A team of Polish and Danish archaeologists has begun the second season of excavations at Silver Hill (Srebrne Wzgórze) in Wolin, continuing a three-year research project that aims to uncover the origins of one of the Baltic region’s most significant early medieval trading centres.
The project, led by researchers from the Institute of Archaeology and Ethnology of the Polish Academy of Sciences (IAE PAN) and Aarhus University, is investigating the northern district of early medieval Wolin, where archaeologists hope to identify the location of the town’s historic port and better understand the role Scandinavians, including Vikings, played in the settlement’s development.
Dr Wojciech Filipowiak of IAE PAN said the excavation has now reached 10th-century archaeological layers, with researchers expecting to uncover even earlier deposits dating to the 9th and 8th centuries—when Wolin was first established.
“We hope to discover fragments of the port, which was the most important element of towns at that time,” Filipowiak said. “The most exciting layers are still below us. They date to the period when Wolin was founded, and archaeologists continue to debate how much Scandinavians and Vikings contributed to its creation.”
In the coming weeks, the team will dig deeper into the site to try and find any evidence that might explain how the settlement developed into a major commercial centre linking Slavic and Scandinavian communities across the Baltic Sea.
The research will also enlighten us on the town’s structure, how fast it is growing and the daily life of the inhabitants.
Filipowiak stated, “that the site offers exceptional preservation conditions because the waterlogged, oxygen-free soil has protected organic materials that would normally decay over time.”
“Early medieval towns in this part of Europe were built largely from wood,” he explained. “As a result, cottages, streets and the remains of various structures have survived remarkably well.”
Last year’s excavation produced several significant discoveries, including four timber huts separated by drainage ditches. The structures, believed to date from around the 11th century, differ from anything previously identified in Wolin.
“The layout closely resembles buildings known from Scandinavian craft and trading settlements established by the Vikings around the Baltic,” Filipowiak said. “This may indicate that Silver Hill held particular importance for Scandinavian communities.”
With those buildings now fully excavated, researchers have moved on to investigating earlier phases of settlement.
Among the artefacts uncovered during the first season were amber beads, metal ornaments and a range of everyday objects, including pottery, clay spindle whorls and whetstones imported from quarries in Norway. The finds point to extensive trade networks connecting Wolin with other regions of northern Europe.
Archaeological investigations in Wolin have been carried out for almost two centuries, with the first recorded excavations dating back to 1828. While much is already known about the town’s history, researchers say modern dating techniques and scientific methods such as isotope analysis are allowing long-held theories to be reassessed and new interpretations to emerge.
The current excavation is expected to provide fresh evidence about the origins of Wolin and its place within the network of Viking-Age trading centres that once dominated the Baltic coast.
Sources : PAP
