Archaeologists have uncovered two ancient ritual sites, known as roundels, near the village of Kaczków in east-central Poland, marking an important discovery in the study of Neolithic cultures. These circular structures, believed to date back more than 6,000 years, were identified using drone surveys that revealed crop marks caused by drought conditions.
Roundels are large ceremonial structures comprising concentric ditches and palisades. The newly discovered sites in Kaczków are the first of their kind in this area, with previous roundel discoveries concentrated in regions such as Hungary, Austria, Czechia, Slovakia, and Germany. Archaeologist Jerzy Czerniec, who led the research, explained that these roundels are smaller than others previously found, with diameters of about 26 meters compared to some exceeding 100 meters. This size difference might suggest that they were constructed later by farmers who migrated from the Danube region in successive waves of settlement.
These structures were created by the Brześć Kujawski group of the Lengyel culture, a Neolithic community known for their elongated trapezoidal longhouses. Czerniec’s team has identified approximately 160 longhouse relics in the vicinity since investigations began in 2021. These houses were built around a central point—the location of the roundels—indicating their importance as the heart of the settlement.
The purpose of roundels remains a subject of debate among archaeologists. Some believe they served as ceremonial or ritual centers for worship and community gatherings. Others suggest they may have functioned as astronomical observatories aligned with the solstices. Czerniec supports this theory, proposing that the structures could have been used to observe the sunrise on the summer solstice, providing a connection between the community and their agricultural calendar.
While roundels are sometimes compared to Britain’s Stonehenge, they differ significantly. Roundels were constructed nearly 2,000 years earlier and relied on wooden palisades, unlike the massive stone slabs of Stonehenge. Despite these differences, both types of monuments are thought to have held deep cultural and spiritual significance for their builders.
The discovery in Kaczków was aided by modern technology and environmental conditions. The summer drought made ancient structures more visible from above, revealing details of the roundels’ concentric ditches and palisades. Czerniec’s team utilized remote sensing, aerial surveys, and soil analysis, collaborating with specialists from Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń to uncover these features.
More information: PAP
