Well-Preserved Medieval Town Explored in Poland

BARCZEWKO, POLAND—Science in Poland reports that an excavation conducted at the site of northern Poland’s medieval town of Wartberg has uncovered a cache of some 150 coins, a medieval sword pommel, a cutlass, crossbow parts, javelin heads, and crossbow bolt heads. A history written by Wigand of Marburg indicates that the town had been destroyed and burned by an invading Lithuanian army in 1354. Arkadiusz Koperkiewicz of the University of Gdańsk explained that the coins are thin silver bracteates, which were minted on just one side. And although the cache was not valuable, he added, it does represent many types of small coins that were likely in circulation in the region in the first half of the fourteenth century. Traces of charred wooden buildings have allowed Koperkiewicz and his colleagues to map the medieval town, while historical sources have revealed the names of some of its inhabitants, including Henryk, a Christian parish priest; brothers Jan and Piotr, who were community administrators; and the miller, Wawrzyniec. For more on medieval Poland, go to “Viking Knights, Polish Days.”