Metrics details The open-air Archaeological Museum in Biskupin (Poland) preserves and shows to the public a prehistoric settlement of Lusatian culture dating back to Early Iron Age (eighth century BC) The monitoring of the environment and dynamics of the wood degradation in the burial conditions at the site is fundamental for the in situ preservation of archaeological wooden materials A monitoring program thus started in 2003 at the Biskupin site using contemporary sound oak wood that was placed in two wet burial environments A multi-analytical protocol was exploited to obtain information on the structural physical and chemical conditions of the buried wood The study involved the application of gravimetric and wet chemical analysis including infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and analytical pyrolysis (Py–GC/MS) to evaluate alterations in the buried oak wood over a 10-year period during the burial period in both monitoring stations there was only limited chemical transformation of the polysaccharide component The differences observed might be due to the natural compositional variability and inhomogeneity of oak wood The final condition of the wood was very similar in the two burial environments It is therefore suggested that the wet burial conditions in the Biskupin site represent a safe conservation environment for the in situ preservation of the wood remains at least those presenting a good initial preservation state This supports the conservation strategy adopted in the Biskupin Museum site where it was stated that in situ storage of archaeological remains in natural environments plays an important role in preserving humanity’s cultural heritage In situ preservation of archaeological remains requires a regular monitoring of the conditions of the buried material as well as the limitation and/or reduction of the impact and risk caused by the burial conditions At the end of the excavation campaigns in 1974 an in situ conservation strategy was implemented Portions of the buried sound wood were taken from the two burial sites and analysed after 2 The SEM images clearly showed unaltered and intact cell structures after 2 years and the detachment of the secondary cell wall was evident only after 10 years of burial A clear trend of decay from 2 to 10 years of burial was not observed but signs of soft rot fungi and bacteria attack were sporadically present and appeared to be the main causes of wood degradation in the burial sites The samples were cut out from the trunk of a 68-year-old oak tree (from the mature heartwood zone between annual increments 29 and 56) in 2003 The mean annual ring width was 1.81 mm (standard deviation SD = 0.78 mm) and the mean percentage of latewood was 62.6% (SD = 13.3%) A total of 440 wood samples (22 sets of 20 samples each) were used during the monitoring program Their dimensions were 10 mm (radial) × 10 mm (tangential) × 150 mm (longitudinal) and 10 were mixed with sediment taken from the bottom of an archaeological trench filled with water and buried at 1 m depth in two monitoring stations: the first 10 sets in the monitoring station SP1 and the second 10 sets in the monitoring station SP4 corresponding to a water environment at the bottom of the sediment layer of a water-filled archaeological trench The choice of the monitoring stations was dictated by the need to reproduce the burial conditions found upon the original discovery of the settlement The two remaining sample sets were used as control sets two sample sets were collected from both monitoring stations One set from each station was analyzed to determine the physical properties and mass loss of wood and the other set was used to analyze chemical changes The physical properties and chemical composition (wet chemical analysis) of the examined wood were determined immediately after the recovery of each sample set the samples were stored in sealed and dark plastic boxes at 4 °C in plastic bags in order to minimize the contact with external agents Although the visual appearance of the samples after storage was not different it is important to notice that chemical changes can occur during the storage period FTIR tests were performed twice on control samples in the 1st year of the experiment and after 10 years of storage The results obtained were the same; therefore it was assumed that there were no significant changes in wood composition during its storage for 10 years SEM was also performed on the samples before instrumental analysis and major post-burial degradation signs were not observed The level of degradation of buried wood samples after 2 8 and 10 years at the Biskupin archaeological site was determined on the basis of: Chemical composition determined by three independent methodologies: Analytical pyrolysis coupled with gas chromatography and mass spectrometry (Py–GC/MS) however in this case it was deemed appropriate as the examined wood was either sound or only slightly degraded The weight of the waterlogged samples was recorded both in air and in water The determination of masses of dry wood samples was performed in air after drying to a constant mass at 103 °C in the oven These masses were used to calculate: (i) maximum water content (MWC); (ii) basic density (BD); (iii) wood porosity (P); (iv) mass loss (ML) where MWC is the maximum water content (%) mw is the mass of the waterlogged sample (g) and md is the mass of the oven-dry sample (g) md is the mass of the oven-dry sample (kg) and Vw is the volume of the waterlogged sample (m3) mw is the mass of the waterlogged sample (g) and Vw is the volume of the waterlogged sample (cm3) m0 is the mass of the oven-dry sample before burial on the site (g) and m1 is the mass of the oven-dry sample after burial at the site (g) All the samples were ground using a laboratory mill (Pulverisette 15 The sawdust fraction (0.5–1.0 mm) of wood was used for classical wet chemical analysis further grinding was carried out on a zirconium oxide ball mill (Pulverisette 23 the removal of the residual water was necessary by drying the sample at 40–50 °C for 24 h in the oven Infrared spectroscopy: A Thermo Fischer FT-IR Nicolet iS50 spectrometer was used in attenuated total reflection (ATR) mode A total of 64 scans were carried out with a 4 cm−1 resolution in the range between 4000 and 400 cm−1 1503 and 897 cm−1 were constructed between 1774–1692 The results were averaged for three replicates The standard deviation for the values obtained was always 0.1 or below analyses were repeated three times and the relative standard deviation was always below 10% Table 2 presents the determined physical properties and mass losses of the experimental oak wood samples including the reference wood and the samples after deposition in the monitoring stations: SP1 (wet peat environment) and SP4 (water-filled trench) Mass loss (ML) and basic density (BD) results Regarding the mass loss (ML), an almost regular increasing trend during the period of sample deposition was observed (Fig. 1) the ML was significantly lower in the case of SP1 than SP4 very similar results in ML were observed after 10 years of wood deposition showing that the dynamics of this slight degradation might be different in the two environments examined This result underlines the importance of always referring the values to those obtained for reference samples and further proves the very low level of degradation of these samples after 10 years of burial in the monitoring stations Note that these samples might have undergone a counter-effect to the decomposition and to water and alkali extractive action various chemical compounds dissolved in water in both environments may have entered the wood structure thus resulting in an increase in sample mass and a corresponding relative reduction in mass loss This phenomenon is virtually impossible to be accounted for numerically but should be considered in the interpretation of the results the results can be considered as being within the variability of the composition of the material and measurement errors The changes undergone by wood components in all the analysed samples after 2 8 and 10 years of burial in both SP1 and SP4 stations were investigated by wet chemical analysis infrared spectroscopy and analytical pyrolysis The content of holocellulose in the reference sample was 69.9% and the quantity of lignin accounted for 25.5% The content of holocellulose during the 10-year burial in both monitoring stations decreased the content of lignin relatively increased and the content of cellulose was almost stable C/L and C/H ratios obtained from wet chemical analysis of oak reference wood (ref) and the wood samples after 2 8 and 10 years of burial in: a SP4 (water sediment) The changes in water-soluble extractives and ashes followed expected trends as a result of penetration of mineralized water into the more and more porous wood structure; and a decrease in extractives as a result of leaching in the waterlogged environment The FTIR spectra (fingerprint region 2000–800 cm−1) of the oak wood reference and the samples deposited in wet peat (SP1) are shown in Fig. 3. FTIR-ATR spectra of the oak reference wood (ref) and of the wood samples after 2 8 and 10 years of burial in SP1 (wet peat) Its slight relative increase during the years of burial was an indication of the general small depletion of carbohydrates Another absorption band considered in this study was that at 897 cm−1 assigned to C–H deformation in polysaccharides (holocellulose) Ratios between areas of FTIR absorption bands attributed to lignin and carbohydrates (1503/1730 and hemicellulose and cellulose (1730/897) obtained for the oak reference wood (ref) and for the wood samples after 2 8 and 10 years of burial in a SP1 (wet peat) and b SP4 (water sediment) Analytical pyrolysis does not differentiate between the pyrolysis products derived from cellulose and hemicelluloses as the thermal degradation mostly produces the same pyrolysis products from the two types of polysaccharides This means that the Py–GC/MS method applied in this study cannot reveal the details of the chemical changes observed specifically in cellulose and hemicelluloses but only in the overall polysaccharide fraction (holocellulose) Pyrolytic profile of the sound oak wood reference sample. Holocellulose (H) and lignin (L) pyrolysis products are indicated Percentage distribution of the categories of holocellulose pyrolysis products in the samples from a SP4 (water sediments) and b SP1 (wet peat) after 2, 4, 6, 8 and 10 years of burial Percentage distribution of the categories of lignin pyrolysis products in the samples from a SP4 (water sediments) and b SP1 (wet peat) after 2 As far as holocellulose is concerned (Fig. 6) the Py–GC/MS results did not show any significant change in the chemical composition after 10 years of burial A comparison of the relative amounts of holocellulose pyrolysis products after 10 years of burial and those in sound oak wood revealed a high level of similarity: cyclopentenones and anhydrosugars showed similar percentages (about 36%) there were some mid-term fluctuations in the pyrolysis profile of the samples it was difficult to associate the fluctuations observed in these particular samples to specific phenomena that had occurred during burial some structural and chemical changes related to holocellulose have already been highlighted by other techniques such as minor loss of sugar oligomers and loss of acetyl groups The pyrolysis results did not fully reflect these processes probably due to the compositional variability of wood The outcome of these processes after 10 years appeared very similar for the two stations and was represented by an increased abundance of lignin monomers among the pyrolysis products This may be related to the slight solubilisation and loss of carbohydrates previously observed lignin changes its pyrolytic behaviour and forms a higher relative amount of monomers during pyrolysis the mid-term fluctuations are more difficult to explain and are probably partially due to the compositional variability of wood The results showed that 10 years of burial in the monitoring stations led to relatively small changes in the physical properties of fresh oak wood examined in the experiment and the slight increase in maximum water content and wood porosity as well as the slight decrease in basic density can be partly attributed to a minimal decomposition of cell walls and partly to the extraction of water-soluble substances The chemical analysis revealed a loss in hemicellulose content and alterations in the hemicellulose fraction were also highlighted by the decrease in absorption associated with the C=O stretching of acetyl and carbonyl groups in the FTIR spectra a slower alteration of cellulose compared to hemicelluloses during natural ageing was noticed Py–GC/MS analysis did not reveal any significant alteration in the chemical composition of lignin and holocellulose during the experiment When comparing the two monitoring environments acetyl groups underwent a more significant alteration in the water sediment than in the peat environment The rate of the detected alterations was slightly different in the two stations in the initial period of burial the final condition of the wood after 10 years was very similar in both burial environments The results are in good agreement with other observations obtained on the same samples few sporadic anatomical changes and a good level of resistance from fungal attack have been reported Sound wood is not the perfect model to simulate the behaviour and stability of degraded archaeological wood This was also proved by parallel experiments in which archaeological wood was reburied in the same monitoring stations showing a higher level of degradation compared to the results obtained in this experiment this study supports the conservation strategy based on in situ preservation of Biskupin remains and proves that the wet environment at the Biskupin site is suitable for a safe conservation of wood material at least when the initial level of degradation is not critical which is the case for most archaeological wood found in the site All data generated or analyzed during this study are included in this published article More information is available from the corresponding author on reasonable request Automated Mass Spectral Deconvolution and Identification System Pyrolysis coupled with gas chromatography and mass spectroscopy Monitoring station in the archaeological site of Biskupin corresponding to a wet peat environment Monitoring station in the archaeological site of Biskupin corresponding to a water environment at the bottom of the sediment layer of a water-filled archaeological trench Technical Association of the Pulp and Paper Industry Reburial and analyses of archaeological remains Studies on the effect of reburial on archaeological materials performed in Marstrand Proceedings of the 4th international conference: preserving archaeological remains in situ (PARIS4) 2012 23–26 May 2011; Copenhagen Convention on the protection of the underwater cultural heritage In: The General conference of the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organisation 31st session; 5 October–3 November 2001; Paris Dendrochronology of Biskupin–absolute dating of the Early Iron Age settlement Stan i perspektywy zachowania drewna biskupinskiego Characterisation of archaeological waterlogged wood by pyrolytic and mass spectrometric techniques The Vasa experience with polyethylene glycol: a conservator’s perspective The sinking of the Mary Rose warship: a medieval mystery solved To be and to continue being a Cog: the conservation of the Bremen Cog of 1380 Environmental monitoring at the Lusatian culture settlement in Biskupin Protecting Biskupin by an artificial barrier Selected physical parameters to characterize the state of preservation of waterlogged archaeological wood: a practical guide for their determination A review of microbial deterioration found in archaeological wood from different environments Analytical instrumental techniques to study archaeological wood degradation Quantitative evaluation by attenuated total reflectance infrared (ATR-FTIR) spectroscopy of the chemical composition of decayed wood preserved in waterlogged conditions Chemical characterisation of degraded wood in ships discovered in a recent excavation of the Etruscan and Roman harbour of Pisa Osada bagienna w Biskupinie w pow żnińskim Tymczasowe sprawozdanie z prac wykopaliskowych Instytutu Prehistorycznego UP w latach 1934 i 1935 Badania nad korozja biskupińskiego drewna wykopaliskowego oraz jego wlasciwosciami fizycznymi Deterioration of ancient wood in Biskupin archaeological excavations Archaeological wood degradation at the site of Biskupin (Poland): wet chemical analysis and evaluation of specific Py–GC/MS profiles Influence of anoxic condition on the composition of microorganisms colonized a contemporary wood samples in archaeological site in Biskupin Are the wooden remains of the Lusatian culture settlement at Biskupin safe Decomposition of archaeological oak wood samples during a 10-year experiment Spectral analysis of changes to pine and oak wood natural polymers after short-term waterlogging Deterioration effects of wet environments and brown rot fungus Coniophora puteana on pine wood in the archaeological site of Biskupin (Poland) Distinguishing the signs of fungal and burial-induced degradation in waterlogged wood from Biskupin (Poland) by scanning electron microscopy Durability of wood and wood-based products—testing and classification of the durability to biological agents of wood and wood-based materials Changes in oak wood buried in waterlogged peat: shrinkage as a complementary indicator of the wood degradation rate Zmiany wybranych parametrów środowiska na stanowisku 4 w Biskupinie w latach 2003–2013 Biskupin: Muzeum Archeologiczne w Biskupinie; 2015 The measurement of maximum water content (MWC) on waterlogged archaeological wood: a comparison between three different methodologies Evaluation of the applicability of conventional methods for the chemical characterization of waterlogged archaeological wood Washington: American Chemical Society; 1990 inventorAcid Insoluble lignin in wood and pulp T 222 om-06 Adhesive qualities of consolidants for deteriorated wood inventorSolvent extractives of wood and pulp paper and paperboard: combustion at 525 °C A critical evaluation of the degradation state of dry archaeological wood from Egypt by SEM Analytical pyrolysis of carbohydrates in the presence of hexamethyldisilazane Tobias K. 2004. http://www.amdis.net/ Physical and chemical properties of contemporary pine wood (Pinus sylvestris L.) in conditions of a wet archaeological site in Biskupin FTIR studies of the changes in wood chemistry following decay by brown-rot and white-rot fungi FT-IR imaging microscopy to localise and characterise simultaneous and selective white-rot decay within spruce wood cells Natural and artificial ageing of spruce wood as observed by FTIR-ATR and UVRR spectroscopy Monitoring wood degradation during weathering by cellulose crystallinity Timing in analytical pyrolysis: py(HMDS)–GC/MS of glucose and cellulose using online micro reaction sampler Analytical pyrolysis of polymeric carbohydrates Analytical pyrolysis of natural organic polymers Predicting the preservation of cultural artefacts and buried materials in soil Plant biology for cultural heritage: biodeterioration and conservation Los Angeles: Getty Conservation Institute; 2008 The short-term degradation of cellulosic pulp in lake water and peat soil: a multi-analytical study from the micro to the molecular level Download references This research was carried out within bilateral project Italy-Poland “Wet archaeological wooden material: a multi-analytical approach for decay diagnosis” under the Agreement CNR-Italy/PAS-Poland (2017–2019) and University of Pisa research project PRA_2018_26 “Advanced analytical pyrolysis to study polymers in renewable energy Present address: Department of Conservation and Scientific Research Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M Sackler Gallery Department of Chemistry and Industrial Chemistry Francesca Modugno & Maria Perla Colombini All authors read and approved the final manuscript The authors declare that they have no competing interests Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations unless otherwise stated in a credit line to the data Download citation DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/s40494-020-00390-3 Anyone you share the following link with will be able to read this content: a shareable link is not currently available for this article Sign up for the Nature Briefing newsletter — what matters in science which can be viewed on posters in the hall of the C2 Landscaping building until June 16 th were created as part of the Urban Landscaping course Their authors are first-year Landscape Architecture students and Erasmus students – The impulse to take up the subject was our university's addition to the EU GREEN consortium where one of the areas of activity is shaping the areas of the university campuses in accordance with the principles of sustainable development – says Dr Anna Bocheńska-Skałecka adding that the issue of 'shaping green areas of public space to improve the well-being of the urban environment' is also part of the subject itself the students had to familiarise themselves with contemporary trends in the design of university campuses in Europe and the shaping of areas of public space after the pandemic – The problem was the difficulty in drawing conclusions from the analyses especially as the location of the Biskupin Campus is unique: the site is under conservation protection in the immediate vicinity of the riverside areas with high natural values on the one hand and residential buildings on the other – says the UPWr scientist She emphasises that she is nevertheless very pleased that the topic was able to be realised and that it additionally provides very interesting material for further activities – I would like to thank all the student teams for their concepts and also for the good atmosphere during our meetings In each project there was an interesting idea or solution – adds Dr Bocheńska-Skałecka and points out that all project teams referred in their work to the university's profile – nature and pro-environmentalism This can also be seen in the slogans for the Biskupin Campus Olga Koziel and Emilia Krenz: "The Biskupin Campus as a blue-green place for learning emphasises the delicacy and harmony of the relationship between man and nature an interesting project was presented by the team of Joanna Zahor There is a clear phasing and division of the area into zones: a public one with a meeting place and a semi-public one for outdoor education Also noteworthy are the ideas for original small architecture by the team of Karolina Gąszczak and Karolina Kelner Seats and benches that are also elements of the so-called visual information entrance gates with "green roofs" have been designed which on the one hand are to help with spatial orientation on the Campus and on the other strengthen its image as a public green area of UPWr the teams took into account information on what happens on the Biskupin Campus on a daily basis I would like to thank several people for their help and time devoted to the students Dr Małgorzata Świąder and Professor Krzysztof Lejcuś I hope that the projects we have created with the students may prove useful in the context of the EU GREEN both as a basis for future investments Each team included in their strategy the possibility of phasing the project which makes it possible to implement in stages or to use the material in applications for funding for the proposed solutions – concludes Dr Anna Bocheńska-Skałecka The projects were created in several student teams (groups ranged from 2-4 people): All projects can be viewed by here Wrocław University of Environmental and Life Sciences25 Norwida St NIP: 896-000-53-54REGON: 000001867EORI: PL896000535400000 This site uses custom cookies to ensure that it functions properly. 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Enables storage that supports the functionality of the website or app, for example, language settings Enables storage related to personalization, for example, video recommendations Enables storage related to security such as authentication functionality, fraud prevention, and other user protection Biskupin’s re-created Iron Age town site thatched roofs and costumed historical re-enactors is a stimulating way to learn about the distant past The fortified lake town was built about 2700 years ago by a tribe of the Lusatian culture then rediscovered in 1933 by a school teacher who noticed wooden stakes poking out of the lake You can either wander through the grounds on your own or organise an English-speaking guide in advance for 150zł which presents finds excavated on and around the island There’s also a model of the town as it once looked The interiors of a few houses have been fitted out as they may have been 2700 years ago Within the thatched structures you’ll find various stalls selling handcrafted arrows and a man in period garb giving hatchet-throwing demonstrations out front The ticket office sells publications about the site in English Biskupin’s Archaeological Festival is a highlight of the region with demonstrations of ancient cultures including dance You’ll also witness rousing re-enactments of battles between Germanic and Slavic tribes providing a colourful (and photogenic) spectacle The pleasure boat Diabeł Wenecki departs several times a day for a short trip around the lake from the wharf near the Archaeological Reserve gateway There are five to six weekday bus connections with the archaeological reserve at Biskupin to/from Żnin (6.50zł The last bus leaves the museum for Żnin just after 3pm Buses also run between Żnin and Gąsawa every one or two hours weekdays and several times on Saturday and Sunday (5zł If you get stuck at the reserve in Biskupin walk 2km to Gąsawa and take an evening bus back Five weekday buses run from Żnin to Gniezno (14zł A narrow-gauge tourist train operates from May to September The Biskupin station is right by the entrance to the reserve the station is 150m east of the bus station; in Gąsawa it’s 700m southwest of the Rynek on the Gniezno road ContactAddressBiskupin 52 302 5055 https://​www​.biskupin​.pl​/ Gniezno Cathedral Gniezno’s history and character are inextricably intertwined with its cathedral Museum of the Origins of the Polish State this museum illustrates Gniezno's pivotal role in Polish history The permanent collection contains archaeological… St Nicholas' Church This 17th-century wooden structure is an unusual mix of architectural styles: Gothic Regional Museum with some of Poland's first illustrated magazines printed here The regional museum celebrates this tradition… Town Hall Tower This 15th-century Gothic tower is eye-catching and all the more remarkable because it looks like something is missing Wenecja Narrow Gauge Railway Museum Across the rails from the museum are the ruins of a 14th-century castle Archdiocesan Museum this museum holds a collection of sacred sculptures and paintings Franciscan Church featuring both a Gothic tower erected in the 15th century and a baroque facade dating from the late… View more attractionsNearby attractions1. Wenecja Narrow Gauge Railway Museum 2. St Nicholas' Church 3. Regional Museum 4. Town Hall Tower 5. Archdiocesan Museum 6. Franciscan Church 7. St George's Church This church was rebuilt in the 18th century and remodelled in baroque style 8. Gniezno Cathedral Gniezno’s history and character are inextricably intertwined with its cathedral, an imposing, double-towered brick Gothic structure. The present church… No part of this site may be reproduced without our written permission The dates displayed for an article provide information on when various publication milestones were reached at the journal that has published the article activities on preceding journals at which the article was previously under consideration are not shown (for instance submission All content on this site: Copyright © 2025 Elsevier B.V. This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks The action you just performed triggered the security solution There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page Fishermen's stories about piles tearing nets treasure hunters' records from the turn of the 19th and 20th c. as well as going down to the bottom of the lake with a mass of equipment - the course of underwater archaeological investigations is told by dr habil Despite the pandemic and the restrictions associated with it underwater archaeologists from Toruń consider this season a successful one They have completed the EU funded research in the port of Puck continued their research on the lake around Ostrów Lednicki and started a project funded by the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage to broaden their knowledge of the Biskupin-type settlements and define their range – It was a very successful season in Ostrów Lednicki despite the fact that there were no students because such were the guidelines of the Rector's authorities and no foreign partners although this time it was supposed to be strongly international research from the Centre for Underwater Archaeology and the Institute of Archaeology COVID-19 has effectively limited our activity at international conferences and meetings and has thwarted a joint project with the UNESCO International Centre for Underwater Archaeology in Zadar in Croatia The duration of the season in underwater archaeology is not strictly defined but there are several factors limiting investigative activity – I have the impression that in underwater archaeology being a manager is as important as being an archaeologist and a diver - This is not cheap research because of its uniqueness involving a large number of equipment requiring technical maintenance we need to remember the structure of the academic year which in a way imposes deadlines for long-term research projects we were more exposed to temperature conditions and these were the ones that determined how long we could stay underwater,' explains the archaeologist from Toruń research continued there even in the first days of December This was due to the seasonality of water transparency in the Polish climatic conditions have the best transparency in early spring or late autumn visibility is often clearly limited due to vegetation and plankton development The start of archaeological research is preceded not only by the organisation of funds groups of students and choosing the right time of year Scientists do not sit at the map and do not point their finger at the lakes they are going to visit in a week or a month Each of them begins a query combining various threads the researchers look for reports from fishermen who have pulled out an object that they have hooked a fishing net on some underwater piles Information is verified against data coming from diving clubs especially those that were established at the beginning of diving in Poland at the turn of the 1950s and 1960s archaeologists may also use information collected by enthusiasts of the antiquity from the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries It was then that the extensive investigations of water bodies That was due to palafites found in Alpine lakes sites identified then as structures on piles after the correction of water levels for flood control purposes and the acquisition of green areas a huge number of sites with perfectly preserved historical objects appeared there was talk of "palafitic fever" in Europe The search for historical objects in the lakes spread from Scotland to East Prussia Archaeologists are trying to make the search as complete as possible since the beginning of archaeological investigations they have been using so-called underwater prospecting underwater archaeologists are assigned areas for underwater inspection Most often these areas are closer to the shore because one can expect some traces of human activity there scientists had trouble documenting these initial discoveries they are able to trace the place they are looking for with an accuracy of one centimetre They may return to artefacts hidden under water many times Modern technologies have significantly enhanced the quality of underwater prospectuses ranging from a simple probe that anyone can buy to multi-beam probes that allow the shape of the bottom to be reconstructed very accurately the more archaeologists can determine what is under water The second device they use is a bottom sediment profiler Its operation is also based on acoustic waves This frequency penetrates the bottom and allows the anomalies there to be found Underwater archaeologists know that there is an anomaly in a given place but they are not able to determine whether they have found an archaeological artifact or a large stone All kinds of magnetic surveys and devices are also developing to large-scale magnetic surveys showing anomalies in the Earth's magnetic field,' explains Professor Pydyn - This shows that there are objects that disturb the magnetic field These technologies were not developed especially for archaeology They were created for commercial research at sea It turns out that the use of these technologies in shallow water bodies is much more difficult because this technology was not invented to work in shallow waters that these are tools that will increasingly dominate archaeology and underwater archaeology and that their operation will become another skill required of researchers Thanks to their own skills and the use of modern technology this year researchers managed to find 10th-century militaria as well as remnants of shore fortifications from the reign of Mieszko I in the Ostrów Lednicki area – I think that the argument that we will no longer find anything new in Ostrów Lednicki because research has been going on there for many years - Ostrów deserves a very comprehensive project not only concerning underwater exploration but also land and environmental investigations The previous ones were carried out 20 years ago but our knowledge has changed significantly over that time because of its historical value and potential This unique archaeological site from the early Middle Ages is connected with the history of the early Piast state The first archaeological discoveries in the waters of the lakes surrounding the island on which the stronghold stood come from the turn of the 1950s and 1960s They were carried out by members of the diving club in Poznań Archaeologists from the Nicolaus Copernicus University came to Ostrów in 1982 The investigations were initially performed by dr Gerard Wilke and Prof but if we look at the two bridges discovered at that time it turns out that the level of their excavation reaches 10 maybe 12% But such is the specificity of archaeological research that it is not necessarily necessary to unearth 100% of the site scientists came across another bridge crossing and everything seems to indicate that there were two bridge crossings of different chronology linking the neighbouring island of Ledniczka to the west coast I received the results of a radio-carbon test confirming a two-phase interpretation of this assumption,' informs Prof - This changes our interpretations of the context of Ostrów Lednicki it seems that the settlement complex functioning there was much more complex than we thought and I think that we still have a number of interesting discoveries ahead of us not only related to the bridge crossing to Ledniczka The archeologist believes that there are many unexplained objects such as very complex structures in the central part of the Gniezno bridge Despite taking a number of dendrochronological tests from both bridges the picture of their functioning is not complete and the dates that the researchers obtained this season from the coastal fortifications next to Ostrów Lednicki itself show that after the invasion of Brzetysław in 1038 which is confirmed by the historical material it is commonly believed that the importance of the centre clearly decreased The shallow bay near Puck has been used since ancient times The port itself appeared and began to operate when it entered the sphere of influence of the early-Piast state It has three distinct phases of development and its end seems to be the establishment of the town of Puck in its current location and the subsequent Teutonic influence A dozen or so hectares of structural objects wooden piles and relatively shallow water (up to three metres deep) have been waiting for archaeologists there the central part of the port was destroyed during the construction of the canal to the Mechanical Plant but it requires the supervision of a conservator because the layers in which the archaeology is located are systematically destroyed mainly due to ice floes and waving - says Prof Pydyn - We have managed to collect photographs from several decades and I have seen this site disappear Archaeologists do not pick up everything they find below the surface Much depends on the nature of the investigation - People associate extracting objects from the lake with treasure hunting in a model from the turn of the 19th and 20th c or with a link to a film I got a few days ago in which a group of explorers throws a neodymium magnet and pulls out everything that attaches to it including archaeological objects,' says the archeologist - If we make a prospection comparable to surface research we want to know statistically that we have some archaeological objects from such an area or stretch of land It is then analysed in formal and chronological terms if we work at a site such as Ostrów Lednicki or the port of Puck We remove the silt and all the structural elements remain in the water because they are still uncovered during the exploration Then they can be steadily assessed on the surface Researchers more and more often go underwater in full face masks which are safer and provide communication with the surface they can discuss their doubts with the supervisor discuss the ambiguities and come back to it Cameras that provide a fibre-optic image to the surface in real time will be another element that can speed up the decision-making process There is also no need to pull everything up to the surface because researchers are unable to examine the entire port of Puck or the entire length of the bridges to Ostrów Lednicki They have to choose areas that respond at least partially to the research questions they formulate They can also go back to places they have already documented Three seasons ago they introduced a new method of documentation It allows tens of thousands of photos taken underwater to create 3D models and are certainly more precise than the drawings that archaeologists made a few years ago researchers from the Nicolaus Copernicus University would like to go back to the areas already explored where elements of wooden structures are visible and they would like to document them in this way archaeologists from Toruń are planning to continue research in Ostrów Lednicki because there are a few questions left that we have not found answers to even though this project has already formally ended,' says Professor Pydyn - We are in the process of researching the Biskupin-type settlements so we will certainly return to the lakes in the spring especially as there is a huge difference in water transparency between spring and autumn in Pałuki I hope that the pandemic situation will allow us to continue our international cooperation especially the projects in Croatia and most probably in Montenegro if we can solve some organisational issues Copyright © 2020 - 2025 Nicolaus Copernicus University Universitas Copernicana Thoruniensis In Futuro II - modernization of the Nicolaus Copernicus University as part of the Integrated University Programme Operational Programme Knowledge Education Development POWR.03.05.00-00-Z306/18 co-financed by the European Social Fund for 2014-2020 5,000 Years of International Trade in Fossilized Resin Water has once again shown how dangerous a force it can be we have lost the battle against high waters is it possible to fight floods effectively There are several measures we can take to minimize losses we need to efficiently operate flood control infrastructure and build water reservoirs—both retention reservoirs Well-managed retention reservoirs reduce flood waves and often prevent large-scale flooding dry flood control reservoirs are important we must remember that water reservoirs with flood control functions are only effective to a certain degree especially new ones like the Racibórz Reservoir on the Oder River the situation in Wrocław could be worse than what we witnessed 27 years ago Proper management of water levels is also crucial water infrastructure alone is not enough; well-trained personnel are just as important That’s why we should focus on acquiring specialized knowledge and educating experts as we do at the Wrocław University of Environmental and Life Sciences in fields like water engineering and the new discipline of climate change adaptation It is essential to understand that flood management must be based on catchment area management What happens upstream from Wrocław—in places like Racibórz and Brzeg—has a significant impact on Wrocław and beyond We must also remember that it is us who have developed floodplain areas where we live areas where rivers have naturally overflowed for centuries because water management must take into account the full spectrum of interconnected factors—from flood protection to maintaining drainage ditches We cannot develop these areas or neglect their maintenance without consequences Water management planning requires flexibility so that we are prepared for various scenarios and can implement the most effective solutions We should also build floodplains where possible areas that can flood in case of emergencies Let’s not say that hydraulic engineering solutions only exacerbate the problem and economists are conducting research that can successfully be applied by those interested in sustainable water management What can each of us do to help reduce potential flood damage There are many actions we can take: proper rainwater drainage around the house securing sewer systems to prevent backflow and preparing homes for floods (using permanent barriers Sebastian Szklarek from the European Regional Centre for Ecohydrology of the Polish Academy of Sciences stated that water has a memory and returns to its old paths We keep making the same mistakes and fail to learn enough from them.. we have tried to tame rivers by regulating their courses and cutting them off from floodplains with levees The scale of the 1997 flood and the one this year clearly show that we cannot win this battle we should start cooperating with rivers—holistically and comprehensively we’re mostly talking about the risks and effects of flooding as if we’ve forgotten the ongoing drought affecting much of the country we must create solutions that mitigate both threats while simultaneously improving water quality and protecting biodiversity but we need to change our approach and mindset Politicians and decision-makers must also understand this are ready to educate a new generation of experts who will face the challenging task of managing water resources in the coming decades there is increasing talk about relocating floodplain communities When we talk about giving rivers space to spread across valleys during floods—and such events will inevitably occur more frequently and on a scale we cannot yet predict—we must consider the most radical actions This includes relocating the most flood-prone parts of or even entire towns These measures may prove to be more rational economically and logistically than continuously investing in ineffective technical flood protection and rebuilding after disasters People and animals are dying—losses that are difficult to even quantify People are losing their entire livelihoods overnight Land management practices must change because ignoring the consequences of these mistakes is becoming too costly How do you assess the management of flood control infrastructure This issue has raised many questions and doubts in recent days and that’s despite the fact that the management is undoubtedly being carried out in accordance with pre-developed operational instructions the scale and dynamics of the current flood events show that these methods need to be improved the biggest issue was the failure to respond to the predicted rainfall in time the reservoirs of the Nysa cascade should have been emptied much earlier at a pace that was safe for the towns located downstream causing widespread flooding in the Nysa Kłodzka valley and increasing the risk of a larger flood wave on the Oder the Racibórz reservoir performed its function well Did it contribute to the dramatic situation in the Kłodzko Basin Mountain forests should primarily serve water retention and soil protection purposes When combined with the widespread die-off of coniferous forests following the 2015 drought the scale and methods of timber harvesting—massive machines that damage the soil and the expansion of forest roads—all contribute to significant adverse hydrological changes in mountain watersheds over the past decades This includes the effective slowing of runoff into lower areas and watercourses we also heard about outdated infrastructure that couldn’t withstand the massive volume of water It seems there is much to improve here as well And there will undoubtedly be enormous public pressure to build a series of new retention reservoirs Some of these investments are rational and necessary the current events show that we are struggling to maintain the technical condition and proper functioning of the existing infrastructure This results from various factors: years of underfunding in the water sector and organizational and political issues—water is managed by three different ministries We need to approach these issues more broadly optimizing the management of entire watersheds we need to promote widespread landscape retention in agricultural and forested areas provide rivers with adequate space in their valleys Only then should we consider supplementing this natural retention system with artificial reservoirs and other technical infrastructure Employees of the Institute of Environmental Engineering at UPWr have been conducting unique research on the Oder River since yesterday They are measuring the river's flow at the entrance to the Wrocław Water Junction in the areas of the Opatowice and Bartoszowice weirs These studies are crucial for determining the distribution of water flowing through Wrocław specifically at the bifurcation in Biskupin where the river splits into the Oder and navigational canals This is the first time such research has been conducted during a major flood surge and it is essential for establishing points on the flow curve this will help to precisely model how flood waves pass through the city These studies would not have been possible without the assistance of the WOPR (Water Volunteer Rescue Service) The authorities of the Wrocław University of Environmental and Life Sciences have declared their readiness for immediate support and full involvement in relief efforts – Our university expresses its willingness to cooperate and assist in any form required by local authorities and crisis management teams both in operational activities and in the scientific field by providing the necessary knowledge and expertise to aid the efforts of the crisis management team – emphasizes UPWr Rector Enables storage (such as cookies) related to advertising Sets consent for sending user data to Google for online 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