Person conducting excavation: Prof. Piotr Bieliński, Agnieszka Pieńkowska PhD, Magdalena Nowakowska MA Country:Kuwait Site name: Failaka Island Involved institutions: Polish Center of Mediterranean Archaeology and National Council of Culture, Arts and Letter, State of Kuwait Type of the site: Waterfront archaeology of Failaka Island Description of the research: The Polish – Kuwaiti project: “Waterfront and Underwater Archaeology of Kuwait. Archeorisk on the Coastal Zone around Failaka Island, Kuwait” is the first archaeological research project concerning underwater cultural heritage of Kuwait and Failaka Island. The aim of the project is to detect and describe remaining archaeological sites at the tidal area, as well as to provide documentary evidence and finally organise the proper preservation. During previous seasons many littoral constructions were reported. The result was stunning: 33 stone structures located, and most of them interpreted as fish traps – stone tidal weirs and remains of three harbours with breakwaters were also discovered. Project: “Waterfront and Underwater Archaeology of Kuwait. Archeorisk on the Coastal Zone around Failaka Island, Kuwait”
Person conducting excavation: Kamil Niemczak MA, mgr Iwona Lewoc MA Country: Poland Site name: Wólka Prusinowska Type of the site: cemetery Involved institutions:
Terra Desolata Foundation Description of the research:
The cemetery in Wólka Prusinowska (Ger. Pruschinowen Wolka) is located on the north-eastern high bank of the Wielki Zyzdrój Lake. It was discovered at the end on the XIX century. During the modern excavations we discovered – among them – bronze bow brooch, disc brooches with wooden insert, bronze tweezers, iron buckle with trapezoidal frame. It is evidence of contacts Olsztyn Group with Avars. Apart from that we found several hundred fragments of pottery. Part of it was decorated.
More info: terradesolata.pl Project/sources of financing: Institute of Archaeology, Consultative Council for Students’ Scientific Movement of University of Warsaw, Universitatis Varsoviensis Foundation, University of Warsaw Foundation, Terra Desolata Foundation
Person conducting excavation: Dariusz Błaszczyk PhD, dr Viacheslav PhD Skorokhod Country: Ukraine Site name: Shestovytsia Type of the site: barrow early medieval cemetery Involved institutions:
Institute of Archaeology, University of Warsaw; Centre of Archaeology and Ancient History, Taras Shevchenko Teachers’ Training University, Chernihiv Description of the research:
Description of the research: Research is carried out at the barrow cemetery, which is part of the settlement complex from the early Middle Ages consisting of a stronghold and an adjacent settlement. The aim of the research is to investigate using modern methods (drone photos, 3D documentation, physicochemical analyses) of a selected part of the cemetery, determine its exact chronology, reconstruct the funeral rite and identify the socio-cultural affiliation of the people buried there Project: ‘Shestovytsia – the barrow cemetery from the Viking Age period’. Research financed by the Institute of Archaeology University of Warsaw and Centre of Archaeology and Ancient History, Taras Shevchenko Teachers’ Training University, Chernihiv
Person conducting excavation: Artur Grabarek, MA Country: Poland Site name: Podlesie, site 6, Świętokrzyskie Voivodeship Type of the site: cementry of the Lusatian Culture Involved institutions:
Institute of Archaeology, University of Warsaw Description of the research:
In the years 2014-2018, the area of 380 m² was investigated. About 13,000 artefacts were discovered: 9,000 pieces of ceramics, 2400 flint products, 100 obsidian products, 110 stone items, as well as clay weights, whorls, fragments of animal bones. Stratigraphic and planigraphic observations and the results of a comprehensive analysis of materials, clearly indicate that we are dealing with a culturally homogeneous group, constituting a remnants of the middle and late phase of the LBK. The nature of the finds makes the site Podlesie one of the most important points on the map of the KCWR settlements in the Nida Basin region. Project: –
Person conducting excavation: Artur Grabarek, MSc Country: Poland Site name: Podlesie, site 5, Świętokrzyskie Voivodeship Type of the site: cemetery of the Lusatian Culture Involved institutions: Faculty of Archaeology, University of Warsaw
Description of the research: Podlesie is a small village, located about 5 km east of Oleśnica in the świętokrzyskie voivodeship. In 2014-2017, excavations were carried out at the site, during which a surface area of 150 m² was investigated. Over 100 graves with cremations body in urn were discovered that belong to the Tarnobrzeg culture. A large scientific value is not only a diversified ceramic inventory, but also a very rich collection small bronze and flint artefacts. Some of them occurred in the grave context. Two well-equipped graves of the Przeworsk culture were also discovered. The analysis confirmed the similarity of materials from Podlesie to items of other cemeteries of the Lusatian culture in this region.
Principal investigator: dr hab. Agnieszka Tomas
Name of the site: Novae
Country: Bulgaria
Partner institutions: Faculty of Archaeology University of Warsaw and the National Institute of Archaeology Bulgarian Academy of Sciences with the Museum
Type of the site: Roman legionary camp (castra legionis), civil settlement (canabae legionis) and late Roman town.
Chronology: 1st-6th century AD
The legionary fortress in Novae today is an archaeological site in northern Bulgaria, on the Danube, near the town of Svishtov. It was probably founded around the middle of the 1st century AD. The 1st Italian legion was based here for most of its existence and its presence is confirmed until the 30s of the 5th century AD. In the area of the camp, which covers 17.99 ha, monumental buildings have been discovered, the most important of which is the headquarters building (principia), although the legionary hospital (valetudinarium) and baths (thermae legionis) are equally impressive. There was a civil settlement (canabae) on the west side of the camp, and a necropolis on the south and east side. In the late antiquity, the fortifications of Novae were reinforced, and an additional area (the so-called annex) was attached to the camp from the east, covering an area of almost 9 ha. At that time, both soldiers and civilians lived within the walls. Traces of the latest Roman activity date back to the end of the 6th century.
Novae – phot. M. Pisz
Description of the present research:
In 2021, we started research in the central part of the site, directly behind the fortress’ headquarters (principia). In this place, in 2005, the remains of a massive building with a regular layout were documented, as well as the reused base of the statue of the legionary legate during the reign of Gordian III. The aim of the research is to determine the nature of the buildings in this part of the camp and to determine the function of the aforementioned building, which may have been the seat of the legion commander (praetorium).
Thanks to the discoveries in 2021-22, we learned that the buildings in this place had a residential character until the late Roman period.
The previous project, including research in the late antique Novae district (the so-called annex) and the necropolis, was completed in 2021.
Project completed/financial support: Extramural settlement near the Roman legionary fortress at Novae (Lower Moesia) and its fate in Late Antiquity, National Science Centre, OPUS 10, NCN, OPUS 10, no. 2015/19B/HS3/017/90
Publications:
A. Tomas, E. Jaskulska, J. Dworniak-Jarych, E Jęczmienowski, T. Dziurdzik, A. Mech, The eastern necropolis at Novae, Archaeologia Bulgarica 24/3, 2020, 37–63
The transformation of Novae. Eastern necropolis and the late Roman extension [in:] Transformations in Antiquity, A. Tomas (ed.), BREPOLS, RomA Series (in preparation)
Other projects realized in Novae by the Expedition of the Faculty of Archaeology UW:
Person conducting excavation: prof. Dariusz Manasterski Country: Poland Site name: Supraśl, site 3, Podlaskie Voivodeship Type of the site: cementry of the Przeworsk Culture Involved institutions: Faculty of Archaeology, University of Warsaw; Podlachian Museum in Białystok
Description of the research: Excavation works covered the area of sandy elevation among the backwaters of the Supraśl River within the Knyszyn Primeval Forest , where four ritual objects of the Bell Beaker culture have been recognized so far. There were also traces of the stay of the Corded Ware culture and Lusatian culture from the early Iron Age.
Project: Interdisciplinary research of the Knyszyn Primeval Forest microregion (financed from the budget of the Faculty of Archaeology University of Warsaw and the Podlachian Museum in Białystok)
Person conducting excavation: Andrzej Maciałowicz, Ph.D. Country: Poland Site name:Gołębiewo, site 14, Warmian-Masurian Voivodeship Type of the site: cemetery of the Przeworsk Culture Involved institutions: Faculty of Archaeology, University of Warsaw
Description of the research: One of the broadest cremation cemeteries of the Przeworsk Culture dated to the Late Pre-Roman and the Early Roman periods (2nd cent. BC – 2nd cent. AD), which provided, among others, a large series of iron weapons. Project: “Late Iron Age in Prussia – rescue excavations at the cemeteries in Czerwony Dwór (Site XXI), Gołębiewo (Site XIV), and Piecki (Site I), the Warmińsko-Mazurskie Voivodeship” – project completed in 2008 (together with P. Szymański and M. Rudnicki) as a part of the Operational Program “Cultural Heritage” (Priority 4), financed by the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage.
Person conducting excavation:
Tomasz Nowakiewicz, Ph.D. (IAUW), Aleksandra Rzeszotarska-Nowakiewicz, Ph.D. (IAE PAS) Country: Poland Type of the site: bog-site Involved institutions:
Institute of Archaeology and Ethnology Polish Academy of Sciences Description of the research:
Nidajno-bog is the first in Poland with evidence on the practice of bog sacrifice, better known and associated with ancient Germanic societies and their sites in southern Scandinavia (like Illerup Ådal, Nydam, Thorsberg). In this rite the weapons and various items of a warrior’s equipment (numerous spearheads, battle knives, swords, chainmail) were cast into the waters of a marshy lake. Many of them had been ritually destroyed.
An excavations Czaszkowo are a methodical and logistic challenge, unprecedented in Polish archaeology. However, they provide results without analogies also.
During the research conducted in the sedimentation layers of the former lake, very numerous fragments of weapons were recorded (spearheads, large fighting knives, swords, spurs and even chain mail), among which a significant group was imported from the provincial-Roman zone. Spectacular find is a group of extremely valuable objects manufactured in the best workshops of the ancient classical world: richly decorated belt buckles with zoomorphic representations, larger mounts with images of gryphons, capricorns and less easily identified hybrid beasts, sword-fittings plated in gold (decorated with motif of lions, birds and dolphins), silver and gold figurine of a vulture and fragments of glass cup.
Unusual accumulation of prestigious signs of power which is visible on the items from Czaszkowo is a unique phenomenon not only in the Masurian scale but even the entire continent.
However, the reasons of their placement in the Masurian marsh are still unclear. There is also unclear whether the rituals were practiced by members of a Germanic war band on their way to their Scandinavian homeland from the frontier of Roman Empire or by Balts (Galindians) returning from the same region where they had learnt the prestigious and impressive ritual from their Germanic associates. There is also impossible to rule out that the most valuable finds from Nidajno found themselves in Masuria region as a diplomatic gift handed down in Late Antiquity to one of the local chiefs by one of the rulers of the Ancient world.
Archaeological site Akrai (Latin Acrae) is localised to the west of the modern town of Palazzolo Acreide, in south-eastern region of Sicily. The site was an excellent lookout point over the entire surrounding region. Such a strategic location suggests that the town played an important role, both political and commercial, and guarded the access to Syracuse to which it was subordinated.
According to Thucydides the town was founded by Syracuse around 663/664 BC. After the Roman conquest, it became a civitas stipendiaria, and was still prospering till the end of the Antiquity.
The results of all of fieldworks was the discovery of a theatre and bouleuterion, open towards the remains of an agora and thesmophorion. At the highest situated area of the city a discovery was made of a Doric peripteral temple, dedicated, most probably, to Aphrodite, built during the 6th century BC and in use for an unknown period.
Worthy of special interest are quarries, known as Intagliata and Intagliatella, source of stone for construction, which during the late antique period were used for a necropolis.
Since 2009 the University of Warsaw, in cooperation with Polo Regionale di Siracusa per i siti e i musei archeologici in Syracuse, began first step of research in Palazzolo Acreide. Non invasive investigations: geodetic measurements, geophysics, aerial photography were the first stage of studies. During the survey in the vicinity of town, using the GPS, on the satellite map have been marked a discovered new archaeological sites.
Since 2011 till now the regular archaeological excavations are carried out. Archaeologists discovered the remains of Greco-Roman houses and Late Antique area with domestic craft activities.
Currently, international team of archaeologists is elaborating the findings that include: coins, different types of pottery, glass, metal and stone objects. Multidisciplinary researches engage archaeometric, lipid, petrographic, and isotopic analyses. All the results are published regularly in international journals and in the form of monographs.
