Tomasz Kalicki

KARST IN GYPSUM AREA: CASE STUDY NEAR WIŚLICA (POLISH UPLANDS)

Wiślica, is located in the southern part of Nida Basin with karst phenomena developed on gypsum. On the anticline lines were formed inversion karst basins occupied by swamps and bogs. Within the flat valley bottom near Wiślica, 1-3 km wide, on one morphological level occur: plain on a karstic depression along the line of gypsum anticline with the Late Subboreal peat bog; the alluvial plain formed by the Nida river, probably with the several cut and fill alluvial bodies of different age representing to changes of river pattern during the Late Glacial and Holocene; gypsum dome.

THE HUNTER-GATHERER COMMUNITIES FROM UPPER BIEBRZA BASIN - ENVIRONMENTAL CONTEXT. CASE STUDY FROM LIPOWO SITE (NE POLAND)

Study area is located in NE part of Poland in middle Biebrza Basin. Relief of this region formed during Middle Polish (Saalian) Glaciation – Warta Stage. The Biebrza is underfit river with vast peat-bogs on its valley floor. Geological, geomorphological and archaeological studies were conducted at Lipowo site in 2016 excavation season. A beginning of peat accumulation in the valley floor was radiocarbon dated at 8490±80 BP (MKL-3275) 7658-7347 cal. BC. At the similar time was cut off the Biebrza riverbed near a sandy elevation. Cone from the silty sands in the bottom of this abandoned channel was radiocarbon dated at 8330±120 BP (MKL-3277) 7577-7083 cal. BC. Both these occurrences, a rise of ground water level and channel change, could be connected with climatic changes cool and humid phase at the beginning of Atlantic. Results of studies at Lipowo and other sites in Biebrza valley floor indicates some periods of climatic changes and an increase of morphogenetic processes activity. Climate fluctuations correlate very well with flood phases distinguished in Central European river valleys.

THE LAST HUNTER-GATHERER COMMUNITIES FROM MIDDLE NAREW RIVER VALLEY - ENVIRONMENTAL CONTEXT. CASE STUDY FROM GRĄDY-WONIECKO SITE (NE POLAND - WIZNA BASIN)

Study area is located in NE Poland in the Wizna Basin, the most southern part of Biebrza Basin, which is in origin erosion or melt-out depression with wide bottom. Relief of this region formed during Middle Polish (Saalian) Warta stage) and Vistulian Glaciations. The Grądy-Woniecko archaeological site is situated on elevation (erosion remnant) on the border of fluvial and non-fluvial segments of the basin near Narew River. The research of archeological site (on site study) and surroundings (off site study) was done. Two generations of Late Glacial large meanders of Narew river were discovered and some phases of aeolian processes activity climatically (Older and Younger Dryas) and anthropogenically (Subboreal 4000-1600 BC; Subatlantic – 1200-1600 AD and after 1800 AD) conditioned. Dune complex at Grądy-Woniecko was undercut by Narew river during the Atlantic-Subboreal. It was a place of outstanding significance at the end of Stone Age for the people of Neman culture circle. The settlement activity in this area probably involved regular re-occupations by the same societies. The sandy island near the confluence of the Narew and Biebrza Rivers might have meant something more to the last hunter-gatherers, which is implied by the remains associated with indications of ritual practices, such as burials, dispersed remains of cremated bones, deposits of flint artefacts, or residues of psychoactive substances identified on the walls of pottery vessels.

Zmiany koryta dolnej i środkowej Wiernej Rzeki od XVIII wieku

The aim of this work is to show the influence human activity on small retention and channel changes of the Wierna Rzeka River in last centuries. The Wierna Rzeka River is located in the south-western part of the Holy Cross Mts. region in the Polish Uplands. The Wierna Rzeka River is left tributary of the Biala Nida River. It is classified as a 35.7 km long upland river with an 2.32‰ average slope. The 313.8 km2 large basin has an elongated shape with a meridional extension. The catchment area was located in the south-western part of the Old Polish Industrial District. From the Middle Ages to the end of the 19th century there were at least four forges on the Wierna Rzeka River. There were also water mills built on the former forges infrastructure. The most of mills on the Wierna Rzeka River was built in the second half of the 19th c. and at the beginning of the 20th c. The activity of the forges and mills led to changes in the development of the riverbed and created a pattern of anthropogenic anastomosis. Those changes are documented in archival and cartographic materials. In the second half of the 20th c. the water mills activity was stopped. On the floodplain many remains of metallurgy and mills infrastructure facilities have survived, embankments, canals, mill ponds. Currently, on the Wierna Rzeka River in the abandoned mills area, there are sections of anastomosing channel pattern. As a result of the renaturalization process, many anthropogenic forms disappeared and the drained water reservoirs became part of the floodplain.

Lokalizacja i interpretacja osadów po pożarach lasów – studium przypadku

Forest fires are common phenomenon in many countries, including Poland. Forest divisions are the institutions responsible for their monitoring and control. Their task is to detect, fight and counteract the fire forest effects. For a long time forest divisions have maintained the database of forest fires, since 2010 in digital version (Information System of the State Forests – SILP, Llas.2). The information gathered in SILP includes the classification, size and location of fires. The Information for the years 2010–2014 was obtained from the Forest Division Suchedniow (Świetokrzyskie province). Most fires were small, often limited to undergrowth and soil cover (less than 1 ha), two of them were classified as medium-size fires (over 1 ha). In post-fire areas a series of shallow geological borings was made. In most profiles no fire traces (layers of charcoal, individual coals etc.) where found. Such traces were preserved on flood plains, under the edges of terraces, where post-fire layer was covered by colluvial deposits. The study of forest soil pH indicate that fires which occurred many years ago did not leave any significant changes in the pH level, while in fire areas several years old pH level was lower. The results of contemporary post-fire sediments studys may be helpful in paleogeographical and geoarchaeological reconstructions (e.g. O’Connor, Evans 2005). In geological profiles it is common to find single charcoals, rarely layers. Their presence, changing the amount of sediment raises a number of controversies and problems with interpretation. In the Druc River valley (Belarus) the layer (0.2–0.35 cm) of post-fire charcoal (14C dating: younger than 200 years old) is covered with sandy colluvia (thickness 30 cm) with numerous of Neolithic and Iron Age artifacts. In this case the thickness of post-fire sediment many times exceeds sediments observed in Suchedniow Forest District, and suggests the occurrence of a very large forest fire (probably anthropogenic). After the fire, intensive soil erosion began in the burnt area, which in a short time covered fossilized charcoals layer by colluvium containing the artifacts.

Excavation along the easternmost frontier of the LBK in NE-Hungary at Apc-Berekalja I (2008–2009)

The topographical position and size of the site, the number of detected houses, the presence of the early phase make the Apc-Berekalja I settlement one of the most significant sites of the LBK in Hungary. The ongoing processing of the excavation data provided already some very important observations. The geoarchaeological results demonstrated the presence of the in situ soil of the Neolithic period and effects of floods on the settlement. The study of the chipped and ground stone material coming from the Neolithic features revealed no conspicuous changes in the lithic industry of the settlement from the pre-Notenkopf to Želiezovce phases of the LBK. Lithic raw materials came exclusively from territories to the east of the site, which is an evidence of the isolation of the LBK groups that inhabited Apc.