Studia Lednickie, tom XXIII (2024)

The antler arrowheads discovered at Site 1 in Grzybowo have already been the subject of several studies in the historiography to date. Complementing these studies is this article on the use-wear and functional analysis of the Grzybowo specimens. The paper also discusses the results of an archaeological experiment conducted using replicas, which provide comparative material and verify the hunting and military potential of antler arrowheads. The research carried out made it possible to record, among other things, distinctive use-wear traces on the surface of the objects, which helped to confirm the identification of their utilitarian function. The article also addresses the conservation of bone and antler artefacts.

The aim of this article is to return to the discussion concerning the socalled Western Slavic animal style, the manifestations of which are found among various categories of early medieval objects made of non-ferrous metals and organic material. In the 1950s and 1960s, the issue of animal style was briefly investigated by Jan Żak and Andrzej Abramowicz, but no attempts have ever been made to define the basic principles of this art form. After reviewing the current academic views on the animal style in Poland, as well as identifying its core features, the present paper investigates selected artefacts with zoomorphic motifs found in the course of the ‘Lednica Project’. These objects include various fittings with images of snakes and birds, presumably serving as material markers of Western Slavic elites and as carriers of symbolic meanings related to the pre-Christian worldview of their owners.

Archaeological research on Ostrów Lednicki and its vicinity has led to the discovery of a number of early medieval items related to horse riding. These include, among others, spurs, stirrups, bits, as well as decorative bridle parts. Until now, relatively little attention has been paid to these artefacts, and some of them have never been discussed in publications. The aim of this article is to revise former claims concerning selected specimens related to early medieval horsemanship obtained during past research, as well as to present and interpret new artefacts discovered in 2018-2023 in the course of the ‘Lednica Project’.

In the years 2021-2022 Th e Museum of the First Piasts at Lednica once more undertook archaeological research on Ledniczka. Excavations covering a total area of 40 m2 were conducted mainly on the western shore of the island, and to a lesser extent its northern part, as well as on the elevated terrain, which was a type of rampart surrounding the embankment of the conical castle from the north. In the excavations located near the shore a concentration of wooden elements from a bridge crossing dated to the turn of the 13th and 14th century was uncovered. From the layers located in this zone fragments of vessels contemporary with the bridge were found, but also older ones, dated to the 1st half of the 10th century. Similarly dated materials were discovered in the primary humus on the northern slope of the ‘rampart’. The latest relics were confronted with the material from the 1989-90 surveys. This repeated analysis allowed the chronology of the fortress to be shift ed from the late 14th/early 15th century to the second half of the 13th/the first quarter of the 14th century.

This paper presents the results of the project ‘Cradle of the Piasts – archaeological underwater prospecting in the Lednica Lake area’, which was intended to comprehensively survey previously unexplored areas of Lednica Lake. The project used modern non-invasive methods such as a multibeam probe, a bottom sediment profiler and a magnetometer to locate potential archaeological sites. As a result, underwater prospecting was carried out along 14.5 km of shoreline, discovering new archaeological sites and artefacts from different historical periods. The project contributed to the development of research methods in underwater archaeology and broadened the knowledge of the history of settlement in the Lednica Lake area.

During rescue excavations carried out along the route of the planned S3 expressway, in Jordanowo, Świebodzin municipality, Lubuskie voivodeship, at site 7, within an early mediaeval cemetery, six coins were discovered (2 whole + 4 fragments). They were recorded in the fills of burial pits, located in the north-eastern and south-western parts of the cemetery. Among them were a fragment of an Islamic dirham (dated 961-976), a German coin of Otto and Adelaide (issued ca. 1020-1050), two fragments of type V cross denars minted in Saxony (dated 1050-1070 and 1060-1080), a type VIII cross denar (dated 1080-1105) and a denar of Bolesław IV the Curly (minted before 1173). On the basis of the analysis of the coins recorded in the graves, it may be presumed that the cemetery was probably already in use in the 2nd half of the 11th century and functioned for about 100 years, at least until the end of the reign of Bolesław IV the Curly.

The anthropological analysis was conducted on bone material discovered during earthworks on a private property in Lednogóra, in the Łubowo commune. As a result of the conducted examination, it was determined that the skeletal remains belonged to a man who died at an age between 30 to 40 years old. Pathological changes were observed on the bones, including degenerative changes and signs of healed injuries. The living height of the man was 173.4 cm.

This article describes the development of underwater archaeology at Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń, focusing on the activities of Andrzej Kola and Gerard Wilke. Since the 1970s, when these researchers initiated underwater research, Nicolaus Copernicus University has become one of the leading centres for this discipline in Europe. Key projects include the study of wrecks, ancient harbours and medieval bridges. Cooperation with international institutions and the development of modern research techniques have contributed to the team’s successes. The UMK Centre for Underwater Archaeology continues the tradition with innovative research and training.

The text will be devoted to a discussion of the theme and implementation of the temporary exhibition entitled ‘Diabły’ (ang. ‘Devils’), organised during the 2024 exhibition season at the Wielkopolska Ethnographic Park. Th e text discusses the assumptions of the exhibition, the collected exhibits and the way in which they were grouped for the purposes of the exhibition. The specific division into groups and their reference to the content of Polish folk demonology, is intended to show the devil in traditional culture as a colourful and not entirely unambiguous figure.