THE HISTORY OF THE MEDIEVAL OPEN SETTLEMENT OF STARE MIASTO (CIVITAS ANTIQUA) AT KALISZ (GREATER POLAND) TRACKED BY ISOTOPE DATING METHODOLOGY

The main results achieved by the present research are summarized as follows: 1) Two distinct Early Middle Ages occupation phases in the most elevated area of the Kalisz-Stare Miasto settlement have been distinguished and their timing assessed by isotope dating. 2) A significant hiatus between the two occupation phases could indicate abandonment or a change of function of the higher parts of stare Miasto. 3) The transition from the first, unmanaged Stare Miasto village to a proto-urban settlement took place over some 400 years. During this time interval, however, the occupation appears to have been confined to the lower parts of the eminence (e.g. trench II, not discussed here). 4) The 14C readings have confirmed that layers exposed in trenches X and XII were unaffected by reworking and therefore the excavated bones and wood fragments refer to the Christian cemetery of the most recent (cal. A.D. 1165-1280) Early Middle Ages occupation phase.