Ancient Settlements and Jurassic Flint Arrowhead Unearthed
During the construction of a highway in Poland, archaeologists discovered two ancient settlements containing remarkable artifacts.
4,000-Year-Old Settlement
According to a press release from the General Directorate for National Roads and Motorways (GDDKiA) of Poland, the first settlement was found near the village of Jawiszowice in the Oświęcim district.
Excavations revealed pottery and flint fragments, which suggest that the settlement belonged to the Lusatian culture, a Bronze Age and Early Iron Age people who inhabited parts of Poland, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Germany, and Ukraine between 1100 and 400 BC.
2,300-Year-Old Settlement
Just a few hundred meters away, a second and older settlement was discovered, associated with the Mierzanowice culture, an Early Bronze Age group that lived in present-day Slovakia and Poland between 2300 and 1800 BC.
At this 4,000-year-old site, archaeologists uncovered remnants of permanent structures, storage pits, a ditch, and 34 flint artifacts.
Among these was a particularly notable find: an elaborately made arrowhead crafted from Jurassic flint.
Construction Delay and Archaeological Priority
GDDKiA announced that the archaeological discoveries have forced the contractor to temporarily halt construction in this section of the S1 Expressway, which was planned to pass directly through the two settlements.
In response, the Polish government has extended the projected completion date for the highway by 223 days, from July 2024 to May 2025, to allow for the excavation and preservation of these significant archaeological sites.
Summary:
The construction of a highway in Poland has yielded the discovery of two ancient settlements dating back thousands of years. One belongs to the Lusatian culture (1100-400 BC), while the other is associated with the Mierzanowice culture (2300-1800 BC). Among the artifacts found at the younger settlement was an intricate arrowhead made from Jurassic flint. The archaeological significance of these discoveries has necessitated a delay in highway construction to prioritize excavation and preservation.