrony Zabytków w Gdańsku (Labenz, Sulikowski 2006). Kamienica przy ul. Mariackiej 1 pochodzi z poł. XV w. Położona jest w skrajnym kwartale jednej z najstarszych ulic w mieście, sąsiadując od strony zachodniej z bazyliką Mariacką. Gotycka fasada kamienicy od strony północnej była murowana, ścianę wschodnią stanowił mur ogniowy pomiędzy budynkami 1 i 2, zaś ściana zachodnia zbudowana była w konstrukcji szachulcowej. Około poł. XIX w. od frontu kamienicy znajdowała się drewniana przybudówka, rodzaj kramubudy (Labenz, Sulikowski 2006, ryc. 17-19, 27). Pod koniec XIX w. otynkowano fasadę gotycką, a jej szczyt częściowo rozebrano i przemurowano. Pierwotny wygląd przywrócono budynkowi w 1934 r. odtwarzając także drewnianą przybudówkę przed wejściem. W 1945 r. w wyniku działań wojennych kamienica została całkowicie zniszczona. W latach 50. XX wieku podjęto odbudowę kamienicy z rekonstrukcją gotyckiej fasady autorstwa Stanisława Michela. W projekcie odbudowy nie uwzględniono drewnianej przybudówki lecz do zrekonstruowanej fasady dodano "gotyckie" przedproże. Ozdobą przedproża stały się dwie wapienne płyty policzkowe z kolistymi zwieńczeniami odtworzone na podstawie reliktów znalezionych przy ul. Chlebnickiej 26 w 1954 r (fot. 01).
Rozprawa Doktorska 2005, 2005
A report to interdisciplinary research project concerning the early-medieval settlement complex in City Forest of Olsztyn, 2015
Archaeological research at site no. LXXIX and CIV, AZP 23-61/46, Olsztyn – City Forest, have been... more Archaeological research at site no. LXXIX and CIV, AZP 23-61/46, Olsztyn – City Forest, have been conducted between 06.05.–17.06.2013. Research team consisted of the head of the expedition – PhD Arkadiusz Koperkiewicz and his assistant Bartosz Świątkowski; two experts working for the expedition: Dominika Leśniewska and Wacław Kulczykowski. The research work also involved a group of 18 students from Klaipeda
University in Lithuania, University of Gdańsk in Poland and Immanuel Kant Baltic Federal University in Russia, along with supervisors from Truso Association from Elbląg, acting on behalf of the Polish National Maritime
Museum in Gdańsk. The organization of the event included also activities of European Heritage Protection Fund in Gdańsk.
Gdańskie Studia Archeologiczne. Seria Monografie. Nr 3, 2013
The present publication, Bezławki – rescue from de struction is the outcome of five seasons of ex... more The present publication, Bezławki – rescue from de struction is the outcome of five seasons of excavations started in 2008 and carried out by the Gdańsk Univer sity’s Institute of Archaeology. A good opportunity to excavate first sondages was the conservation work the renovation of the St. John the Baptist Filial Church tower co-funded by the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage. The aim of the archaeological excavations was to evaluate the character and condition of the oc cupation strata within the church courtyard. The first live inspection of the castle took place in spring with the lilacs in blossom. It was difficult to resist the charm of the place to which most visitors give in. In his album of watercolours of the castles of Pomerania, Warmia and Mazuria, Zbigniew Szczepanek, a Gdańsk art ist, wrote ‘Out of all the castles presented in this album, the Bezławki castle is probably the most idyllic one. Sur rounded with trees, high bushes and floral lawns, the cas tle bewitches one with its silence and beauty.’ This idyll is, however, spoilt by the increasing devastation, per haps not of the building itself, but of its surroundings. The monument that dates back to the end of the 14th century survived almost unchanged until the second half of the 20th century. It became part of the canon of castelology thanks to a Conrad Steinbrecht’s drawing that usually illustrates the tiniest ‘type’ of a Teutonic castle. The conversion of the castle into a church in the 16th century resulted in the building being perma nently looked after. It was not wars, natural disasters or renovations that had the most destructive effects on the structure but its abandoning by the original owner, namely the protestant community. Left on its own, the building soon became an object of regular plundering, and more often of common devastation. The greatest damage was caused to the old graveyard from which all metal objects, including crucifixes, plaques and plot fences, were taken. Andrzej Rzempołuch, an art historian from Olsztyn, called for help for Bezławki as early as at the beginning of the 1980’s. In a series of articles an titled heritage and life published in the newspaper „Gazeta Olsztyńska”, he turned to the lo cal authorities, among others, for help to be given to the abandoned sacred buildings. He regretted that the only thing he could see was a vandalized interior and not remembered the furnishings of the shrine. In 1998, he still wrote about a ‘beautifully shaded grave yard with gravestones and a figure of a copper-plated an gel with spread wings.’ 30 years later, we were not given a chance to see that. There are no gravestones, the last metal elements in the graveyard were vandalized in 2011, the angel and his wings are gone. However, the beauty of Bezławki and its history do not stop enchanting. Without this selfless fascination, all these actions, financially supported by the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage in the last season, could not be pursued, and this publication would not see the light of day. First of all, it is the archaeology students from the University of Gdańsk that must be thanked. For most of them Bezławki was the place where they started their adventure with archaeology. The survey, initially planned for one season of excava tion practice, soon became an multidisciplinary pro ject. Students of archaeology were joined by students of landscape surveying from the University of Warmia and Mazuria in Olsztyn. I wish to express my sincere thanks to Reverend Janusz Rybczyński, the parish priest from Wilkowo, for his assistance in the organisation of the survey and to Mr Jarosław Charkot, the Head of the Primary School in Wilkowo, and all the residents for the hospi tality they offered to the expedition and for their toler ance for ‘students’ life’. Another important part of the project was to carry out a comprehensive 3D scanning of the whole estab lishment. The survey conducted mostly in the castle and church remains (site II) extended also to the me dieval burial ground located in the centre of the village (site XV). As a result, we provide readers with the results of archaeological, historical, architectural and numis matic research on the whole complex supplemented with anthropological analyses of skeletal remains as well as C14 and dendrochronological dating reports. The results obtained from landscape surveying and 3D scanning allowed the current condition of the mo ment to be recorded, and computer visualisation and reconstruction of subsequent phases of conversion of the castle to be produced. The first part of the book – Studies, consist of 11 chapters. Team of authors presents the following ar eas of knowledge: archeology, physical anthropology, geodesy, geology, history, history of architecture, art history, numismatics. The second part contains the results of research, measuremants and specialized analyses. The whole publication is closes with the re print of Otto Zander’s manuscript. He was a German architect who was born and lived in Bezławki before World War II. It is his own paper about history of a village, castle and church with handmade drawings. It is usually impossible to say the last word in science and this is also the case here. This paper must be con sidered a presentation of recovered sources and materi als, and a point of departure for further research. Let us hope that at least in this way we will manage to rescue Bezławki from oblivion and further devastation.