These sites constitute a priceless source of knowledge of the earliest history of the city.

Location and description

The hill fort and the settlements adjacent thereto are located in the area of the Jan Henryk Dąbrowski’s public park. They are situated on a hill, known as ‘Farska Góra’, on the high edge of the valley of the Łydynia river. The settlements are located on northern and eastern side of the hill fort.

Due to its location within the borders of the city, the hill fort which has the shape of a truncated cone was damaged mainly by urban development and church buildings over the centuries. The defensive rampart in the shape of a horseshoe was truncated during the construction of a bell tower in the late 19th century. The hill fort was also cut through by trenches during the First and Second World War. Despite the fact that the western part of the site was destroyed during the establishment of a public part, the eastern part which has been preserved to the present day leads us to realise the impressive appearance of the early medieval hill fort.

History

Several phases of the use of the hill fort have been identified based on an analysis of historical material: two early medieval phases dating back to the 7th and 11th-12th century and a late medieval phase from the 14th-15th century.

Condition and results of archaeological research

The hill fort on Farska Góra was known as early as the beginning of the 20th century. During the 1920s it was investigated in the course of surface surveys by R. Jakimowicz. Archaeological surveys were carried out twice. In 1966 they were conducted by Irena Górska, eight years later — by Zofia Radzikowska.

During the investigations researches found about 2.5-3-metre-cultural accumulations — soil layers formed slowly during everyday use of the hill fort in the Early and Late Middle Ages and layers brought during ground levelling works, e.g. prior to the commencement of construction. Investigations of the site have also uncovered a stone coating of the rampart made of erratic boulders and charred remains of wooden structural elements. Investigations revealed, including, but not limited to, numerous fragments of pottery, star-shaped spurs, glass bead, iron sickle, fragment of a jewelry anvil, melted tin cups.

The hill fort is open to the public. It is located in the area of a public park in the vicinity of a fara church. The fort can be best viewed from the west.

Compiled by Agnieszka Oniszczuk, National Heritage Board of Poland, 30.10.2014 r.

Bibliography

• Gajewski L., Ciechanów, m. woj., [w:] Grodziska Mazowsza i Podlasia (w granicach dawnego województwa warszawskiego), collective work, Wrocław -Warszawa -Kraków -Gdańsk, 1976, pp. 31-34.
• Gajewski L., Górska I., Paderewska L., Pyrgała J., Szymański W., Badania sondażowe grodzisk Mazowsza i Podlasia w latach 1966-1968, „Sprawozdania Archeologiczne”, 1970, vol. XXII, pp. 153-155.
• Górska I., Badania sondażowe na Farskiej Górze w Ciechanowie, „Wiadomości Archeologiczne”, 1969, vol. XXXIV, issue 3-4, pp. 436-442.
• Katalog Zabytków Sztuki w Polsce, vol. X: Dawne województwo warszawskie, issue 1: Ciechanów i okolice, compiled by Izabella Galicka, Hanna Sygietyńska, Warszawa 1977, p. 13.
• Malinowska-Sypek A., Sypek R., Sukniewicz D., Brzeziński W. (wprowadzenie), Przewodnik archeologiczny po Polsce, Warszawa 2010, pp. 286-287.
• Radzikowska Z., Ciechanów. Stanowisko „Farska Górka“, „Informator Archeologiczny“, Badania rok 1974, 1975 p. 156.