Papers by Jerzy Piekalski
Heritage Science, Nov 14, 2022
Origins of medieval lead artefacts are hard to establish due to re-smelting and mixing. One can o... more Origins of medieval lead artefacts are hard to establish due to re-smelting and mixing. One can obtain conclusive evidence from ingots that served for bulk trade and originated directly from the mines. This paper aims to analyse the thirteenth century lead ingot from Wrocław (Poland). To establish its origins we analysed its structure and chemical composition. We used archaeometric methods: light and electron microscopic observations, X-ray fluorescence spectrometry, X-ray diffraction, infrared spectroscopy, inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectrometry and Pb isotopic analysis. We compared our measurements with measurements of analogical ingot found on Kraków Market Square and a database of lead ores from Europe and the Middle East. The research indicated that both ingots originated from-Kraków and Silesia Upland Pb-Zn ore deposits (Poland), intensively mined from the twelfth century. The results complement the view of trade routes established based on written records and add valuable data for future comparative studies.
International Journal of Historical Archaeology, May 4, 2022
Diversification of standards of living in modern societies is one of the main research topics for... more Diversification of standards of living in modern societies is one of the main research topics for economists and sociologists. Usually, economic inequalities are considered to be a natural phenomenon which trigger further progress and, in moderate amounts, are socially acceptable. However, deep inequalities are unjust and destructive and lead to conflicts. The research of contemporary inequalities in living standards mainly focuses on defining their source and their social and economic implications. The issue of social inequalities in pre-industrial societies is researched in a similar way, but requires different methods and data sources. The purpose of this paper is to determine the usefulness of archaeology in the research of diversification of living standards in Central-European cities at the end of Middle Ages and in the Early Modern era. As a case study we discuss the consumption strategies of Late Medieval and Early Modern dress accessories from different burgher plots in Prague (modern Czech Republic) and Wrocław (modern Poland) as an introduction for broader research.
Archaeologia Historica Polona, 2020
The aim of the article is to assess the relationship between living conditions in the city and th... more The aim of the article is to assess the relationship between living conditions in the city and the natural environment determined by a large lowland river. This problem was examined via the example of Wrocław, the main city in Lower Silesia, which developed on the border of cultural and political zones. The natural hydrographic network and the scope of anthropogenic changes are presented. Also analysed are aspects of the land’s suitability for construction, water supply techniques for crafts and townspeople’s houses, drainage techniques, protection of street and squares surfaces against mud, and the use of water for defensive purposes. The chronological framework extends from the beginning of settlement to industrialisation and the introduction of modern water and sewage techniques in the 19th century.
W ostatnich latach widać wyraźny wzrost zainteresowania badaniami archeologicznymi okresu nowożyt... more W ostatnich latach widać wyraźny wzrost zainteresowania badaniami archeologicznymi okresu nowożytnego, a także dotyczącymi czasów, które możemy określić mianem współczesnych. Zakres podejmowanych tematów jest obecnie bogaty, lecz nadal istnieje wiele problemów, które nie zostały zauważone i czekają na podjęcie. Natomiast w zakresie innych kierunków studiów dostrzegamy już pogłębiającą się dysproporcję związaną z intensyfikacją prowadzonych badań. Powoduje ona napływ szczegółowych informacji o marginalnych zjawiskach, przy całkowitym ignorowaniu innych tematów, które miały zasadniczy związek ze zmianami wpływającymi na kształt współczesności i doprowadziły do ukonstytuowania Badania nad nowożytnym osadnictwem wiejskim w miejscowości Kopaniec w Górach Izerskich1
Located far away from the main communication roads, the mountain village named Kopaniec (German S... more Located far away from the main communication roads, the mountain village named Kopaniec (German Seifershau, south-western Poland, Izera Mountains) avoided destruction and depopulation during the Thirty Year’s War (1618‑1648), unlike all other Silesian villages. After this period the village developed intensively. New buildings and residential plots were founded on previously unused forest areas, at a height of 700 m a.s.l. Settlement pattern changes within fields and plots with residential buildings are visible today. The boundaries of former fields can be recognized by the remains of stone walls, which in Poland is a relatively rare occurrence. Findings from LIDAR, GIS studies, and the traditional excavation method were used in developing a description of the village in terms of its natural environment and its internal structure and evolution, starting in the late medieval period and continuing until modern times. The purpose of the study was to record features of the historical cultural landscape created in a specific mountain setting. The deserted domestic enclosure no. 143 in Kopaniec is highlighted as an example that clearly shows the distinctions between late medieval and modern husbandry systems.
Rechtsstadtgründungen im mittelalterlichen Polen, 2011
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Papers by Jerzy Piekalski