Recently found in Matcz, in the municipality of Horodło in the Lublin Voivodeship in Poland, a unique copper axe dating back to the 4th-3rd millennium BCE, has been identified as belonging to the Cucuteni culture (also known as Trypillia Culture), which flourished between 4500 and 3000 BCE in southeastern Europe.

The discovery was made during a metal detectorists’ meeting organized by Paweł Małkowicz in late August 2023, triggering a series of investigations and analyses by archaeology experts.

Prior to the event, Małkowicz obtained the necessary authorizations from the landowners and permission from the Provincial Conservator of Historical Monuments in Lublin. Despite efforts to ensure thoroughness in the search, the unexpected discovery of the copper axe by Krzysztof Gajos, one of the participants in the meeting, surprised everyone present.

Upper part of the axe
Upper part of the axe. Credit: W. Koman / Lubelski Wojewódzki Konserwator Zabytków

The swift location of the discovery using a GPS device and its subsequent notification to the relevant authorities, including the Provincial Conservator’s Delegation for Historical Monuments in Zamość, allowed for proper documentation of the find.

Analysis of the copper axe, conducted by archaeologist Wiesław Koman of the Provincial Conservator’s Delegation for Historical Monuments in Zamość, revealed distinctive characteristics leading to its exclusion from Bronze Age cultures.

The relatively primitive casting technique used in its production, as well as its flat and convex shape, are features indicating a possible dating to the Neolithic period. However, the absence of similar finds in the Polish archaeological inventory led to a broader search, which considered similar finds in Ukrainian territory.

The discovery of an identical copper axe in Szczerbaniwka, in the Kiev region, provided the key to establishing the cultural and chronological connection of the artifact found in Matcz. Accompanying ceramic fragments allowed it to be attributed to the Cucuteni (Trypillia) culture, dating it to the late period of its development, estimated between the 4th and 3rd millennia BCE.

Longitudinal section of the copper axe
Longitudinal section of the copper axe. Credit: W. Koman / Lubelski Wojewódzki Konserwator Zabytków

The presence of this relic in eastern Poland is surprising, considering that the territorial scope of the Trypillia culture mainly included areas in present-day Bulgaria, Romania, Moldova, and western Ukraine.

The Cucuteni or Trypillia culture had the tradition of cyclically setting fire to their homes. These were not accidental fires, as evidenced by the successive layers excavated, and the strangest thing of all is that not only one building was destroyed but those of the entire community, without it being certain whether the village was abandoned or simply rebuilt.

This find suggests the existence of Trypillia settlements in the eastern region of Poland, at least along the upper course of the Bug River. The possible confirmation of this theory is supported by the occasional discovery of similar copper axes in Wożuczyn, in the municipality of Rachanie, Tomaszów County, mentioned by Professor Jan Gurba in 1992.

If confirmed, this would be one of the oldest copper pieces discovered in Poland, constituting a find of great historical and archaeological significance. The axe will soon be handed over to the Museum of Hrubieszów, where it will undergo additional studies to further our knowledge of the Trypillia culture and its presence in Polish territory.

Sources

Lubelski Wojewódzki Konserwator Zabytków

  • Share this article:
csm_316-sfb1266-abbildung4_3cbf44b093.png copia-2
6000 Years Ago, the Oldest Cities in Europe Ensured their Food with Cereals and Peas, without the Need for Meat
Archaeologists excavate the 5,000-year-old burial of a man and two cattle
Burial Mounds with a Ritual Path and a Neolithic Chariot Tomb Found in Magdeburg
Traces of goats and domestic livestock at the Anciens Arsenaux site
Europe's Oldest Plough Marks Discovered, Testifying the Use of Animals in Agriculture 7000 Years Ago
0_img_1-1
Researchers Make New Discoveries in Peña Miel Cave, the First Paleolithic Cave Excavated in Spain
The snake-shaped figurine discovered in Taiwan
Neolithic Clay Figurine in the Shape of a Snake Found in Taiwan
20231004_102624-2
Rare find in Germany: Complete Cave Bear Skeletons, Jaws, and Paleolithic Stone Tools Unearthed

Loading...

Something went wrong. Please refresh the page and/or try again.