INFORMATION PORTAL OF THE MARSHAL'S OFFICE OF THE KUJAWSKO-POMORSKIE Region IN TORUŃ

Archaeological research carried out in the Wda Landscape Park has confirmed the existence of a Bronze Age burial mound. The site had already been marked on an American topographic map from 1960 as a “burial mound,” but for the next 60 years it disappeared from the archaeological record. Now, after several decades, researchers have managed to uncover the mystery of the burial mound in Grabowa Buchta, which had remained hidden for nearly 3,000 years.

During the investigation, the research team from the Wda Landscape Park established that the presumed burial mound is in fact a kurgan dating back to the Late Bronze Age, characteristic in its construction of the so-called Kashubian group of the Lusatian culture. Such burial mounds, typically surrounded by a ring of stones, are mainly found in the Kashubian Lake District. The one discovered in the Wda Landscape Park is the first of its kind identified in the Tuchola Forest region.

In addition to the Lusatian burial mound, the research also uncovered richly decorated fragments of pottery from the Early Iron Age within the mound’s embankment. This suggests that the burial site at Grabowa Buchta remained in the memory of the communities inhabiting the Tuchola Forest area for a long time.

The research was conducted using modern documentation methods, including geodetic measurements and aerial drone photography. Thanks to these tools, researchers were able to precisely record both the arrangement of the stones forming the mound and the context of the discovered artifacts.

The discovery at Grabowa Buchta is of great importance for understanding the prehistory of the Kujawsko-Pomorskie region. It confirms that the Wda Landscape Park area holds not only exceptional natural values but also valuable archaeological heritage.

The research is part of broader efforts to protect and promote the cultural heritage of the Kujawsko-Pomorskie Voivodeship, carried out in cooperation with scientific institutions, local governments, and nature protection services.

Wda Landscape Park
Press Office of the Marshal’s Office

October 29, 2025