In the case of residential buildings, archaeological excavations sometimes uncover their remains. Particularly interesting observations concern sites that were in prolonged use, such as strongholds and towns. Remains of dismantled houses are often found in places where new buildings were erected. Based on this evidence, one can trace the types of constructions used and changes in building techniques. Houses were often built using the simplest technique, with walls erected on a timber frame. Another group of buildings consisted of structures built with a timber frame filled with planks or clay.

Some buildings, especially agricultural structures, had walls woven from hazel and willow branches. Often, these latticed walls were additionally coated with clay. Roofs were most commonly covered with thatch, less frequently with wood shingles. In structures of this type, primarily constructed using wood, the greatest danger was fire. During archaeological research of the stronghold in Kalisz-Zawodzie, numerous traces of fires were encountered. For example, fires destroyed parts of the stronghold’s ramparts multiple times, likely occurring in the 11th and 12th centuries. Both of these events are presumably the effects of an assault on the stronghold and are associated with attempts to capture it. As evidenced by the preserved traces, the first wooden church in Kalisz was also burned down in the 11th or early 12th century.

However, the fire could also have been caused by accidental ignition. The debris was usually cleared quickly, and new buildings were erected on the site of the previous ones just as swiftly. The ruins of partially burned-down cottage in the archaeological reserve of Kalisz-Zawodzie illustrate the dangers faced by the inhabitants of the early medieval stronghold. For archaeologists, this provides an opportunity to observe the extent of damage to individual elements of the house and a unique opportunity to observe all processes occurring at the site of the fire.

Dariusz Wyczółkowski