Toruń Massive ‘Roundels’ Date Back 7,000 Years – Archaeologists Say

The enormous structures were revealed in 2019 by doctoral students Mateusz Sosnowski from the Institute of Archaeology of the Nicolaus Copernicus University and Jerzy Czerniec from the Institute of Archaeology and Ethnology of the Polish Academy of Sciences in Warsaw while analyzing data from Google Maps and Google Earth reports Science in Poland.

In arable fields in the Łysomice area, the researchers noticed outlines of two round structures approximately 85 m in diameter around  5 km from each other. They consist of a system of three oval ditches with a common center.

Interestingly, these types of buildings had not been found so far east of the Vistula River before.

Using a magnetometer, researchers could look underground without interfering with the surface. As a result, researchers reconstructed their course in places where they were not visible from a bird's eye view. They also started limited excavations with financial support from the Łysomice commune.

“We were able to determine that the ditches were approx. 2 m deep and 3 m wide, and their cross-section was V-shaped," Mateusz Sosnowski said.

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"These were huge structures from about 7,000 years ago. They required the effort of dozens of people. Bone or horn tools were probably used to dig the ditches. Excavations were not easy either, even though we were certainly equipped with better tools than the roundel builders.”

Also, dozens of fragments of ceramic vessels were discovered at the site.

See also:

Huge 7,000-Year-Old Man-Made Structures Used For Religious Rituals Spotted In Poland

“Most of the shells we found belonged to the incised Linear Pottery culture community. It is a surprise for us because until now roundels were believed to be built by later communities, associated, among others, with the punctured Linear Pottery culture," explained  Sosnowski,  adding that "the roundel was probably built in the place of an earlier settlement, but it cannot be ruled out that the structure is older than we thought. Expert analysis will shed light on this issue.”

Animal bones and antler fragments were also discovered in the ditch, which they suspect came from rituals.

Roundels are the oldest examples of monumental architecture in Europe. Archaeologists believe that they served as ceremonial centers, temples, or places of assembly. Usually surrounded not only by concentric ditches but also palisades, the structures could also have a defensive function.

Written by Jan Bartek - AncientPages.com Staff Writer