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History of Poland
Chronology
Until 966 966–1385 1385–1569 1569–1795 1795–1918 1918–1939 1939–1945 1945–1989 1989–present
Topics
Culture Demography (Jews) Economics Politics (Monarchs and Presidents) Military (Wars) Territorial changes (WWII)

The prehistory of Poland, or the history of Poland until 966 CE, covers the period from the appearance of humans on the lands of today's Poland to the establishment of the Polish state. It spans at least half a million years and is characterized by a limited amount of information at our disposal. Scientific investigations rely on the methods of archeology throughout the period, and on the not very numerous written ancient and medieval sources, once they become available. The use of written language in Poland came only with the advent of Christianity, after 966.

Main article: Stone Age Poland

The Stone Age era in Poland lasted five hundred thousand years and involved three different human species. The Stone Age cultures ranged from early human groups with primitive tools to advanced agricultural societies using sophisticated stone tools, building fortified settlements and developing copper metallurgy.

Main article: Bronze and Iron Age Poland

The Bronze and Iron Age cultures in Poland are known mainly from archeological research. Early Bronze Age cultures in Poland begin around 2400/2300 BC^[1]. The Iron Age commences ca. 750/700 BC^[2]. The Iron Age archeological cultures described in this article end their existence before the Common Era. The subject of ethnicity and linguistic affiliation of the groups living in central and eastern Europe at that time is, giving the absence of written records, speculative, and accordingly there is considerable disagreement. The most famous archeological finding is the Biskupin fortified settlement on the lake, of the Lusatian culture of the early Iron Age, by some past researchers considered to be a Proto-Slavic development.

Main article: Poland in Antiquity

Peoples belonging to numerous archeological cultures identified with Celtic, Germanic and Baltic tribes lived in various parts of Poland from about 400 BC. Other groups were no doubt also present, as ethnic composition of archeological cultures is often poorly recognized. Short of using written language, many of them developed advanced material culture and social organization. Characteristic of the period was relatively high geographical mobility of large groups of people, even equivalents of today's nations. The Germanic people lived in today's Poland for several centuries, while many of their tribes also migrated out in the southern and eastern directions. With the expansion of the Roman Empire came also the first written remarks by Roman authors that are relevant to the developments on Polish lands. They provide additional insight when compared with the archeological record. In the end, as the Roman Empire was nearing its collapse and the nomadic peoples invading from the east destroyed, damaged or destabilized the various Germanic cultures and societies, the Germanic people left eastern and central Europe for the safer and wealthier southern and western parts of the continent. The northeast corner of contemporary Poland's territory was and remained populated by Baltic tribes.

Main article: Poland in Early Middle Ages

Slavic peoples around the 8th and 9th centuries.

According to the currently predominant opinion, the Slavic tribes were not indigenous to the lands that were to become Poland^[3], but their first waves settled the area of the upper Vistula River and elsewhere in southeastern Poland and southern Masovia, coming from the upper and middle regions of the Dnieper River (the West Slavs would have come primarily from the more western early Slavic branch called the "Sclaveni" by Jordanes in Getica, the eastern branch being the "Antes"^[4]), beginning in the second half of 5th century^[5], some half century after these territories were vacated by Germanic tribes^[6]. This discontinuity (a period during which human settlements on most Polish lands were absent or rare) makes the moment of appearance of the Slavs in Poland at the outset of the Middle Ages distinct and clear.

From there the new population dispersed north and west during the course of 6th century. The incoming Slavic people were markedly less developed than their Germanic predecessors, which can be seen from the comparable quality of the pottery and other artifacts left by the two groups. They lived from cultivation of crops and were generally farmers, but also engaged in hunting and gathering. Their migration was probably caused by the pursuit of fertile soils and persistent attacks on eastern and central Europe by waves of people and armies from the east, such as the Huns, Avars and Magyars. This westward movement of Slavic people was facilitated in part by the previous withdrawal of Germanic people and their own migration toward the safer and more attractive areas of western and southern Europe.

A number of such Polish tribes formed small states beginning in 8th century, some of which coalesced later into larger ones. Among those were the Vistulans (Wiślanie) in southern Poland with Kraków and Wiślica as their main centers (major building of fortified centers and other developments in their country took place in 9th century; they have been the focus of much speculation), but later the Polans (Polanie, lit. "people of the fields") turned out to be of momentous historic importance. The tribal states built many gords - fortified structures with primitive walls, from 7th century on. Some of them were developed and inhabited, other had a very large empty area and may had served primarily as refuges in times of trouble. The Polans settled in the flatlands around Giecz, Poznań and Gniezno that eventually became the foundation and early center of Poland, lending their name to the country. They went through a period of accelerated building of fortified settlements and territorial expansion beginning in the first half of 10th century, and the Polish state developed from their tribal entity in the second half of it.

General:

• Various authors, ed. Marek Derwich i Adam Żurek, U źródeł Polski (do roku 1038) (Foundations of Poland (until year 1038)), Wydawnictwo Dolnośląskie, Wrocław, 2002, ISBN 83-7023-954-4
• Piotr Kaczanowski, Janusz Krzysztof Kozłowski - Najdawniejsze dzieje ziem polskich (do VII w.) (Oldest history of Polish lands (till 7th century)), Fogra, Kraków 1998, ISBN 83-85719-34-2
• Jerzy Wyrozumski - Dzieje Polski piastowskiej (VIII w. - 1370) (History of Piast Poland (8th century - 1370)), Fogra, Kraków 1999, ISBN 83-85719-38-5

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