Two knight keeps in the vicinity of Gliwice (Southern Poland), in Pniów and in Stare Tarnowice have been studied by archaeologists from the Museum in Gliwice. The sites are two of a few dozen mounds in the Upper Silesia region that are considered by archaeologists being relics of motte type keeps of local knights, erected in the period of 13th-15th cent.

The the team of archaeologists, lead by Radosław Zdaniewicz of the Museum conducted non-invasive research with the use of magnetometers – carried out by an archaeological geophys team from Warsaw consisting of  Piotr Wroniecki, Marcin Jaworski and Stanisław Rzeźnik. Numerous anomalies were registered, some of which that could be attributed to possible remains of ramparts, moat, palisade and accumulations of material connected with human occupation in the past.

Motte type keeps in Middle Ages were a place where a knight with his family lived and executed reign over possessed lands. Yet, not much is known about the knights residing in the vicinity of Gliwice as only one knight’s name, of Piotr de Tarnowitz (residing in Tarnowice) is known.

(after Nauka w Polsce & Geoportal.gov.pl)