Another result of the cooperation between the two institutions is the research project 'Pre-local Lelów. Popularising the results of archaeological research', carried out by Anna Ciszek, an archaeology student at the University of Lodz, as part of the Science Hub programme project of the University of Lodz. Its idea is to bring together and support in the creation of implementable scientific projects responding to local and global challenges.
Study site
The site, which was explored during the summer excavations of 2022-2023, is located close to the Church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Old Town, which dates back to the 12th century, as well as the Białka River. Such proximity could have meant ideal conditions for settlements. Until 2022, the area of the Staromieście site was known only from surface surveys of the area, which revealed the presence of early medieval vascular pottery fragments. The presence of artefactual material, the historical background of Old Town and the location of the site allowed the area to be selected for archaeological investigation in the 2022– 2023 seasons.
Discoveries
The 2022 finds included the relic of a furnace and lead weights that may have been smelted in it, and the presence of silver coins - the denarius of Władysław II of Exile stands out here. The results of the research carried out in the area led to the confirmation of the hypothesis, based on written accounts, that a pre-local Lelów may have been located at this site.
In July 2023, fragments of clay vessels were discovered, which were used by the inhabitants of the settlement in the early and late Middle Ages, as well as in the modern period. This year's research captured the extent of the settlement in its south-eastern part.
The fieldwork was organised by Dr Olgierd Ławrynowicz (Institute of Archaeology, UŁ), while the fieldwork was supervised by Radosław Zdaniewicz, M.Sc. (SDNH UŁ, SNAP OG).
Science Hub of the University of Lodz in Krapkowice
The results of the NPRH Ministry of Science and Higher Education research project "Places of Memory and Oblivion. Interdisciplinary research of the northern areas of the Polish Jurassic Highland" have inspired a collaboration with the Friends of Krapkowice Society. It aims to show the changes that have taken place in the landscape of the town of Krapkowice. Using the method of ethnographic interviews, objects important to the local community and to the family of the project's author, Daria Kacprowicz, an archaeology student at the University of Lodz, will be selected. The analysed locations will be compared with archival photographs and photographs available on the Internet using the Street View tool.
In the project entitled. "Archaeologisation of contemporary cultural heritage of Krapkowice. A multidisciplinary analysis of selected sites', carried out as part of the Science Hub programme of the University of Lodz, the changes that have taken place in the Krapkowice landscape will be recorded and analysed. The project will include a catalogue of selected sites, GPS measurements, plans and a description of the visible changes that have taken place in the landscape. The fruit of the work will be posted on the website so that the study can be made available to the residents of the study area and the local government.
The supervisor of both projects is Dr Olgierd Ławrynowicz.
Information on projects
The projects were realised as part of the Science Hub of the University of Lodz - an all-university platform for cooperation, which aims to support the academic community of the University of Lodz in the realisation of implementation scientific projects in cooperation with the environment.
Project title: Archaeologisation of contemporary cultural heritage of Krapkowice. Multidisciplinary analysis of selected objects
Supervisor: Dr Olgierd Ławrynowicz, Department of Historical Archaeology and Archaeology
Student: Daria Kacprowicz, Archaeology
Partner: The Friends of Krapkowice Association
Project description: The project aims to diagnose the changes in the physical and cultural landscape that have taken place over recent years in Krapkowice, a district town in the Opole Province. It falls within the thematic and methodological scope of Archaeology of the Contemporary Past.
Project title: Pre-local Lelów. Popularisation of archaeological research results
Supervisor: Dr Olgierd Ławrynowicz, Department of Historical Archaeology and Archaeology
Student: Anna Ciszek, Archaeology
Partner: Lelów Historical and Cultural Association
Project description: The aim of the project is to popularise the results of archaeological excavations of underground relics of the pre-local, early-medieval Lelów, discovered in the years 2022– 2023 in the area of the village of Staromieście near Lelów in historical western Małopolska (currently in the Częstochowa district of the Silesian Voivodeship).
Material: A. Ciszek, D. Kacprowicz, O. Ławrynowicz
Edit: Science Hub of the University of Lodz