Grzybowo has interested historians and archeologists for a long time. The first archaeological excavation work in Grzybowo was conducted by German archaeologist Schwartz at the beginning of this century; however, results of his findings are missing. Dr. Olgierd Brzeski, the present sponsor, investigatigated the site shortly before WW II. He published his findings in the archaeological journal “Z ochlani wekow” in 1938.

Picture 1: Dr Olgierd Wojciech Brzeski - Principal sponsor and participant of present excavations.

There was no archaeological activity on the site between 1938 and 1988. Dr. Brzeski, who lives now in Canada, visited the site in 1987 again. He proposed a large scale excavation project and assured its financing. The present investigations in Grzybowo commenced in 1988 with extensive drillings, which formed the basis for objectives and determination of the excavation zones. The plan was proposed to resolve the following: chronology, stratigraphy, type of defensive constructions, plan of inner constructions, role of the settlement during the formation of the early Polish State.

Fig. 2 Contour map of the site with a layout of the excavation trenches (in red A to I) Ramparts (black thin contour lines), and a moat (blue).

Investigated areas:

• A – Several trenches set up to investigate the type of construction of an inner rampart (it was demolished possibly as early as the tenth century).
• B – Excavation pits opened to study dwellings and other inner constructions on the site.
• C, D – Trenches set up to study a cross section of the ramparts.
• E - Area disturbed by plowing; it revealed some remnants of dwellings.
• F - Area next to a pond to determine its role.
• G - Emergency excavation pit set up to study recently destroyed remnants of a mediaeval hut (damage was done by a group of youngsters while playing in the area)
• H - Three trenches laid out to investigate the main gate of the settlement.
• I - A narrow trench set up to determine the width of a moat in the early mediaeval times.