Unexpected discovery of Bronze Age settlement uncovers 1,500 artifacts
Archaeologists in Poland were surprised to uncover an ancient settlement on the outskirts of the country’s capital, dating the discovery to before the times of Jesus Christ.
The archaeology discovery was made in Białołęka, one of the capital city of Warsaw’s 18 districts. Archaeologists chanced upon the 3,000-year-old settlement after inspecting a plot of land designated for the construction of a swimming pool. At first, excavators responsible for examining the plot were expecting to find some signs of an ancient seasonal encampment, express.co.uk reported.
Instead, they uncovered the remains of a Late Bronze Age settlement covering more than one acre of land.
The excavations were carried out by the Ab Terra Foundation, which oversees the archaeological analysis of construction sites.
The group said: “We expected to discover the traces of a small seasonal encampment, but it turned out we found the remains of a large settlement of the Lusatian culture from 3,000 years ago – the Late Bronze Age.
“This settlement was associated with a small watercourse that is regulated today, but in prehistoric times the stream flowed several dozen meters closer to the present research area.
“Traces of the oxbow lake and the high level of groundwater have been captured in the form of geological traces.
“This was probably a production part of the settlement in the studied area, and the residential area is probably a short distance away but, unfortunately, outside of the investment area.”
The Lusatian culture existed throughout the Bronze Age and Early Iron Age, or 1300 B.C. to 500 B.C.
Lusatians lived across most of what is modern-day Poland, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Ukraine and Germany.
The most famous Lusatian settlement is the Biskupin fort in north-central Poland, which was discovered in 1933.
During their excavation of the newly found settlement, the archaeologists uncovered more than 1,500 artifacts.
Most of these included ancient ceramics as well as wooden and leather items that have suffered a great deal of decomposition. The Ab Terra Foundation said: “With great difficulty and care we are extracting tiny fragments, clean them and glue together ceramic dishes for everyday use.
“A very interesting find is, for example, a so-called sieving dish.
“It is similar to a modern colander, but it likely served in the production of cottage cheese and cheeses two-and-half-thousand years ago.
“The difference is in the materials from which it was made, namely it was fired from clay.”
The foundation noted cottage cheese is still made in the exact fashion.
As it was thousands of years ago, the fresh curd cheese is made by passing soured milk through a piece of fabric in a sieving dish.
The archaeologists said: “In times when the fortified settlement in Biskupin was taking shape in Kujawy, a rich settlement of the same Lusatian culture also developed in
Białołęka, Warsaw.
“Within the vicinity of Ostródzka Street, there are also many other archaeological sites, such as the remains of a large Lusatian settlement located one-and-a-half kilometers to the north.
“Therefore, it is important to research these areas before they are poured over with concrete, and it is also important the knowledge of reaches the residents of Białołęka.”
Alongside the Bronze Age settlement, the archaeologists also uncovered evidence other cultures and the impact of World War II.