A LONG lost medieval town nestled in a remote forest has been rediscovered by archaeologists with new evidence revealing what the city looked like before its demise.
The remains of Stolzenberg – a medieval town that researchers believe collapsed in the 14th or 15th century.
The lost village was rediscovering in the forest outside the Polish city SławoborzeCredit: M. Krzepkowski
Archaeologists have uncovered the remains of the lost medieval town of Stolzenberg near the modern-day Polish village of SławoborzeCredit: Ministry of Culture and National Heritage
Located in a forest outside the modern-day Polish village of Sławoborze, the city was founded on the border of the Pomerania and Neumark regions.
The border was a historically contested region between and .
Researchers first searching for the town’s remains were guided by historical sources and started looking in present-day Sławoborze.
But they found nothing to confirm the medieval town’s location.
Broadening their search, the researchers found massive earthen ramparts and an 18-foot-deep moat in the forest, according to archaeologist Marcin Krzepkowski of the Relicta Foundation.
Speaking to Digital, Krzepkowski said a recent geophysical survey confirmed the site of the lost city following the gathering of archaeological finds and cartographic data.
“The results of these surveys dispelled any remaining doubts,” he said.
“In the central part of the area surrounded by the moat, regular magnetic anomalies were revealed, indicating the existence of remains of buildings surrounding the rectangular market square, the city’s central square,” researchers added.
“This layout is typical of medieval towns founded under German law.
“Traces of buildings can also be seen along the street leading to the expected city gate.”
On top of this, metal detectorists also uncovered over 400 artifacts, with some of them back to the Bronze Age.
Other containers were found filled with meat products and butter, dating back as recently as World War Two.
“The most valuable artifacts for us were medieval, confirming that the site was in use at the time,” Krzepkowski said.
“This included silver coins, metal belt elements and coat clasps typical of medieval bourgeois costume.
Archaeologists also found tools including knives and iron padlocks.
Krzepkowski said the most significant find was the discovery of cannon grenades and lead rifle bullets.
Archaeologists combined historical sources, cartographic data and field surveys to pinpoint the lost city’s locationCredit: Ministry of Culture and National Heritage
Researchers found massive earthen ramparts and an 18-foot-deep moat in the forestCredit: Ministry of Culture and National Heritage
Archaeologists also found tools including knives and iron padlocksCredit: Ministry of Culture and National Heritage
“We linked [these artifacts] to a battle that took place in this area in 1761 between Russian and Prussian forces, [during] the Seven Years’ War,” he said.
“All these artifacts testify to the rich and complex past of this site, which is not limited to the late Middle Ages, when the town of Stolzenberg existed.”
It is unknown why Stolzenberg was abandoned, but Krzepkowski said there were numerous likely factors behind its decline.
“Strange as it may seem, cities were sometimes relocated to new, more convenient locations, even as far as a dozen or so kilometers,” he said.
“This could be due, for example, to proximity to a river and the threat of flooding, or to the search for a location that would allow for faster development. … Sometimes, a town’s decline was caused by shifting trade routes or competition from other nearby towns.”
Krzepkowski said his organisation – the Relicta Foundation – specialised in lost medieval cities.
He said in the case of Stolzenberg it was “difficult to pinpoint the time and cause of its decline”.
“We’ve only discovered a few artefacts that can be dated to the 16th or 17th century,” Krzepkowski said.
“This suggests that the town was already gone by that time.
“The decline may have occurred in the 14th or 15th century.”
He said the topic of vanished medieval towns in was “incredibly fascinating”.
“The [research] is incredibly fascinating because they typically existed for a short time, and therefore very little historical data has survived.”
Archaeologists have also found proof that some urban plots appeared undeveloped – indicating that “the town fell at a relatively early stage”, according to Krzepkowski.
“Its entire planned area was not developed,” he said.
Researchers now plan to try and confirm the location of Stolzenberg’s town hall and church and to learn more about the city’s layout.
The Relicta Foundation hopes to also reveal the status of the town’s former inhabitants and their diets through bioarchaeological analyses.
Despite the research taking years, Krzepkowski said his team was “still at the beginning of the journey”.
“This site is a true time capsule, harbouring many ,” he said.
“Unravelling them will help us better understand the settlement and city-forming processes in this part of Europe.”
Researchers first searching for the town’s remains were guided by historical sourcesCredit: Ministry of Culture and National Heritage
Researchers are reportedly still ‘at the beginning of their journey’Credit: Ministry of Culture and National Heritage
Archaeologists have also found proof that some urban plots appeared undevelopedCredit: Ministry of Culture and National Heritage
Eze Chidiebere Paul
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