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Serwis Nauka w Polsce Last six months were a winning streak of Polish archaeologists conducting research in the country and abroad. In addition to the spectacular discoveries, several large, long term research projects have been completed. 
The most important this year's events in Polish archaeology include the announcement of discovery of the first known remains of Neanderthal man from Polish territory. Three molars found during the excavations in Cave Stajnia are also the oldest known human remains on Polish territory. They were discovered by a team led by Dr MikoBaj Urbanowski from the Department of Archaeology, Institute of History and International Relations, University of Szczecin. In Risan, Montenegro Polish archaeological mission of the Center for Research on Ancient Hhistory of South East Europe, University of Warsaw, found one of the largest ever known ancient treasures in the form of a vessel filled with silver and gold coins. The find weighted over 15 kg and the number of coins amounted to nearly five thousand. Rank of discovery is raised by the fact that for the first tome located were so many coins of different series, previously unknown to numismatics, and relating to the previously unknown Illyrian king. In the beginning of this year several research projects had been completed. Dr Grzegorz Majcherek from the Centre of Mediterranean Archaeology, University of Warsaw, announced the completion of studies at a university complex from the 2nd half of 5th century and 6th century AD, located at the Kom el-Dikka site in Alexandria, Egypt. It is the only explored ancient university in the Mediterranean area. Excavations performed during recent seasons clarified the chronology of its operation and provided valuable information. Also in Egypt, in Qurna near Luxor, the excavations in the area of the former Coptic hermitage located inside an ancient tomb are slowly coming to an end. In 2005 archaeologists led by Tomasz Górecki from the National Museum in Warsaw discovered two papyrus books bound in leather and parchment pages with fragments of the Old Testament Book of Isaiah. The researchers are processing gathered materials in preparation to the final publication. After ten seasons of archaeological work funded, among others, by the Ministry of Science and Higher Education, researchers led by Prof. Jolanta MBynarczyk from the Department of Mediterranean Archaeology PAS and the Institute of Archaeology, University of Warsaw, and Dr Mariusz Burdajewicz from the National Museum in Warsaw completed excavations in the area of the sixth-eighth century church, located among the ruins of the ancient city of Hippos, on the eastern shore of Lake Galilee in Israel. This is one of the few well-known and carefully documented by archaeological excavations Christian churches within the Islamic province called Jund al-Urdunn ruled by the Umayyad dynasty. The archaeologists are currently preparing a large scientific publication - the first one comprehensively relating to the Christian church functioning during the early Islam in northern Israel. Polish archaeological mission in Hippos worked under an international project coordinated by Prof. Arthur Segal from the University of Haifa. In turn, archaeologists headed by Prof. Piotr Dyczek completed a comprehensive survey of a Roman legionnaires hospital in the Bulgarian Novae. Thorough functional analysis of the whole building allowed the researchers to significantly expand the knowledge of the regimental hospitals - their history, architecture and furnishings, as well as in matters of medicine, supplies and diet of ancient legions. This is the only ancient hospital in the world completely unearthed and studied by archaeologists. The turn of 2009/2010 saw the last research season in the vicinity of the 4th cataract in Sudan, under the great rescue operation prior to the flooding of large areas by the Nile waters piled up by the dam. Archaeologists from the Archaeological Museum in PoznaD led by Dr Marek ChBodnicki examined the large late Meroic mound, very richly equipped, which is unusual for burials from this period containing, for example, copper alloy vessels. An important and unprecedented event associated with the completion of the rescue operation in Sudan was transporting a part of the finds discovered during these excavations to Poland. They will be added to the collections of the National Museum in Warsaw and PoznaD Archaeological Museum, where visitors can already admire several Sudanese ancient stone engravings in the temporary exhibition "Close encounters with". In recent months, a heated debate started in archaeological and anthropological circles about the alleged discovery of Nicolaus Copernicus remains in Frombork. Its results include numerous scientific publications and several conferences, including "The Mystery of the grave of Nicolaus Copernicus. The dialogue of experts", during which researchers tried to convince each other to their theories. Of importance to archaeological community was also the first national symposium on geophysical methods in archaeology, held at the Institute of Archaeology and Ethnology PAS in Warsaw. The method is increasingly widely used before the excavations, with are very promising results for further archaeological practice. Also significant, due to its popularisation aspect, was the conference "The past for the future. Recent achievements of the Institute of Archaeology and Ethnology PAS", during which renowned researchers presented the greatest achievements of the Institute.
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