Hotel Gródek**** Archeological Museum archeology The archaeological research that was completed at no. 7 Sw. Krzyza street in Cracow

The archaeological research that was completed at no. 7 Sw. Krzyza street in Cracow was conducted by Archaeological and Architectural Studio Niegoda. The firm is based in Wroclaw at 16/17 Sw. Mikolaja street. The research was prompted by the construction of Hotel Grodek. The excavation area was located in the rear section of the lot between the townhouse at no. 7 Sw. Krzyza street and Na Grodku street. All in all it covered 350 sq metres.

The aforementioned area has an unusual historical legacy. It was here at Grodek (The Burg) that the infamous Bailiff Albert is believed to have made his seat. Bailiff Albert was the leader of a rebellion by Cracovian burghers in 1311. It is supposed that after the suppression of the rebellion, King Ladislas the Short erected a small fortified building on this site. According to the written sources, the Grodek locality was incorporated into the city of Cracow as late as the year 1340. The regular pattern of allotment then took place.

The previous research in the Grodek locality was limited to a small sample excavation and a number of drillings under the supervision of Professor K. Radwanski. It was concluded that the earliest settlement in this area might be dated to the 10th century. In the 12th century there was an open settlement of houses. According to this research, the seat of Bailiff Albert was encircled by a moat. Today's Sw. Krzyza street follows the line of that moat.

The works conducted in the year 2004 revealed four separate phases of development in this area.

Phase 1 comprises of a few structures from the 12th century that were dug into the pristine soil. They were parts of an open settlement located in the elevated part of the Vistula valley. A separate residential building and primitive storage trenches were found. Among the commodities discovered within these early medieval premises, a few items are especially noteworthy. These are two skates made of bone and a child's clay rattle in the form of a painted Easter Egg. The latter item is the only known example of such a toy in all Cracow.

Phase 2 covers the period between the mid-13th century and the 1340's. It is represented by architectural objects located at Grodek. The relics of a building created in the skeleton construction and one in a wooden, wickerwork fashion are the most interesting.

The skeleton building had an area of 25 sq metres and it was located in a trench that was as deep as 1.5 metres. Here the wooden skeleton was constructed, comprising floor beams and columns positioned at the corners. Most likely the columns were supporting higher floors. The room that was dug into the ground had walls constructed of vertical boards, whereas the higher floors were most likely realized in a half-timber construction ( vertical wooden bolts wrapped in straw and filled in with clay panels).

Residential houses of this kind were typical in Middle European cities during the 12th and 13th centuries. In order to assure an adequate comfort of living, these houses usually had three floors, each fulfilling a different function. The basement level was generally reserved for livestock. The second floor was for residential use whilst the third was used for storage. The skeleton construction of the house proves the influence of Western civilization in Cracow, whereas the wickerwork building testifies to the cultivation of vernacular traditions. The latter building was also dug into the ground to the depth of 0.6 metres. Its walls and roof were constructed in a wickerwork fashion and then filled with clay. The building was equipped with a hearth, which suggests its residential function.

Among the household objects that were excavated in the residential houses, the fragments of glazed floor tiles and leaden weights are the most intriguing.

Phase 3 is associated with the incorporation of the Grodek locality into the City of Cracow. This significant event is proven by the relics of stone paving that were laid over a layer of sand. These relics were discovered in various places within the excavation site. Unfortunately, no strata survived within the area in question that could be associated with the burghers allotments of the 13th and 14th centuries. These elements were destroyed by later leveling procedures, which gave rise to Phase 4.

Phase 4 - After the medieval strata were phased out, the area was covered by a layer of soil that contained ceramic materials of various origins. This level was several dozen centimetres thick. The brewery was discovered on top of this level, as well as relics of the steward's quarters, most likely raised in the half-timber construction. After their destruction, a further layer of soil was spread over the site. The foundations of the steward's quarters were dug into this layer. They were constructed with masonry and they included a form of lavatory.

The research conducted at no. 7 Sw. Krzyza street gave rise to several interesting discoveries regarding the history of medieval Cracow. Undoubtedly amongst the most significant of them are the discovery of the early medieval settlement, the housing linked with the seat of Bailiff Albert and the finding of numerous commodities that until now were unprecedented in archaeological digs in the region.

Cezary Buśko

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