Czy Piekiełko koło Tomaszowa Lubelskiego jest stanowiskiem archeologicznym? Wyniki badań geologicznych, archiwalnych i archeologicznych

The geological reserve of Piekiełko (Tomaszów Lubelski district, Lublin voivodeship, Poland) was established in 1962 to protect the sandstone boulders untypical of this region. There are anthropogenic earthen ramparts in their immediate vicinity. The presence of the ramparts and boulders contributed to the recognition of this place as an archaeological site – an immovable archaeological monument. Owing to local legends and its peculiar folk name (Piekiełko means “little hell”), scientific monographs and heritage tourism have regarded Piekiełko as a prehistoric or medieval place of worship. However, despite the distinctive land relief and a prominent place in local tradition, Piekiełko has never been subject to in-depth archaeological research. As a result, we could only have speculated on the original function of the ramparts, their chronology, cultural affiliation, and potential relation to the boulders. This paper addresses the need to determine the history of Piekiełko and systematize the history of research concerning this place. It presents the results of interdisciplinary research using geological and archaeological methods, complemented by analysis of archival sources: written, cartographic, and iconographic.