Archaeologists probe medieval battlefield in Poland

The July 1410 battle is regarded as one of the seminal clashes of the medieval era, with the Teutonic Order defeated by a Polish-Lithuanian alliance commanded by King of Poland Władysław Jagiello. In some historical accounts published in the West, the battle is also referred to as the battle of Tannenberg.

Archaeologists probe the terrain of the 1410 Battle of Grunwald 
[Credit: PAP/Tomasz Waszczuk]

Dr. Piotr Nowakowski, head of the archaeological and historical department at the Museum of the Battle of Grunwald, has told Polish Radio that the area has yet to be thoroughly explored by archaeologists.

He noted that during probes made in the 1980s, researchers only had the use of shovels and their own hands.

During the current action, participants are equipped with metal detectors and ground-penetrating radar (GPR).

“With these devices, you can explore a larger area in a short time,” Nowakowski said.

Besides Poles, archaeologists from Denmark, Norway and Great Britain are taking part.

This year, the team is trying to survey terrain where it is believed that the Teutonic Knights camped.

In 2014, during a probe that covered another area, a number of small metal objects, pieces of armour and horseshoes were discovered.

Source: Radio Poland [August 20, 2015]