DOI issue:
Materiały / Materials
DOI article:Sztyber, Agata; Woźniak, Mateusz: Monety z cmentarzyska wczesnośredniowiecznego w Modlnicy, stan. 5, gm. Wielka Wieś, pow. krakowski
DOI Page / Citation link:https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.22230#0221
COINS FROM THE EARLY-MED1EVAL BURIAL GROUND AT MODLNICA...
SUMMARY
Coins from the Early-Medieval Burial Ground at Modlnica,
Site no. 5, gm. Wielka Wieś, Cracow County
The early-medieval burial ground at Modlnica, Kraków County (site no. 5)
is where 89 skeletal burials were discovered, ałl dating from the latter half of the
eleventh to the first ąuarter of the twelfth century. These were unearthed in the
course of rescue excavations conducted under the direction of the Kraków Team
for Excavations on Motorways in 2008.
This necropolis is a non-churchyard-type burial ground, which are also called
“row” or “village” burial grounds in scholarly literaturę. Such burial sites are
marked by the presence of many pre-Christian practices, e.g., diverse orientations
of the burials, fumishing the graves with tools, weapons, food, and various “magi-
cal” objects, as well as traces of anti-vampirical rites.
So-called funeral fittings have been found in the 46 of the burials; these in-
clude omaments, parts of garments, household ware, and arms.
Medieval coins constitute a separate group of burial gifts totalling 19 speci-
mens. These were found in 13 graves, generally one coin per grave, but one grave
contained a hoard of 6 coins. Within the area of the burial ground, at the probing site
A, a much-corroded copper coin, dating from the modem era, was found as well.
In all probability, it is a crown szeląg of King John II Casimir Vasa (1648-1668).
In most cases, the coins were found where the hand of the interred person
would have rested, from which it may be inferred that those coins would have been
placed into the hand of the deceased at the time of the interment. Altematively,
they may have have been placed inside a little sack tied to the belt.
The most numerous group of coins are Saxon cross pennies (saskie denary
krzyżowe), totalling 16 specimens. One of the fragmentarily surviving coins is pos-
sibly a tenth- or eleventh-century Saxon penny (Otto-Adelaide type). Of all the
specimens found within the burial ground, the only one of Polish origin is a ducal
penny {denar) of Bolesław the Bold (1069-1076).
One of the morę noteworthy burials containing coins is grave no. 6210. It be-
longed to a grown-up man, who was fumished with 6 cross pennies: 2 specimens
are complete, while 4 have survived only in fragments. The coins were accom-
panied with a small-sized pat of silver, with clearly discemible traces of cutting
and incisions at the rim. No other early-medieval burial in the territory of Lesser
Poland has contained as many coins.
219
SUMMARY
Coins from the Early-Medieval Burial Ground at Modlnica,
Site no. 5, gm. Wielka Wieś, Cracow County
The early-medieval burial ground at Modlnica, Kraków County (site no. 5)
is where 89 skeletal burials were discovered, ałl dating from the latter half of the
eleventh to the first ąuarter of the twelfth century. These were unearthed in the
course of rescue excavations conducted under the direction of the Kraków Team
for Excavations on Motorways in 2008.
This necropolis is a non-churchyard-type burial ground, which are also called
“row” or “village” burial grounds in scholarly literaturę. Such burial sites are
marked by the presence of many pre-Christian practices, e.g., diverse orientations
of the burials, fumishing the graves with tools, weapons, food, and various “magi-
cal” objects, as well as traces of anti-vampirical rites.
So-called funeral fittings have been found in the 46 of the burials; these in-
clude omaments, parts of garments, household ware, and arms.
Medieval coins constitute a separate group of burial gifts totalling 19 speci-
mens. These were found in 13 graves, generally one coin per grave, but one grave
contained a hoard of 6 coins. Within the area of the burial ground, at the probing site
A, a much-corroded copper coin, dating from the modem era, was found as well.
In all probability, it is a crown szeląg of King John II Casimir Vasa (1648-1668).
In most cases, the coins were found where the hand of the interred person
would have rested, from which it may be inferred that those coins would have been
placed into the hand of the deceased at the time of the interment. Altematively,
they may have have been placed inside a little sack tied to the belt.
The most numerous group of coins are Saxon cross pennies (saskie denary
krzyżowe), totalling 16 specimens. One of the fragmentarily surviving coins is pos-
sibly a tenth- or eleventh-century Saxon penny (Otto-Adelaide type). Of all the
specimens found within the burial ground, the only one of Polish origin is a ducal
penny {denar) of Bolesław the Bold (1069-1076).
One of the morę noteworthy burials containing coins is grave no. 6210. It be-
longed to a grown-up man, who was fumished with 6 cross pennies: 2 specimens
are complete, while 4 have survived only in fragments. The coins were accom-
panied with a small-sized pat of silver, with clearly discemible traces of cutting
and incisions at the rim. No other early-medieval burial in the territory of Lesser
Poland has contained as many coins.
219