Geoarcheological research of made-ground of Krakow Old Town – selected problems

Abstract

The use of various research instruments made it possible to show that the local environmental factors occurring in the studied area (e.g. surface relief, hydrographic network, natural hazards, possibility of obtaining food) caused that in the oldest part of Krakow the most intensive development of settlement, crafts and trade took place on the hills, and a little later on the higher, river terraces - sandy in the roof. Human activity, on the other hand, was the cause of the formation of the object of research - on average, several meters thick historical layers, also called made-ground. They are characterized by varied lithology, containing for example levels of ash indicating the presence of town fires, silts connected with the occurrence of standing or flowing waters, etc. The layers also contain many pollutants, as a result of the operation of metalworking industries within the town, which at the same time became a source of groundwater contamination.