Archaeologists and metal detectorists have begun a new round of fieldwork at the site of the Battle of Grunwald, one of the largest and most significant military confrontations of medieval Europe.
Around 40 detectorists, archaeologists and museum specialists are expected to spend the coming week surveying the historic battlefield in Poland’s Warmian-Masurian region. This year’s work will concentrate on the central area where Polish-Lithuanian forces clashed with the Teutonic Order on 15 July 1410.
Researchers hope the latest survey will close remaining gaps in their understanding of the battlefield after more than a decade of systematic archaeological investigation.
“We want to fill the gaps in the central part of the battlefield, which, thanks to our previous many years of research, we have already defined quite precisely,” Szymon Drej, director of the Battle of Grunwald Museum, told the Polish Press Agency (PAP).
Search Expands Across Battlefield
The team plans to examine previously unsurveyed areas to the west and north of the main battlefield, while also returning to selected locations investigated during earlier campaigns.
The work follows an initial phase of research carried out in March near the village of Leszcz. Historians believe the area may have served as a staging point for Polish-Lithuanian troops during their advance towards Dąbrówno.
Among the discoveries made there was an early 15th-century Tatar coin. Researchers also identified a previously unrecorded archaeological site dating to the Roman period.
Systematic archaeological investigation of the Grunwald fields has been under way since 2014, with hundreds of hectares of agricultural land surveyed using metal detectors.
Much of the work has sought to establish more precisely where the fiercest fighting occurred between the allied forces of the Kingdom of Poland and the Grand Duchy of Lithuania and the army of the Teutonic Order.
Mapping the Battle of Grunwald
A crucial reference point for researchers has been the site of a battle chapel constructed in 1411, a year after the conflict. The remains of around 250 people killed in the battle were buried in the vicinity, although the burial places of many other casualties remain undiscovered.
By plotting concentrations of weapons, military equipment and other battle-related objects, archaeologists have gradually produced a clearer picture of the extent and intensity of the fighting.
Evidence gathered so far suggests the opposing armies were positioned near Grunwald and Łodwigowo before the battle, with some of the most intense combat taking place along the route connecting the two villages.
Archaeological work has also supported the identification of the Teutonic camp. Researchers believe it stood at the location where a post-battle chapel was subsequently constructed on the orders of Teutonic Grand Master Heinrich von Plauen.
Weapons, Coins and Personal Objects Unearthed
Years of investigation have produced an extensive collection of medieval military artefacts, with some of the most significant finds conserved and placed on display at the Battle of Grunwald Museum.
Among the most frequently recovered objects are crossbow bolt heads, arrowheads, spurs and pieces of horse equipment. Archaeologists have also uncovered battle axes, sword fragments, armoured gauntlets and belt fittings.
Coins associated with both the Teutonic Order and the Jagiellonian realm have provided further evidence of activity across the battlefield.
More unusual discoveries include clasps once used to fasten Teutonic cloaks bearing the inscription “Ave Maria”, as well as a medieval seal depicting a pelican feeding its young.
The Battle of Grunwald ended in a decisive victory for the Polish-Lithuanian alliance over the Teutonic Order. More than six centuries later, the landscape continues to yield evidence that is helping researchers reconstruct how the enormous medieval battle unfolded.
Sources : PAP
