Górnictwo rud metali nieżelaznych w dolinie Bystrzycy a zamek Grodno

Tomasz Stolarczyk, Maciej Madziarz

doi:10.37190/arc210410

Streszczenie

W artykule omówiono zagadnienia dotyczące prac górniczych z okresu średniowiecza i wczesnego okresu nowożytnego (do 1618), prowadzonych w rejonie doliny rzeki Bystrzycy, w sąsiedztwie zamku Grodno (obszar położony na granicy trzech mezoregionów: Gór Sowich oraz Gór i Pogórza Wałbrzyskiego). Chronologia tutejszego górnictwa sięga zapewne okresu średniowiecza, najlepiej udokumentowane są jednak przekazy odnoszące się do prac górniczych prowadzonych w XVI w. Podejmowano je zarówno na obszarze lenna zamku Grodno – głównie w Dziećmorowicach – jak i w sąsiednich miejscowościach: wsi Schlesierthal, w Modliszowie, Lubachowie oraz Bystrzycy Górnej. Pozostałości dawnych robót górniczych są od lat przedmiotem badań archeologii górniczej. Znaczna ich część włączona została do ewidencji stanowisk ujętych w programie Archeologicznego Zdjęcia Polski. Autorzy artykułu przedstawili najważniejsze z historycznych wyrobisk górniczych na omawianym obszarze oraz dokumentację związaną z poszczególnymi stanowiskami.

Podgląd pełnego artykułu jest możliwy wyłącznie na większych ekranach.

2021

4(68)

DOI: 10.37190/arc210410

Tomasz Stolarczyk*, Maciej Madziarz**

Mining of non-ferrous metal ores in the valley of the Bystrzyca river

in relation to Grodno Castle

Introduction

The medieval mining constituted one of the substan-

tial elements of developing economic systems, therefore

it had to be both managed in a relevant manner, and also

properly protected. In the area of mining centres there ap-

peared objects of defensive character, i.e., the establish-

ments of motte type, castles, and in the modern times

– manor houses as well. The relations between formation

of the mining areas and development of the defensive ob-

jects can be traced on the example of development of the

settlements in the Harz Mountains area (the Em peror’s res-

idence in Goslar), the Krusne Hory Mountains and other

mining areas in the area of Central Europe [1], [2].

These relations were also noticed in the area of Lower

Silesia, and they were presented, inter alia, in the works of

Józef Kaźmierczyk [3], Marek Gedl [4], Stanisław Firszt

[5] and other authors [6], chiey with reference to architec-

tural objects established in the neighbourhood of centres of

exploitation of deposits of gold-bearing sands and gravels

in the vicinity of towns of Bolesławiec and Lwówek Śląski

(Żeliszów, Dworek, Płakowice) and of Złotoryja (Rokit-

nica). An interesting example of such relationships is also

Edelštejn Castle. Since the 13

century it constituted a part

of the Zlatohorskie estate, undoubtedly being an important

element of the infrastructure of the gold mining district

there. This object with the town and mines passed from

hands to hands of the consecutive proprietors, namely the

Moravia Margraves, the Bishops of Wrocław [7, no. 31,

p. 10], the Czech Crown (1339–1361) [7, no. 67, pp. 20,

21], the Duke of Opava and the Duke of Opole, to return to

the estate of the Bishops’ Dukedom from 1460 (formally

from 1480) [7, no. 228, pp. 98, 99; no. 229, pp. 99, 100].

The connection with mining can also be noticed in the

case of the defensive objects located close to poly-metallic

ore outcroppings – e.g., in the area of the Kaczawy Moun-

tains Foothills (the castle known in the historical sources

as Heinzenberg on Górzec Hill in the region of Męcinki,

Jawor Poviat) [8] or in the Rudawy Janowickie Mountains

– Bolczów Castle and the manor house in Miedzianka

(Jelenia Góra Poviat). The latter settlements were located

in the period from the 14

to 16

century in the areas con-

nected with exploitation of ores of copper, silver and lead,

and also with production of copper vitriol. Their proprie-

tors participated in mining activities or performed mining

works on their own around Miedzianka [9].

Can similar relations be assumed in relation to Grod-

no Castle (Kinsperch, Kiensberg, Kinsberg, Kynsburg) in

Zagórze Śląskie? This architectural object was founded in

the 13

century, originally being the seat of a duke (till

1392), and later the residence of knights and magnates:

of the houses of von Mühlhein (till 1465), von Czettritz

(till 1535), von Hochberg (till 1545) and the house of von

Logau (till 1596) [10]. On the basis of written sources and

eld studies, we would like to attempt to provide an an-

swer the aforementioned question.

The main emphasis in the presented work will be placed

on the questions related to mining works from the medieval

times and early modern period (till 1618), performed in the

area of three mesoregions: the Sowie (Owl) Mountains and

the Wałbrzyskie (Waldenburg) Mountains and Foothills. In

the article we will try to follow the history of mining works

and attempt to identify the relics of old time works with

mines known from the written and cartographical sources.

The mining centres founded there since the medieval times

– mining towns, mines or smelters,

functioned for a rela-

tively short time, however, the undertaken mining works

* ORCID: 0000-0003-1490-0483. The Copper Museum, Legnica,

e-mail: archeologia@muzeum-miedzi.art.pl

** ORCID: 0000-0003-3220-8968. Faculty of Geoengineering,

Min ing and Geology, Wrocław University of Science and Technology.

98 Tomasz Stolarczyk, Maciej Madziarz

hydrothermal origin, with precious metal appearances

chiey in silver-bearing galena, occurring in the Sowie

Mountains gneiss. The thickness of the ore bearing areas

was predominantly up to a few dozen centimetres, rare-

ly reaching up to circa 1 m. In the deposits, there also

appeared zinc blende (sphalerite), tetrahedrite, pyrite and

copper and iron compounds [17, p. 309]. For the discussed

area there also appear secondary deposits of gold, washed

from the streams in the area of the Sowie Mountains. This

precious metal was also obtained in a metallurgical pro-

cess from the local deposits, however in a relatively small

amount [18, p. 172].

History of mining works

in the Bystrzyca River valley

The oldest mining works executed in the estates related

to Grodno Castle date back most likely to the medieval

times. Undertaking of the exploration and perhaps even

mining works related to gold panning can be demonstrat-

ed by the local names such as Pogorzała (Seifersdorf),

a stream called Seifen in the area of Burkatów or nally

Złoty Las (Golden Wald) between Lubachów and Mod-

liszów (Fig. 1) [19, pp. 161, 162]. A similar genesis of the

mining works is also indicated by Heinrich Quiring, who

informs that in the Middle Ages about 12 kg of gold was

extracted from the local deposits [20, pp. 154–157]. The

best explanation of the term Siefen seien is a description

coming from a 1625 report and also a map drawn at that

time, which was made for the purpose of mining works in

the area of Złotoryja. According to these sources Seien is

a term for the places […] below Wilcza Góra (Wolf Moun-

tain) where gold was washed before and where it is still

possible to pan gold

[15, no. 842, 176, 177], [21].

A direct conrmation of the previous mining works

in the area of our interest is the survey of the Świdnica

Dukedom region performed in 1548 by the Royal Com-

mission. It discovered that in the vicinity of the settlement

of Schlesierthal there were relics of old, supposedly medi-

eval mining works. Similar objects occurred also in Sierp-

nica (Rudelswalde) and Walim (Waltersdorf) [15, no. 610,

pp. 107, 108]

. The similar chronology is featured by the

work remnants in Dziećmorowice and in Złoty Potok Val-

ley. Hermann Fechner informs that in 1459 the local mine

called Gabe Gottes was completely destroyed [22, p. 445].

At that time and also during the following centuries

Dziećmorowice was incorporated in the castle efdom

subject to the Grodno Castle owners. In the 14

century it

included Jugowice (Hausdorf), Jawornik/Jugowice Górne

(Jauernick), Pogorzały (Seifersdorf) on the side of loca-

tion of the village administration area (Scholtisei), includ-

ing the administration area, Dziećmorowice (Dittmanns-

dorf), Jedlinki (Tannhausen), with courts, church efdom

Unter Wolfsberge sind ienseit zwey Gründe, die man sieen nennt,

da gold gewaschen worden und noch zu waschen sein soll.

The village of Schlesierthal was ooded with the waters of the

reservoir constructed on the Bystrzyca river in the beginning of the

century (1911–1914). It was located between Lubachów and Zagórze

Śląskie.

– in the discussed area there were excavated and smelted

chiey ores of silver and lead, but also of gold and copper

– constituted a substantial impulse for economic develop-

ment of many localities in the area.

Legal conditions of mining

in the Middle Ages and the modern period

Constituting the exceptionally important branches of

the medieval economy, the mining and smelting industries

were subject to the so called mining “regale”. Over the

time the rights to exploit the deposits, which belonged to

the rulers were transferred to the clergy and cloisters and

to the secular magnates as well. In the area of German

Reich already in 1028 Emperor Conrad II (1024–1039)

transferred the rights to silver mines and exploitation of

this metal to the Bishop of Basel [11]. In the early medi-

eval Poland the rst information concerning the similar

processes comes from the 12

century (1136). In the doc-

ument we can nd information on diggers of silver (ar-

gentifossores), who performed mining works in the estate

of the Archbishop of Gniezno [7, no. 1, p. 1], [12].

In the 12

and 13

century, together with develop-

ment of the so called miner’s freedom (Bergfreiheit), the

miners obtained personal freedom, freedom of relocation,

they operated within separate administrative and legal

structures and as specialists they were subject only to the

liege lord’s rule and the rule of his ocials. The course

of mining works and their organization were ordered by

separate regulations of law included in ordinances and

collections of statutes. Such codications are known, e.g.,

from Jihlava – 1249/1250, Goslar – 1271, Kutna Hora

– circa 1300 [13], [14]. Similar legal stipulations existed

in Lower Silesia for the local gold mining centres, quite

likely already in the 13

century [7, no. 10, p. 3], howev-

er, their complete codication took place in the middle of

the 14

cen tury [7, no. 29, p. 9; no. 86, pp. 28–30].

In the modern period in the area of Lower Silesia the

mining works were ordered with the regulations following

the model of the Jachymov (Sankt Joachimstahl) mining

ordinance. It is this collection of laws coming from 1518

that was used by the Lower Silesian mining centres. In

1532 Christoph von Hoberg vested the mining laws fol-

lowing the model of Jachymov regulations for his estates

in Boguszów [15, no. 472, pp. 20–22], a year later a sim-

ilar ordinance was issued by Urlich von Czettritz [15, no.

479, p. 27]. The stipulations referring to the Jachymov

Law appear in the mining law of Miedzianka (the ordi-

nance issued in 1539 for the estates of Ludwik Decjusz

[15, no. 548, p. 76, 77]). Also the miners brought to the

estates of Hans Schagotsch in Gierczyn came from these

mining centres [15, no. 334, p. 184]. Only in 1577 did Em-

peror Rudolf II issue the ordinance for the area of Silesia,

also a year later for Kłodzko County [16], [17, pp. 27–30].

Geological structure of the Grodno Castle area

Historically exploited metal ore deposits were found in

the Sowie (Owl) Mountains and the Wałbrzyskie Moun-

tains and Foothills in the form of quartz-barite veins of

Mining of non-ferrous ores in the Bystrzyca River Valley and Grodno Castle 99

and establishments, apart from the mill on the Bystrzyca

river (Weistritz) with three mill-wheels, as belonging to

the castle, and one more mill

[23].

In the deed of sale of the house of Hoberg Castle in 1535,

apart from the already indicated locations there is also

a wood called Seifen (Gold Wood? between Dziećmoro-

wice and Zagórze Śląskie). At that time the castle efdom

included also the churches in Myślęcin (Schenckendorf)

and Niedźwiedzice (Bärsdorf) [24, p. 25].

From the close of the 15

century, in the discussed

area there was a visible recovery of mining works. Miner

Trade Unions commenced their activities in the area of Bo-

guszów [17, pp. 282–302], and in the estates belonging to

the houses of von Hoberg [15, no. 472, pp. 20–22] and von

Czettritz (auf Königsberge und auf Neuhaus) [15, no. 479,

p. 27].

Also in the area neighbouring with Grodno Castle the

rst Miner Trade Unions started their activities. In 1539

Ernest von Schagotsch from Pogorzały addressed the

Emperor for the permission to carry on surveying auf dem

Hoppenberg bei Seiferstorf Sweidnischen furstenthumb

Cf. M. Chorowska in this issue of the “Architectus”.

[25, p. 6], [26, p. 65]

. In the same year Schagotsch

was granted the privilege of miner’s freedom [15, no. 561,

p. 83]. The commencement of exploitation works near

Grodno Castle can be testied by a 1545 document, in

which Georg von Lasnig transferred to his brother Hans

the shares in the mines in Boguszów and Bystrzyca (sein-

en Antheil an beiden Bergwerken zu Gottesberg und Weis-

tritz im Weichbilde Schweidnitz) [15, no. 594, p. 102].

The next records related to the works executed in the

discussed area date to the 1570s. Eufrozyna Piątek and

Zygfryd Piątek inform that in 1572 in Lubachów a crush-

er and a smelter were established, thus it can be assumed

that the works could be continued within the time space of

about three decades.

In 1575 12.1 kg of silver was smelted in there [26,

p. 65]. On the basis of later records it can be assumed that

ore from the surrounding mines was smelted there, includ-

ing the mines located in the area of the castle efdom (the

mines operating close to Dziećmorowice).

E. and Z. Piątek [26, p. 65] inform that it concerns a hill called

Popelberg in Bystrzyca Górna – Góra Widna, however it seems that it is

a wrong interpretation of the document content; the hill with this name

was also located in the neighbourhood of Pogorzały and Dziećmorowice.

Fig. 1. Part of map of Ludwig Wilhelm Regler from years 1764–1770, Blatt 64.

Marks: 1 – Grodno Castle, 2 – village of Schlesierthal, 3 – Lubachów, 4 – Złoty Las, 5 – Bystrzyca Górna,

6 – former silver mine (alte Silber Grube), 7 – Dziećmorowice, 8, 9 – silver mine (Silbergrube)

(elaborated by T. Stolarczyk)

Il. 1. Fragment mapy Ludwiga Wilhelma Reglera z lat 1764–1770, Blatt 64.

Oznaczenia: 1 – zamek Grodno, 2 – wieś Schlesierthal, 3 – Lubachów, 4 – Złoty Las, 5 – Bystrzyca Górna,

6 – dawna kopalnia srebra (alte Silber Grube), 7 – Dziećmorowice, 8, 9 – kopalnia srebra (Silbergrube)

(oprac. T. Stolarczyk)

100 Tomasz Stolarczyk, Maciej Madziarz

the Emperor appointed a commission for measurements

of the woods belonging to the castle efdom. It results

from the documents cited by Heinrich Schubert that the

Grodno proprietor carried on overexploitation in logging

of the surrounding woods and disputes with the Emperor

in this question lasted almost till Georg von Logau’s death

in 1595 [24, pp. 31–38].

The mining law also ensured free access to the lum-

ber necessary for execution of mining works. As long as

in the rst ordinances the logging was free of charge and

could be executed for all purposes, then in the later mining

regulations some limitations can be found in this regard.

In the ordinance of Rudolf II from 1577 it was stipulated

that lumber could be used only for lining of underground

workings. The regulations issued in 1532 by Christoph von

Hoberg permitted logging by the miners executing works

in the area of Boguszów only in the locations indicated by

the lord’s forester. It is not until the 18

century that we

deal with planned forest management and completing of

the areas depleted by logging with planting new, usually

coniferous trees in Lower Silesia [30, pp. 171–173].

In reference to the presented records, it is dicult to

say if mine auf Segen Gottes exploited the deposit in

Dziećmorowice, or if it refers to the mine operational on

the lands of Bystrzyca Górna. According to Piątek, the

works performed near Dziećmorowice were executed

till 1581 when the operations of mine Himmlisches Heer

were stopped, while the remaining mines and miner trade

unions had gone out of business before [26, p. 79].

At that time in the neighbouring Lubachów (Gold Wood)

there was a smelter, which smelted the excavated miner-

alization. In 1584 mining master Christoph Dither from

Nuremberg was employed there. At that time 3500 kg

copper was obtained from the local ore with the value

of 434 thaler, and from one ton of ore from mine Segen

Gottes 252 kg of copper and about 87–122 g of silver

was extracted [29, p. 465]. Already a few years later

(1587–1589) the mining trade union that was active there,

had to take loans for further functioning and the works

were stopped. As Piątek indicates, the local smelter pro-

cessed also ores supplied from nearby Dziećmorowice. In

1596 they obtained form it 11.7 kg of silver, for which

the Chamber in Wrocław paid 300 thaler, which was only

a part of the agreed price. The last written information

concerning its operations comes from 1602 when the

Chamber paid 160 thaler for the silver smelted there [26,

p. 68]. The miners returned to the workings of mine Se-

gen Gottes only in 1611. The steiger Mayer who managed

the works was to extend the drain adit up to 70 lachter

(140 m) [29, pp. 465, 466].

On the basis of the analysis of the written sources, we

can assume that the nal breakdown of the local works

was sealed with the outbreak of the Thirty Year’s War.

The last information concerning these works comes from

1613. It refers to the collapsed smelter, which was to be

reconstructed with the aid of the Silesian Chamber and

Unger, the mining master of Świdnica. The exploitation

had been stopped two years earlier. Lack of any further

information can testify to the nal breakdown of the local

works [17, p. 316], [28, p. 70].

In spite of the particular legal provisions, the con-

temporary miners and trade union members had to cope

with numerous diculties resulting from work organiza-

tion and dierent kinds of malpractices. From a report of

Bronner, the mining master of the Świdnica Dukedom of

1573, we learn that a certain man called Marcus Uthmann

who purported to be the mining master, swindled large

amounts of money, which was needed to pay for delivery

of lumber coming from the estates of von Seydlitz broth-

ers [27, p. 25]

. It was necessary for lining of some sec-

tions of mine workings. The correspondence, which con-

cerned this dispute between the Silesian Chamber and the

Seydlitzs was continued till 1575 [28, p. 69].

In a report from the same year made for the Silesian

Chamber, in relation to sample testing of the local deposits

there appear names of the mines operational in this area.

On the grounds of Bystrzyca Górna there were the follow-

ing mines: S. Steens Achter Fundgrube and Geistliche

Hülf-Gottes Fundgrube, in Lubachów (zu Breitenhayn)

mine S. Jahannisstolln am Guldwasser, in Dziećmoro wi-

ce mine Joh. Georg Fundgrube, in Modliszów mine Gute

Georgens Fundgrube, drift tiefen Scheidnitzererbstolln,

related to the mines Gnade Gottes and Mittagsgrube [24,

pp. 65, 66], [28, pp. 69, 70]. Piątek also mentioned mine

Himmlisches Heer in the area of Dziećmorowice and

drain adit St. Bernhardi, located in the vicinity of Wito-

szów [26, p. 78]. The latter, according to the state in 1584,

together with mine Segen Gottes was located in the massif

of Widna Mount in Bystrzyca Górna or in the vicinity of

Witoszów [26, pp. 66, 67], [29, pp. 464–467].

At the same time there was also an increase in mining

works performed in Dziećmorowice, which constituted

a part of Grodno Castle efdom. In 1576, after the in-

spection of the mines by smelter master Krzysztof Nessler

from Jachymow, the works performed there received the

mining ordinance from the Emperor [15, no. 757, p. 151].

According to Piątek, the deposit exploited at that time

turned out to be rich and ensured relatively high prots as

for the conditions of the local mining [26]. According to

the data from the work of Emil Steinbeck in 1576, a trial

smelting was performed of 100 kg of the ore from mine

St. Stephan Achter (Bystrzyca Górna), resulting in obtain-

ing 5½ lot of silver (1 lot = half an ounce), of which 2½

carat of gold was received [28, p. 70]. As it is indicated

by the source data, richer mineralization was quickly de-

pleted though, and the local miners did not receive remu-

neration for their work. In relation to this situation, the

local trade union members had to apply to the Chamber

for a loan of 1337 thaler intended for maintaining prof-

itability of their venture [26, pp. 67, 79]. In 1577 Georg

von Logau was obliged by the Emperor’s Chamber to sup-

ply lumber necessary for lining of the workings at mine

auf Segen Gottes in Dziećmorowice, as well as charcoal

and also to construct a new smelter in Jedlinka. Due to

lack of positive attitude on behalf the Grodno proprietor,

As M. Goliński [27] informs, the estates of the house of von

Seydlitz comprised Walim, Burkatów, Omieciny, Bystrzyca Górna and

the village of Schlesierthal.

Mining of non-ferrous ores in the Bystrzyca River Valley and Grodno Castle 101

at determining the old, rst of all medieval, and modern

mining works. Since 2008 in the area of Lower Silesia as

many as 123 new archaeological sites related to mining

and smelting have been documented and it was also pos-

sible to gain a wide spectrum of historical artefacts related

to these issues (ceramics, tools, metal artefacts; slugs and

other historical objects connected with processes of ore

metallurgy) and to undertake non-invasive works and spe-

cialist analysis [31], [34].

The mining works in the vicinity of Grodno Castle

reach back with their roots to the medieval times, how-

ever the local mining developed most intensively in the

century. The mines listed in the documents can be al-

located to the particular workings located in the discussed

area. Within the area of the castle efdom the largest mine

operated near Dziećmorowice (Dziećmorowice cond. 6;

AZP 86-22). In the 18

century this object was described

in the sources as mine Gotte Gabe. The extensively de-

veloped structure of the working testies to earlier per-

formance of exploitation works. After World War II the

working was related with exploitation of uranium miner-

als and currently the tailings are subject to extraction as

a road construction material [35].

In the area of Dziećmorowice there are also other work-

ings related to exploitation of poly-metallic ore lodes,

which was carried on there. One of the mines was marked

e.g., on the map of Ludwig Wilhelm von Regler from the

half of the 18

century as Silbergrube. On the basis of

the LIDAR data analysis it can be assumed that its rem-

nants can be the sinkhole located between Dziećmorowice

and today’s Zagórze Śląskie and Lubachów (the area of

the former village of Myślęcin, today’s hamlet of Zagórze

The history of research on relics of mining works

in the Bystrzyca valley area

and the location of historical mines

The eld research into relics of mining works in the

area of the Bystrzyca valley dates back to the 1980s. In

years 1985–1986 a scientic team under the management

of Witold Nawalicki and Wiesław Rośkowicz performing

the studies of the Archeological Picture of Poland (AZP;

areas AZP 86-22, 86-23, 87-23, 88-23), documented the

remnants of the former silver, lead and copper ore mines

in the region of the Sowie Mountains and Wałbrzyskie

Moun tains and Foothills (after: [31, p. 26]) (Fig. 2).

In the mid-1990s the inventory works in this area (the

region of Lubachów, Zagórze Śląskie, Walim, Bystrzyca

Górna and Dziećmorowice) were performed by the em -

ployees of the Mining and Geology Faculty of the Wro-

cław University of Science and Technology [32], [33]. The

results that were obtained became the impulse for the cre-

ation of the work entitled Górnictwo rud metali w Górach

Sowich [Mining of metal ores in the Sowie Mountains], by

E. Piątek and Z. Piątek [26].

Intensication of the research works in the area of the

Sowie Mountains and the Wałbrzyskie Mountains and

Foot hills contributed to the growth of the source base,

popularization and spreading of knowledge concerning

the traditions of the local mining and it also became the

impulse to organize conferences and meetings of the ex-

perts preoccupied with this exceptionally broad topic.

Thanks to a broad access to the source materials and use

of interdisciplinary approach to the described issues, the

scope of archaeological research was also changed, aimed

Fig. 2. Topographic map of Bystrzyca river valley with markings of selected archeological sites related to mining of non-ferrous metal ores:

1 – Grodno Castle, 2 – Dziećmorowice site 6 (AZP 86-22), 3 – Modliszów site 1 (AZP 86-22), 4 – Bystrzyca Górna site 26 (AZP 86-23),

5 – Lubachów site 2 (AZP 87-23) (elaborated by T. Stolarczyk)

Il. 2. Mapa topograficzna doliny Bystrzycy z oznaczeniem wybranych stanowisk archeologicznych związanych z górnictwem rud metali nieżelaznych:

1 – zamek Grodno, 2 – Dziećmorowice stan. 6 (AZP 86-22), 3 – Modliszów stan. 1 (AZP 86-22), 4 – Bystrzyca Górna stan. 26 (AZP 86-23),

5 – Lubachów stan. 2 (AZP 87-23) (oprac. T. Stolarczyk)

102 Tomasz Stolarczyk, Maciej Madziarz

Śląs kie; see Fig. 1). According to Fechner, in the 18

cen-

tury there was mine Kaiser Heinrich and Wilhelm Heinrich

[22, pp. 445, 446], and the archive cartographic documen-

tation is known for the object (Fig. 3). This object has not

been included in the list of sites of the AZP program yet.

The next cluster of workings is located in Modliszów

and Witoszów. In the 16

century these villages were in-

cluded in the estates of the house of von Hochberg. They

can be connected with the mines listed in documents as

Gute Georgen Fundgrube, Gnade Gottes as well as Mit-

tagsgrube [29]. The two latter ones were connected with

adit tiefen Scheidnitzererbstolln, possibly the object which

is determined in the AZP materials as site Modliszów 1

(Fig. 4). The workings located to the north of the today’s

sprawl of Modliszów, in the neighbourhood of Witoszów

Górny may also come from the 16

century [36].

The next workings known from eld research are lo-

cated in the direct vicinity of the castle, on hills Kurzęt-

Fig. 3. Plan of mine Wilhelm

Heinrich

in Dziećmorowice

from 1777

(source: Archiwum Państwowe,

Katowice, OBB II 1201)

Il. 3. Plan kopalni Wilhelm

Heinrich w Dziećmorowicach

z 1777 r.

(źródło: zbiory Archiwum

Państwowego w Katowicach,

OBB II 1201)

Fig. 4. Drift sinkhole (a) and mine shafts (b) within the boundaries of archeological site Modliszów 1 (AZP 86-22) (photo by T. Stolarczyk)

Il. 4. Zapadlisko sztolni (a) oraz szyby górnicze (b) w obrębie stanowiska Modliszów 1 (AZP 86-22) (fot. T. Stolarczyk)

Fig. 5. Drift sinkhole within the boundaries of archeological site

Lubachów 2 (AZP 87-23) (photo by T. Stolarczyk)

Il. 5. Zapadlisko sztolni w obrębie stanowiska Lubachów 2

(AZP 87-23) (fot. T. Stolarczyk)

a b

Mining of non-ferrous ores in the Bystrzyca River Valley and Grodno Castle 103

nik, Lipiec and Przygrodna. They are related to the mining

works executed on the grounds of the village of Schlesier-

thal, belonging to the estates of the house of Seydlitz in the

century. It was ooded by the waters of Bystrzyc kie

Lake. In this area there are preserved remnants of workings

related to silver ore and lead ore mines, which operated

there before 1548 (?) (Lubachów site 2; Fig. 5) [32], [37].

The largest complex of workings related to exploita-

tion of silver and lead ores was located in the 16

century

within the boundaries of Bystrzyca Górna, a town belong-

ing to the estates of the house of Seydlitz. These workings

are located on the both banks of the Bystrzyca river, on the

length of over 2 km. Most of them should be connected

with the medieval times and the 16

century. The works in

the workings located in the massif of Widna Mount were

also carried on in the 18

and 19

centuries (Bystrzyca

Górna site 26; see Fig. 2) [38].

The research works within this complex have been

carried out from the 1990s by Maciej Madziarz of the

Mining and Geology Faculty of the Wrocław University

of Science and Technology and KGHM Sp. z o.o. Cen-

trum Badawczo-Rozwojowe (Research and Development

Center) in Wrocław. As it results from the literature on

this subject, over the centuries the mining works were ex-

ecuted there in the following mines: Segen Gottes, Chris-

tinenglück, Victor Friedrich, Wilhelmine (Fig. 6), Beathe

and probably Berthe. The eld research from years 2017–

2019 allowed the recognition of the two oldest drift work-

ings, coming from the 14

century (Figs. 7–9).

It must be assumed that the similar chronology may

feature the relics of the mining works located a little fur-

Fig. 7. Bystrzyca Górna, site 26.

End section of the shaft examined in 2017 with visible elements

of wooden lining connecting it with the central drift

(photo by T. Stolarczyk)

Il. 7. Bystrzyca Górna, stan. 26.

Końcowy odcinek szybu badanego

w 2017 r. z widocznymi elementami

drewnianej obudowy łączącej go ze sztolnią środkową

(fot. T. Stolarczyk)

Fig. 6. Section of a plan from 1817 presenting the layout of mining workings of mine Wilhelmine in Bystrzyca Górna, in the area of Widna Mount

(Bystrzyca Górna, site 26, AZP 86-23): 1 – lower drift, 2 – tailings dumped in front of the central drift, 3 – central drift course,

4 – sinkholes of former shafts (Pingen), 5 – tailings dumped in front of the upper drift, 6 – upper drift course,

7 – local name Srebrna Łąka (Silber Wiese) (source: Archiwum Państwowe, Katowice, OBB II 1222; elaborated by T. Stolarczyk)

Il. 6. Fragment planu z 1817 r. prezentujący układ wyrobisk górniczych kopalni Wilhelmine w Bystrzycy Górnej, na terenie góry Widnej

(Bystrzyca Górna, stan. 26, AZP 86-23): 1 – sztolnia dolna, 2 – warpa odłożona przed sztolnią środkową,

3 – przebieg sztolni środkowej,

4 – zapadliska dawnych szybów (Pingen),

5 – warpa odłożona przed sztolnią górną, 6 – przebieg sztolni górnej,

7 – nazwa miejscowa Srebrna Łąka (Silber Wiese) (źródło: Archiwum Państwowe, Katowice, OBB II 1222; oprac. T. Stolarczyk)

ther to the north and north-east of the discussed complex

of workings. These objects have not been surveyed yet,

nor have they been included in the list of the sites known

from the base of the Archaeological Picture of Poland.

Their surveillance using the archaeological digging meth-

od would allow for verication of the chronology of the

mining works in this area.

104 Tomasz Stolarczyk, Maciej Madziarz

Summary

The mining relics constitute an integral element of the

cultural landscape of the Sowie Mountains and Wałbrzys-

kie Mountains and Foothills. Their remnants are the tes-

timony to the signicance of this area for the economy in

the Middle Ages and early modern times.

Grodno Castle founded in the 13

century, being the

seat of a duke, surely constituted one of the elements of

support for development of the duke’s property. On the

basis of the analysis of the names of places – presence

of Seien in the local names – we can assume that at that

time surveying or even extraction of gold originating from

the secondary placed deposits could be carried on.

Substantially more information concerning mining is

provided by records referring to the works performed in

the 16

century. They were undertaken both in the area

of the castle efdom – chiey in Dziećmorowice – as

well as in the neighbouring settlements, i.e., the village

of Schlesierthal, in Modliszów, Lubachów and Bystrzyca

Górna. The miner trade unions that developed there per-

formed their operations in the estates of the local gentry

(the houses of von Hoberg, Schagotsch or von Seydlitz).

The Dziećmorowice mines, since 1545 located within the

boundaries of the estate of the house of von Logau, did not

receive relevant support from the proprietor of the castle

efdom despite the clear orders of the Emperor himself.

The disputes over that matter with the Chamber of the

Emperor lasted almost till the death of Georg von Logau.

We can assume that the local miner trade unions did not

constitute for him a source of important income and in the

modern times Grodno Castle was not connected with the

mining works carried on in the area of the efdom.

Fig. 8. Bystrzyca Górna, site 26.

Central drift in the area of the shaft surveyed in 2017

(photo by M. Madziarz)

Il. 8. Bystrzyca Górna, stan. 26.

Sztolnia środkowa w rejonie szybu rozpoznanego w 2017 r.

(fot. M. Madziarz)

Fig. 9. Bystrzyca Górna, site 26. Redeveloped shaft of the upper drift,

the drift inlet visible in the lower section of the drift

(photo by M. Madziarz)

Il. 9. Bystrzyca Górna, stan. 26.

Przebudowany szyb sztolni górnej,

w dolnej części widoczny wlot sztolni

(fot. M. Madziarz)

The performed analysis of the written and archeological

sources does not exhaust the discussed subject. Therefore

it seems justied to undertake a detailed inventory works

of the old mining work objects. The historical materials

procured in their course and also the analysis e.g. dendro-

chronological, would allow us to specify the chronology

of the mining works executed in this part of the Sowie

Mountains and Wałbrzyskie Mountains and Foothills.

It seems to be especially important for the discussed

area to undertake the written source analysis from the ear-

ly modern times and to commence the works of interdisci-

plinary character in the scope of the archaeology of min-

ing in the area of the Sowie Mountains and Wałbrzyskie

Mountains and Foothills. This kind of activities could

shed new light not only on economic activities carried on

within the estates of the house of Logau, but in the entire

region as well.

Translated by

Yellow Grzegorz Wojtiuk

Mining of non-ferrous ores in the Bystrzyca River Valley and Grodno Castle 105

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106 Tomasz Stolarczyk, Maciej Madziarz

Abstract

Mining of non-ferrous metal ores in the valley of the Bystrzyca river in relation to Grodno Castle

The article discusses the issues of mining works from the Middle Ages and early modern period (until 1618), carried out in the region of the By-

strzyca river valley, in the vicinity of Grodno Castle (the area located on the border of three meso-regions: the Sowie Mountains and the Wałbrzyskie

Mountains and Foothills). The chronology of local mining probably dates back to the Middle Ages; however, the best documented reports refer to

mining works carried out in the 16

century. They were undertaken both in the territory of the Grodno Castle efdom – mainly in Dziećmorowice

– and in the neighboring villages: Schlesierthal, Modliszów, Lubachów and Bystrzyca Górna. The remains of former mining works have been the

subject of mining archeology research for years. A signicant part of them was entered in the register of sites included in the Archaeological Picture

of Poland program. The authors of the article presented the most important historical mining excavations in the given area and documentation related

to the individual sites.

Key words: non-ferrous metal ore mining, Grodno Castle, mining archaeology, mining history

Streszczenie

Górnictwo rud metali nieżelaznych w dolinie Bystrzycy a zamek Grodno

W artykule omówiono zagadnienia dotyczące prac górniczych z okresu średniowiecza i wczesnego okresu nowożytnego (do 1618), prowadzonych

w rejonie doliny rzeki Bystrzycy, w sąsiedztwie zamku Grodno (obszar położony na granicy trzech mezoregionów: Gór Sowich oraz Gór i Pogórza

Wałbrzyskiego). Chronologia tutejszego górnictwa sięga zapewne okresu średniowiecza, najlepiej udokumentowane są jednak przekazy odnoszące

się do prac górniczych prowadzonych w XVI w. Podejmowano je zarówno na obszarze lenna zamku Grodno – głównie w Dziećmorowicach – jak

i w sąsiednich miejscowościach: wsi Schlesierthal, w Modliszowie, Lubachowie oraz Bystrzycy Górnej. Pozostałości dawnych robót górniczych są

od lat przedmiotem badań archeologii górniczej. Znaczna ich część włączona została do ewidencji stanowisk ujętych w programie Archeologiczne-

go Zdjęcia Polski. Autorzy artykułu przedstawili najważniejsze z historycznych wyrobisk górniczych na omawianym obszarze oraz dokumentację

związaną z poszczególnymi stanowiskami.

Słowa kluczowe: górnictwo rud metali nieżelaznych, zamek Grodno, archeologia górnicza, historia górnictwa