Dr Dagmara H. Werra
e-mail: werra@iaepan.edu.pl
Autonomous Research Laboratory for Prehistoric Flint Mining
Scientific interests focus on the exploitation, processing, and distribution of siliceous rocks in the times from the Palaeolithic to the Bronze Age in Poland and Europe. Researches and projects are carried out through the analysis of archaeological materials, mainly from prehistoric mines and sites associated with them. As well as synthesizing the results of previously published research with the use of new theoretical directions present in archaeology and undertaking new field studies. Scientific interests also focus on activities aimed at developing optimal methods of research work and solutions for archaeological conservation concerning prehistoric mining fields and the popularization of this field of archaeology. Since 2017, the editor-in-chief of the journal Archaeologia Polona.
Research area: Prehistory of Poland; Prehistory of Europe; prehistoric flint mining; siliceous rocks; prehistoric communities; exchange and distribution in prehistory; Archaeological theory; Stone Age; Neolithic, Bronze Age;
Selected publications:
- Journal articles:
Werra D. (2010). Longhouses and long-distance contacts in the Linearbandkeramik communities on the north-east border of the oecumene: “à parois doubles” in Chełmno Land (Poland). Anthropologica et Præhistorica, 121, 121-142.
Małecka-Kukawka J., Werra D. (2011). O możliwościach i ograniczeniach metody traseologicznej w badaniach masowych materiałów archeologicznych z kopalń krzemienia. Archeologia Polski, 56(1-2): 133-162.
Werra D. (2011). Anders Högberg, Lithics in the Scandinavian Late Bronze Age. Sociotechnical change and persistence, BAR International Series 1932, Oxford 2009, 303 pp., 223 figs, 126 tabl. (review). Archaeologia Polona, 47 (2009), 296-299.
Werra D. (2011). Anders Högberg, Lithics in the Scandinavian Late Bronze Age. Sociotechnical change and persistence, BAR International Series 1932, Oxford 2009, ss. 303, tabl. 126, ryc. 223 (review). Przegląd Archeologiczny, 59: 185-194.
Werra D. (2012). Długie domy społeczności kultury ceramiki wstęgowej rytej na ziemi chełmińskiej: technika podwójnych słupów, Archeologia Polski, 57 (1-2), 113-132
Werra D. (2012). Z badań nad tzw. mątewskim komponentem kulturowym w kulturze pucharów lejkowatych na ziemi chełmińskiej. Acta Universitatis Nicolai Coprenici, Archeologia, 32, 229-252.
Oliwia G., Siuda R., Werra D.H (2014). First data of organic geochemistry of „Chocolate” flint from Holy Cross Mountains Mesozoic margin. Mineralogia. Special Papers, 42, 53-54.
Hughes R.E., Werra D.H. (2014). The source of late mesolithic obsidian recovered from Rydno XIII/1959, central Poland. Archeologia Polski, 59(1-2), 23-38.
Natuniewicz-Sekuła M., Werra D.H. (2014). Materiały krzemienne z cmentarzyska kultury wielbarskiej w Weklicach, stan. 7, pow. elbląski. Wiadomości Archeologiczne, 65, 197-210.
Grafka O., Werra D.H., Siuda R. (2015). Analysis of Organic Compounds: Applications in Archaeology and Earth Science. Litikum, 3, 26-37.
Werra D.H, Siuda R., Grafka O., Segit T. (2015). Pierwsze próby charakterystyki geochemicznej i palinologicznej krzemienia „czekoladowego” z kopalni Wierzbica „Zele”, pow. Radom. Acta Universitatis Nicolai Copernici, Archaeologia, 34, 249-270.
Brandl M., Hauzenberger Ch., Martinez M.M., Filzmoser P., Werra D.H. (2016). The Application of the Multi-Layered Chert Sourcing Approach (MLA) for the Characterisation and Differentiation of ‘Chocolate Silicites’ from the Holy Cross Mountains, South-Central Poland. Archaeologia Austriaca. Zeitschrift zur Archäologie Europas Journal on the Archaeology of Europe, 100, 119-149.
Lech J., Werra D.H. (2016). On Artefacts from the Prehistoric Mining Fields. Anthropologie. International Journal of Human Diversity and Evolution, 54(1), 21-28.
Sobkowiak-Tabaka I., Werra D.H., Hughes R.E., Siuda R. (2016). Erratic Flint from Poland: Preliminary results of petrographic and geochemical analyses. Archaeologia Polona, 54, 67-82.
Hughes R.E., Werra D.H., Siuda R. (2016). On The Chemical Composition of “Chocolate” Flint from Central Poland. Archaeologia Polona, 54, 99-114.
Natuniewicz-Sekuła M., Werra D.H. (2016). Flint artefacts from the Wielbark culture cemetery at Weklice, Site 7, Elbląg county. Journal of Lithic Studies, 3, 1-18.
Werra D.H., Małecka-Kukawka J. (2017). Use-wear analysis applied to the flints from the Wierzbica “Zele” mine (Poland). Anthropologie. International Journal of Human Diversity and Evolution, 55(1-2), 193-205.
Hughes R.H., Werra D.H., Sulgostowska Z. (2018). On the sources and uses of obsidian during the Paleolithic and Mesolithic in Poland. Quaternary International, 468, 84-100.
Parish R.M, Werra D.H. (2018). Characterizing ‘Chocolate’ Flint Using Reflectance Spectroscopy. Archaeologia Polona, 56, 89-101.
Werra D.H. (2018). Neolityczna kopalnia krzemienia w Spiennes (Belgia). Zespół pól górniczych z listy światowego dziedzictwa UNESCO. Archeologia Polski, 63, 47-98.
Lech J., Werra D.H. (2019). The flint mine site Wierzbica ʻZeleʼ (Poland) and Bronze Age workshop materials after forty years of new research (1979-2018). Anthropologica et Præhistorica, 128, 81–95.
Werra D.H., Woźny M., Brandl M., Hauzenberger Ch. (2019). History of research and flint exploitation in Zelków (South Poland) – gunflint workshop – the use and meaning of flint in modern times. Anthropologica et Præhistorica, 128, 57-69.
Sudoł-Procyk, M., Brandl, M., Krajcarz, M., Malak, M., Skrzatek, M., Stefański, D., Kieferling-Trela, E., Werra, D.H. (2021). Chocolate flint: New perspectives on its deposits, mining, use and distribution by prehistoric communities in Central Europe. Antiquity, 95 (383), E25. doi:10.15184/aqy.2021.48
Werra, D. H., Hughes R. E., Nowak, M., Vizdal, M., Gačková, L. (2021). Obsidian Source Use Within the Alföld Linear Pottery Culture in Slovakia. Sprawozdania Archeologiczne, 73 (1), 331-369. https://doi.org/10.23858/SA/73.2021.1.2615.
Sudoł-Procyk, M., Krajcarz, M., Malak, M., Werra, D. H. (2021). Preliminary characterization of the prehistoric mine of chocolate flint in Poręba Dzierżna, site 24 (Wolbrom commune, Lesser Poland voivodeship). Sprawozdania Archeologiczne, 73 (2), 109-135. https://doi.org/10.23858/SA/73.2021.2.2546
Werra, D.H, Siuda, R. (2022) The use of phosphate minerals for determination of the provenance of flint used by prehistoric communities in East-Central Europe. Quaternary International, 615, 5-17. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.quaint.2021.04.028.
Kałaska, M., Siuda, R., Sierpień, P. and Werra, D.H. (2022). Application of arsenic surveying for determining the position of former mining and metallurgical constructions: an example from the Radzimowice area (Lower Silesia, SW Poland). Archaeological and Anthropological Sciences 14, 184. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12520-022-01654-8
- Chapters in monographs:
Lech J., Adamczak K., Werra D. (2011). Extraction methods in the Bronze Age at the Wierzbica “Zele” flint mine site (Central Poland): a model. In: M. Capote, S. Consuegra, P. Díaz-del-Río, X. Terradas (eds), Proceedings of the 2nd International Conference of the UISPP Commission on Flint Mining in Pre- and Protohistoric Times, Madrid, 14-17 October 2009 (109-116). Oxford: British Archaeological Reports International Series 2260.
Werra D. (2011). Struktura społeczna a zmiana kulturowa na przykładzie zjawiska mobilności w kulturze ceramiki wstęgowej rytej. In: M. Rybicka (ed.), Obraz struktury społecznej w świetle źródeł archeologicznych w pradziejach i średniowieczu (37-49). Rzeszów.
Kurzyk K. Werra D. (2011). Neolit i wczesna epoka brązu na ziemi dobrzyńskiej w świetle aktualnych badań archeologicznych. In: XVII Sesja Pomorzoznawcza (71-88). Gdańsk.
Werra D, R. Siuda, O. Grafka, 2013. Pierwsze próby charakterystyki petrograficzno-geochemicznej krzemienia czekoladowego z kopalni Wierzbica „Zele” na tle innych skał krzemionkowych z środkowej Polski. In: Ł.A. Czyżewski (ed.), Artefakt w przestrzeni: krzemienica – skupienie – stanowisko – region; 10. Warsztaty krzemieniarskie SKAM (62). Toruń.
Lech J., D. Werra, (2013). Artefakt w przestrzeni prehistorycznych pól górniczych, In: W: Ł.A. Czyżewski (ed.), Artefakt w przestrzeni: krzemienica – skupienie – stanowisko – region; 10. Warsztaty krzemieniarskie SKAM (23-28). Toruń.
Werra D, R. Siuda, O. Grafka, (2013). First attempts to carry out a petrographic and geochemical characterization of chocolate flint from the Wierzbice “Zele” mine compared with other flint rocks from Central Poland. In: O. N. Crandell, V. Cotiugă (eds), Fifth Arheoinvest Symposium: ‘Stories Written in Stone’. International Symposium on Chert and other Knappable Materials. Iași, 20-24 August 2013. Abstracts Volume (84). Iași.
Werra, D.H, Siuda, R., Grafka, O., Hughes R.E. (2014). Chocolate flint from Central Poland in the economy of farming communities in the Neolithic and Bronze Ages – problems with correctly determining the origin of the raw material. In: J. Lech, A. Saville, X. Terradas, A. Zimmermann (eds), XVII World UISPP Congress – Abstracts Book (19). Burgos.
Lech J., Małecka-Kukawka, J., Werra, D.H. (2014). Wierzbica “Zele” (Poland): the Bronze Age flint mine in the light of new excavations. In: J. Lech, A. Saville, X. Terradas, A. Zimmermann (eds), XVII World UISPP Congress – Abstracts Book (21). Burgos.
Lech J., Piotrowska D., Werra D.H. (2015). Between economy and symbol: flint in the Bronze Age in East Central Europe. In: P. Suchowska-Ducke, S. Scott Reiter, H. Vandkilde (eds), Forging Identities. The Mobility of Culture in Bronze Age Europe Report from a Marie Curie project 2009-2012 with concluding conference at Aarhus University, Moesgaard 2012, Volume 1 (221-229). Oxford: Archaeopress.
Werra D.H., Siuda R. (2015). The mineral composition of 'chocolate' flint compared to other varieties of chert from Central and Southern Poland used by prehistoric communities. In: X. Mangado, O. Crandell, M. Sánchez, M. Cubero (eds), International Symposium on Knappable Materials ‘On the Rocks’. Barcelona 7–11 September 2015. Abstracts (128). Barcelona: University of Barcelona.
Werra D.H., Sobkowiak-Tabaka I. (2017). Elementy kultury bukowogórskiej na Nizinie Polskiej – aspekt teoretyczny. In: A. Marciniak-Kajzer, A. Andrzejewski, A. Golański, S. Rzepecki, M. Wąs (eds), Nie tylko krzemienie/Not only flints. Studia ofiarowane prof. Lucynie Domańskiej w 45-lecie pracy naukowo-dydaktycznej i w 70. Rocznicę urodzin (237-247). Łódź.
Lech J., Werra D.H. (2018). On the beginnings of prehistory and on chipped flints in the Late Bronze Age. In: P. Valde-Nowak, K. Sobczyk, M. Nowak, J. Źrałka (eds), Amici magistro et collegae suo Ioanni Christopho Kozłowski dedicant (577-584). Kraków.
Werra D.H., Siuda R., Małecka-Kukawka J. (2018). A Danubian raw material exchange network: a case study from Chełmno Land (Poland). In: D.H. Werra, M. Woźny (eds), Between history and archaeology. Papers in honour of Jacek Lech (211-224). Oxford: Archaeopress Archaeology.
Werra D.H. (2018). Krzemień czekoladowy. In: K. Kerneder-Gubała (ed.), Orońskie Kopalnie Krzemienia Czekoladowego Skarb Społeczności Epoki Kamienia (39-45). Orońsko-Warszawa.
Werra, D.H. (2019). Investigation of the sources and uses of obsidian during the Neolithic in Poland – preliminary review. In: A. Markó, K. Szilágyi, K.T. Biró (eds), International Obsidian Conference 2019 27–29 May 2019, Sárospatak (Hungary), Program, Abstracts, Field Guide, (71). Budapest: Hungarian National Museum.
Werra, D.H., Kerneder-Gubała, K. (2021). ‘Chocolate’ flint mining from Final Palaeolithic up to Early Iron Age – a review. In: F. Bostyn, F. Giligny, P. Topping (eds), From Mine to User: Production and Procurement Systems of Siliceous Rocks in the European Neolithic and Bronze Age. Proceedings of the XVIII UISPP World Congress (4-9 June 2018, Paris, France). Volume 10. Session XXXIII-1&2 (42-56). Oxford: Archaeopress Archaeology.
Werra, D.H., Woźny, M. and Trela-Kieferling, E. (2022) The investigations of obsidian in Poland – the beginning. In: Walking Among Ancient Trees. Studies in Honour of Ryszard Grygiel and Peter Bogucki. M. Grygiel and P. Obst (eds), 521-532. Łodź: Wydawnictwo Fundacji Badań Archeologicznych Imienia Profesora Konrada Jażdżewskiego No. 31, Łódź 2022: Fundacja Badań Archeologicznych Imienia Profesora Konrada Jażdżewskiego and Muzeum Archeologiczne i Etnograficzne w Łodzi (alternatively Profil-Archeo Publishing House), ISBN 978-83-948140-9-0.
Werra, D.H. (2022) VI.1. Epoka kamienia. In: Miejsce, które rodziło władzę. Gród z początków wczesnego średniowiecza w Pasymiu na Pojezierzu Mazurski, S. Wadyl (ed.), Warszawa, 79-81. Wydział Archeologii Uniwersytetu Warszawskiego, „Varia” Fundacja Nauk Humanistycznych Uniwersytetu Warszawskiego.
- Editor of monographs:
Werra D.H., Woźny M. (eds). (2018). Between history and archaeology. Papers in honour of Jacek Lech. Oxford: Archaeopress Archaeology.