Archaeological studies conducted for many years on the premises of the Museum of King Jan III’s Palace at Wilanów resulted in the unique discovery of two cemeteries in Warsaw: an early medieval and a medieval one – located next to a church, connected with the erection of the Wilanów parish.
The area currently being studied was part of the parish cemetery, discovered in 1955 during post-war revalorisation works, located between the present-day Orangery building and the North Garden. Within the cemetery, inhumation burial was practised, and the deceased – in accordance with Christian tradition – were laid in burial trenches on an axis along to the east-west axis, with their heads facing west. The chronology of the necropolis covers the period from the 13th to the 17th century and it is estimated that 2,000 burials took place there. This year’s stage of research is intended to determine the southern border of the cemetery. In connection with the garden work planned for the next year, the excavation activities are aimed at methodically excavating, exploring and protecting human remains in the ground layers, together with accompanying accoutrements. After the necessary analyses are carried out, a second burial of the former residents of Milanów is planned. So far, it has not been possible to discover the relics of the old church, which is probably located adjacent to the cemetery currently being studied and was moved westwards by King Jan III. It is known, however, that the Wilanów parish was established in the 13th century and at that time it was the centre of worship for twelve surrounding villages, the inhabitants of which also laid to rest in the discussed churchyard cemetery.
Recognised traces of settlement in Wilanów date back to the early Iron Age, and the uninterrupted period of use of this area dates from the early Middle Ages to the present day.
Photo by D. Święcka