Polish Archaeology in the ‘Millennium’ Research on the Early Polish State, with Particular Emphasis on the Poznań Research Centre. Major Research Paradigms

Abstract

This paper outlines major research paradigms in Polish archaeology underpinning the so-called millennium research project conducted between 1948/1949 and 1970. The main focus of this study is the Poznan research centre. The millennium project was an answer to the 1000th anniversary of the Polish State and the Baptism of Mieszko I, the first historical ruler of Poland, celebrated between 1965 and 1966. The research paradigms of the then archaeology were noticeably determined by research issues explored by the historiography of the Middle Ages. First independent archaeological studies on the early Piast state (regnum) were conducted only in the late twentieth century. Their results were based on archaeological evidence from the so-called millennium research in Wielkopolska. During carefully planned and methodically conducted excavations conducted by archaeologists from the Poznan centre, archaeological sources were impeccably recovered, documented and very well preserved along with the field data and documentation.