TRIQUETRA Partners from NID Meet with Local Authorities to Strengthen Cultural Heritage Protection

As part of the TRIQUETRA project’s ongoing efforts to protect cultural heritage from climate change threats, representatives from the National Institute of Cultural Heritage (NID) and Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań recently met with local authorities in Gołańcz and Damasławek. These discussions aimed to secure support for ongoing research and to engage the local community in the conservation of the Smuszewo archaeological site—one of TRIQUETRA’s key pilot sites in Poland.

Spotkanie polskich partnerów projektu TRIQUETRA z p. Mieczysławem Durskim, Burmistrzem Miasta i Gminy Gołańcz, fot. Urząd Miasta i Gminy Gołańcz

Strengthening Local Collaboration

During the meeting, TRIQUETRA’s Polish partners met with:

Mieczysław Durski, Mayor of Gołańcz, and
Cyprian Wieczorek, Mayor of Damasławek.

The discussions focused on the historical significance of the Smuszewo site, which dates back to the 8th century BCE and shares similarities with the famous Biskupin settlement. The meeting also highlighted the challenges posed by climate change, including moisture fluctuations that threaten the site’s wooden structures preserved underground and underwater.

Both local leaders expressed their full support for TRIQUETRA’s research and pledged to assist in organizing educational activities to raise awareness about the importance of archaeological heritage. This collaboration will enable TRIQUETRA to engage the local community and ensure that conservation efforts are sustained long-term.

Meeting of Polish TRIQUETRA project partners with Mr. Cyprian Wieczorek, Mayor of Damasławek Municipality, photo by Gmina Damasławek / Maria Chojnacka

Expert Contributions and Future Steps

The meeting also included a session with the Biskupin Archaeological Museum, where:

Dr. Henryk P. Dąbrowski, Director of the Museum, and
Mariusz Fajfer, Head of the Conservation Department,

shared their expertise in wood preservation and environmental monitoring. Their insights will play a crucial role in shaping TRIQUETRA’s mitigation strategies for Smuszewo and similar sites across Europe.

Following these meetings, TRIQUETRA’s research team conducted on-site examinations of the Smuszewo settlement, further assessing the risks and identifying next steps in the project’s ongoing work.

Meeting of Polish TRIQUETRA project partners with the Director of the Biskupin Archaeological Museum and the Head of the Museum Conservation Department,
photo by UAM / Włodzimierz Rączkowski

A Step Forward for Heritage Protection

This meeting marks an important milestone in the TRIQUETRA project’s mission to protect archaeological sites from climate change. By combining scientific research, local partnerships, and expert knowledge, the project continues to develop effective tools for cultural heritage preservation.