DOI issue:
Obituaries
DOI article:Kołątaj, Wojciech; Niepokólczycki, Mieczysław [Honoree]: Mieczysław Niepokólczycki: 1932-2007
DOI Page / Citation link:https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.42092#0022
OBITUARY
Niepokolczycki also took an interest in the applications of photogrammetry for inventorying
archaeological monuments, which he practiced in the field at Wislica as part of the Group for
Research on the Polish Middle Ages. The effects of this work were the subject of his PhD disserta-
tion entitled “Application of Photogrammetry within the Field of Archaeology and Antique
Architecture”, which he submitted in 1965.
Ever the innovator, he worked with colleagues from the University of Technology and the Military
Technological Academy on developing and implementing new and unusual methods. One such under-
taking was the geodesic supervision of the moving of an entire church without dismantling the struc-
ture in Leszno street in Warsaw. Another was a stereometric model of the Clock Tower of the Royal
Castle in Warsaw under reconstruction, which involved a full measurement survey of the feature from
the only two chance photos of the tower made before the war. Then there was the application of induced
infrared photography to the reading of ancient inscriptions, attempts to make photographs of archae-
ological profiles readable by means of pseudosolarization, building a camera that would take photo-
graphs of the continuous surfaces of rounded objects (like the decoration of ancient Greek vases).
Mietek taught me the uses of geodetic equipment and calculation methods and I acquainted him
with Prof. Kazimierz Michalowski from the Polish Center of Mediterranean Archaeology. Within
ten minutes of meeting Niepokolczycki, Prof. Michalowski invited him to work with the archaeolo-
gists. After that Mietek became a regular member of the expeditions at Far as, Deir el-Bahari,
Alexandria and Saqqara.
Niepokolczycki left the U niversity of Technology following the retirement of Prof. Piasecki, but
he remained an associate of the Polish Center until the very end. In the last years he worked as topo-
grapher and surveyor at some major archaeological sites in Egypt {Marina el-Alamein, Marea,
Saqqara), Sudan (Old Dongola) and Syria (Palmyra).
His good humor was legendary — despite 40"C heat, swarming mosquitoes and choking chamsin
winds. Always cheerful and ready to help, a light-hearted man who was never malicious and never
bore a grudge.
His passing is a great loss to all of us and I have lost a friend that I will sorely miss.
Wojciech Kolqtaj
20
Niepokolczycki also took an interest in the applications of photogrammetry for inventorying
archaeological monuments, which he practiced in the field at Wislica as part of the Group for
Research on the Polish Middle Ages. The effects of this work were the subject of his PhD disserta-
tion entitled “Application of Photogrammetry within the Field of Archaeology and Antique
Architecture”, which he submitted in 1965.
Ever the innovator, he worked with colleagues from the University of Technology and the Military
Technological Academy on developing and implementing new and unusual methods. One such under-
taking was the geodesic supervision of the moving of an entire church without dismantling the struc-
ture in Leszno street in Warsaw. Another was a stereometric model of the Clock Tower of the Royal
Castle in Warsaw under reconstruction, which involved a full measurement survey of the feature from
the only two chance photos of the tower made before the war. Then there was the application of induced
infrared photography to the reading of ancient inscriptions, attempts to make photographs of archae-
ological profiles readable by means of pseudosolarization, building a camera that would take photo-
graphs of the continuous surfaces of rounded objects (like the decoration of ancient Greek vases).
Mietek taught me the uses of geodetic equipment and calculation methods and I acquainted him
with Prof. Kazimierz Michalowski from the Polish Center of Mediterranean Archaeology. Within
ten minutes of meeting Niepokolczycki, Prof. Michalowski invited him to work with the archaeolo-
gists. After that Mietek became a regular member of the expeditions at Far as, Deir el-Bahari,
Alexandria and Saqqara.
Niepokolczycki left the U niversity of Technology following the retirement of Prof. Piasecki, but
he remained an associate of the Polish Center until the very end. In the last years he worked as topo-
grapher and surveyor at some major archaeological sites in Egypt {Marina el-Alamein, Marea,
Saqqara), Sudan (Old Dongola) and Syria (Palmyra).
His good humor was legendary — despite 40"C heat, swarming mosquitoes and choking chamsin
winds. Always cheerful and ready to help, a light-hearted man who was never malicious and never
bore a grudge.
His passing is a great loss to all of us and I have lost a friend that I will sorely miss.
Wojciech Kolqtaj
20