During excavations in Kazimierza Wielka (Świętokrzyskie Voivodeship), archaeologists from PRYNCYPAT company, working under the supervision of Marcin Przybyła in collaboration with the Jagiellonian University Institute of Archaeology, have discovered the remains of 160 objects related to Neolithic and early Bronze Age colonisation, as well as a mixed rite cemetery dated to the late pre-Roman and early Roman period (1st century B.C – 2nd century AD). During three excavation seasons, they found 4 cremation burials, 23 inhumation burials as well as 12 rectangular groove features.

One of cremation burials contained a copper alloy vessel  imported from the Roman Empire, fitted with an arched handle attached with a dolphin-shaped fastening (classified as Eggers 18 type). Such vessels are extremely rare in Poland – only seven similar items, four of which were used as urns, have so far been found in the area of the Przeworsk culture (present on the territory of today’s Poland from 3rd century B.C. to 5th century AD). The one recently found was accompanied by pieces of warrior’s equipment typical of this culture, including a sword, a shield boss, and two arrowheads. All these items are very much bent and damaged, which is characteristic of burial traditions of the Przeworsk culture communities.

At the current stage of the research, it is difficult to determine the specific age of the grave. The Eggers 18 vessels have been dated to the late pre-Roman (1st century B.C.) and early Roman period (mostly 1st century A.D.). The precise chronology of the burial site can be established after conservation of the excavated weapons is completed.

The unique discoveries also include inhumation graves, untypical of the Przeworsk culture. All of them are oriented on the north-south axis, mostly with heads aligned to the north. The bodies were laid on their sides in a crouched position. It is noteworthy that most of them belong to women, buried with jewellery and parts of clothing. One of the burials included a double necklace consisting of glass, stone and bronze beads, a banded pendant, and small bucket-shaped pendants of bronze and iron as well as two identical bronze fibulas, belonging to Almgren group VI. This is one of the latest items found at the cemetery, dated to the beginning of the late Roman period (late 2nd century AD). In several graves, the absence or dislocation of bones from the upper part of the body was indicated, which might point to a post-funerary practice of opening the already existing graves to extract parts of bones, known from other sites from the same period.