2020

Lubuskie Materiały Konserwatorskie

Rocznik: 2020 | Tom: 17

artykuł naukowy

polski

EN Exploratory archaeological surveys were carried out at the former St. John cemetery in Zielona Góra, site 30 (AZP 62-14/40) between February and early April 2020. The surveys aimed to determine the state of preservation of this historic site, and primarily to confirm its location. The former St. John cemetery is located between Plac Matejki and ul. Podgórna in Zielona Góra (Fig. 1). Until recently its location was incorrectly identified. It was mistakenly placed further south, closer to ul. Podgórna, and the split fieldstone wall standing there to this day was thought to mark out its southern boundary. Only the analysis using Geographic Information System (GIS) of archive plans of Zielona Góra from 1784, 1812 and 1871, carried out by B. Gruszka confirmed its location (Fig. 2-3). The St. John church could have been established as early as in the 13th century. It was supposed to have been a stone and timber building with a tower and a bell. That church burned down in 1582. It was rebuilt in 1619 only to be consumed by flames once again circa 1652. After that last fire the church was never rebuilt. There was also a cemetery by the church, probably established at the same time as the temple. In written records it was referred to as: "Gottes Acker" or "God's field". The necropolis remained in use for a long time after the church burned down for the last time. In 1688 it was known as "coemeterium pestiferorum" or "for the victims of the plague". The last burials probably took place in the 19th century. A large part of it was most probably destroyed towards the end of that century during civil engineering works associated with the development of this area. Eight surveys were performed over a total area of 1.1 ar distributed across different sites. The area where the surveys were performed was covered by concrete and at sites by the southern and northern walls concrete flooring overlaid it (Fig. 4-5). During the performance of the surveys it was assumed that not only in situ burial sites in variou states of preservation will constitute evidence of the former cemetery, but also a layer of "destroyed cemetery" constituting loose fragments of human bone from destroyed graves. Finding that layer stands testament to the existence of the former cemetery in itself. Survey site No. 1, the only one where no signs of the former cemetery were found was located in an eastern part of the surveyed area (Fig. 6). Here an archeologically barren strata of sandy soil was found under the top layer of hexagonal concrete paving blocks. In some of the other survey sites (No. 2, 3 and 4) numerous investment trenches were unearthed (gas, water, sewage system) as well as contemporary (19th-20th century) structures with human bones were found in their backfills (Fig. 7-12). Survey sites No. 5, 6 and 7 are located in an area with undisturbed burial sites. Therefore once a layer with bones was reached their exploration was terminated. Burial sites located lower down, probably in a better state of preservation, will be surveyed at a later date during future rescue surveys. That will allow for them to be entirely uncovered pursuant to the methodology typical for this type of archaeological sites. A mass grave, only slightly damaged, was found at survey site No. 8. 12 burials were found therein (Fig. 13-21), primarily of young people and children, including new-borns. We have initially identified this structure as a mass grave for victims of the plague. Given individuals were buried at the same time or within short time intervals. Survey site No. 7 uncovered the remains of a pier-and-arch stone and brick wall, interpreted as the remains of the original cemetery wall (Fig. 22). The partially preserved arch was built out of brick and limestone and sand mortar. The piers were built out of raw fieldstone, bound by clay and resting on a layer of brick rubble. The location of the former St. John necropolis was unambiguously determined by the exploratory surveys. Its southern edge was found, marked out by the pier-and-arch brick and stone wall. It was determined that a large part of the cemetery was destroyed during civil engineering works carried out in the late 19th century. Despite those works and the resulting damage, deeper burial sites could have survived. On the basis of the results of the exploratory surveys in question, one has to ascertain that the entire area designated for the future construction of a car park should be subjected to an archaeological rescue survey.

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