Castrum Zwitinense. The Early Medieval settlement complex in Grążawy on Drwęca

Abstract

Castellan strongholds met several essential functions resulting from their rank – the administrative, economic, military, judicial, residential and religious ones. All of them, as indicated by written and archaeological sources, refer to Świecie on the Drwęca River. To duties of stronghold-territorial administration belonged marketplace and route peace. This entitled the castellan to salary in trade and communication taxes income. He received half of taverns’ incoms, market tax and tolls on bridges and river crossings within the castellany. Military role of the centre in Świecie on Drwęca resulted from both the strategic defensive position itself – on a peninsular elevation at the confluence of two rivers, on the outskirts of the Piast state, at the trade route (bridge crossing on the Brynica River), as well as the vast and impressive form of defensive ramparts. It was also associated with settlement and economic importance, resulting from the need to keep the stronghold crew. The results of excavations conducted in several seasons allowed to identify remains of inside buildings of both stronghold’s segments, its fortifications, as well as different phases of use. In the light of data resulting from the pottery material analysis as well as radiocarbon and dendrochronological dates, the time of functioning of the settlement complex in Świecie on Drwęca is determined to the turn of the 11th and 12th centuries to the first half of the 13th century, taking into account several phases of its use. About the mid-11th century an open settlement was formed, it is possible that in the second half of the 11th century or at the turn of the 11th and 12th centuries was built a two segment fortress as a single urban complex, which was destroyed several times. The first traces of at least partial destruction by fire of the stronghold fortifications date back to the mid- 11th century, the later ones probably to the end of the 12th century. We also know that the stronghold along with the adjacent settlement was still in operation in the first half of the 13th century, however, it is hard to determine, if in the late Middle Ages it was settled in full, because faint traces from this period exclude its intensive use.