University of Silesia in Katowice

The subject of research conducted by the centre will be the reconstruction of the extraction and processing of mineral resources in the northern part of the Silesian Upland and the impact of these activities on the natural environment and landscape, based on archaeological, geoarchaeological, paleogeographic, geomorphological and geological sources. The research will cover sites included on the UNESCO World Heritage List as well as sites related to them in their immediate vicinity. The centre will focus on geoarchaeological objects, landforms, sequences of river and slope sediments, sedimentary fillings of mine corridors and shafts, and artifacts contained in the sediments, including historical wood and man-made objects. Moreover, researchers will explore the environmental effects of former industrial activity, i.e. its impact on the relief and sediments, surface and underground waters, soils, vegetation, landscape, settlement network, communication system and others. The conducted activities will be interdisciplinary in nature and will include three scientific disciplines: Earth and environmental sciences, socio-economic geography and spatial management, as well as history. The subject of the planned research also fits into the third priority research area (POB 3 – Environmental and climate change together with accompanying social challenges), defined in the development strategy of the University of Silesia in Katowice, as it includes the analysis of human interference in the natural environment and its effects on the living environment and human health.

Detailed research objectives of the centre:

• inventory of historical monuments, geoarchaeological objects, landforms and geosites related to the extraction and processing of mineral resources in Tarnowskie Góry,
• reconstruction of the development of mining, metal processing and related activities (e.g. charcoal production) in the UNESCO area and its surroundings, including the determination of the beginning of industrial production, subsequent phases of its functioning and technological development based on the record in the natural environment (proxy data),
• determining the impact of the historical industry in Tarnowskie Góry on the natural environment and landscape, including a quantitative and qualitative assessment of the transformation of individual components of the environment and landscape, the contemporary impact on the environment and the lives of residents, taking into account both benefits (e.g. increased landscape diversity, tourist and investment attractiveness) and threats (e.g. soil degradation and contamination, ground subsidence).

Cooperation: Director Małgorzata Wistuba, PhD, DSc, Assoc. Prof. (malgorzata.wistuba@us.edu.pl)