Korycizna is a prehistoric mining field and part of the UNESCO World Heritage property “Krzemionki Prehistoric Striped Flint Mining Region.” The site therefore combines a specific archaeological destination with its place in a larger World Heritage ensemble. When planning your trip, you’ll want to consider not only the mining field itself, but also its role in the wider regional context.

Korycizna in the UNESCO ensemble

The World Heritage property comprises four components: the main Krzemionki Opatowskie mining field, the smaller mining fields of Borownia and Korycizna, and the permanent prehistoric mining settlement of Gawroniec. Korycizna is therefore one of several elements of the overall area; the UNESCO designation applies to the property as a whole. Gawroniec adds a settlement context to the mining fields: the settlement received semifinished flint axe-blade blanks from the mines, which were finished and polished there before being distributed. Thus, the World Heritage ensemble includes not only mining fields but also a permanent prehistoric settlement and the further working of the blades.

A mining field with a visible history

A prehistoric flint mine existed in the present-day area of Korycizna more than 4,000 years ago. Exploitation of the mining field dates to the Early Bronze Age, around 2300 to 1600 BC. The reference to more than 4,000 years ago applies to the mine in the present-day area; the period from 2300 to 1600 BC places the exploitation of the mining field in context. At the site’s surface, a very well-preserved prehistoric mining landscape is visible, with distinct shaft depressions, pits, and the spoil heaps surrounding them. The largest shaft depressions measure up to 15 metres in diameter; numerous remains of above-ground flint workshops have also been preserved.

Location and protection

Korycizna is now one of three parts of Śródborze and was formerly an independent village. Śródborze is surrounded by forests and lies on the boundary between Wysoczyzna Opatowska and Wyżyna Iłżecka. The Korycizna component of the World Heritage property is covered by a protection plan. A buffer zone has been designated in the cadastral areas of Wojciechówka and Śródborze in the municipality of Ożarów, and Łysowody in the municipality of Ćmielów.

Planning a trip along the mining trail

The striped flint mining trail runs east from Borownia into the dry Korycizna Valley and reaches the Korycizna mining field at the edge of the valley, in the Śródborze part of the village. In the wider travel region, the trail passes through the UNESCO World Heritage property. Your planning can therefore take account of two points of reference: the specific destination at the mining field and the route through a regional World Heritage area. If you plan to include the trail, check its current route and visiting conditions in advance.

If you’re looking for a holiday apartment for a stay focused on cultural history, you can weigh up Korycizna using these two criteria. Are you mainly interested in the archaeological traces at the mining field, or would you also like to include the mining trail in your plans?

For the broader travel overview: Ćmielów.