The history of archaeological research in Biskupin has started in 1933, when a local teacher, Walenty Szwajcer, discovered fragments of wooden constructions on a peninsula of Biskupinskie Lake. He contacted Prof. Jozef Kostrzewski (man in charge of both Poznan Archaeological Museum and Institute of Prehistory in Poznan University) who decided to start the excavation.

How enormous value this finding possessed showed its popularity: about thirty thousand people had visited Biskupin during the years before the Second World War - the first years of research. It focused interest of prominent political figures, celebrities of science world and the highest notables of the Roman Catholic Church in Poland. Among the visitors were: Marshall Smigly-Rydz - commander-in-chief of the Polish Army and Ignacy Moscicki - President of the Republic of Poland.

Photographs placed below were taken during the research in the 1930s. They come from Museum Archive, where 550 negatives and 1500 photos from Biskupin are still kept. This gallery contains a choice of 218 pictures. Even after 70 years its quality is excellent, due to the negative material used, ie. the 13x18 cm and and 9x13 cm glass panes.

Consecutive numbers from the original (field) photo index are placed in brackets.

If you recognize any of the people showed in the gallery and not mentioned yet in the captions, please contact us at: muzarp@man.poznan.pl.