Witkowo: Archaeological Traces Through Time and an Evangelical Cemetery

Witkowo brings together archaeological traces through time and an Evangelical cemetery dating from the mid-19th century. If you are looking for a hotel for a trip to Witkowo, the town’s history offers several historical focal points: the archaeological periods range from Late Neolithic phases through the Bronze Age to the Early and Late Middle Ages. The cemetery adds a more recent historical landmark to this timeline.

Archaeological Traces Through Time

The archaeological settlements with Late Neolithic connections include AZP 6-31/77 and AZP 6-31/79. Settlement AZP 6-31/77 is also associated with phases of the Lusatian culture; AZP 6-31/79 additionally includes Late Medieval phases. A Bronze Age hoard of the Lusatian culture bears the designation AZP 6-31/80. Several other settlements—AZP 6-31/81, AZP 6-31/82, AZP 6-31/85, and AZP 6-31/87—are associated with the Lusatian-Pomeranian culture and the Early Medieval period. The archaeological periods therefore range from prehistoric phases to the Middle Ages and encompass both settlements and a hoard.

A more precise chronological comparison is possible for the Early Medieval settlements. AZP 6-31/78 is associated with the Lusatian culture and a period spanning from the mid-9th to the mid-10th century. The same dating applies to AZP 6-31/92. AZP 6-31/94 spans from the mid-10th to the mid-12th century. Another Early Medieval settlement in Witkowo bears the designation AZP 6-31/91. This makes it possible to distinguish a shared time frame in the 9th and 10th centuries from a later span extending into the 12th century. References to the “midpoint” of a century indicate periods of time, not exact individual years.

The burial ground AZP 6-31/96, associated with the Oksywie-Wielbark culture, adds a different type of archaeological site to the settlements. The archaeological settlement “osada, st. 15” is also part of Witkowo’s heritage inventory. Thus, alongside settlements, there is a burial ground and a hoard; the designations distinguish the types of finds rather than combining them into a single category.

The Evangelical Cemetery

The Evangelical cemetery in Witkowo dates from the mid-19th century and is no longer in use. No tombstones have survived there. About 30 percent of the trees remain; the cemetery is also listed in the heritage protection register. It is therefore considerably more recent than the archaeological settlements and provides a distinct point of reference in the town’s history. For a history-focused trip, it offers an additional, clearly datable focal point alongside the archaeological periods.

Cultural Associations and Time Frames

To understand the archaeological information, it is also helpful to read cultural designations separately from time spans. Names such as the Lusatian culture or the Lusatian-Pomeranian culture identify a cultural context; dates such as the period from the mid-9th to the mid-10th century indicate a time span. In the case of AZP 6-31/78, both types of information appear side by side. This comparison clarifies the different ways of classifying the finds without merging the sites into a single story.

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