Archaeological, radiocarbon and luminescence dating of a lime kiln from Zaborów in Mazovian Centre of Metallurgy (Central Poland)

Abstract The Mazovian Centre of Metallurgy (Central Poland) represents one of the largest Iron Age iron-smelting regions in the Barbaricum, yet the chronology of associated lime production remains poorly understood. This paper presents a comprehensive archaeological, radiocarbon, and luminescence study of a lime kiln from the production settlement at Zaborów (site V/22), providing one of the most thoroughly dated Iron Age lime kilns in Europe. The kiln was investigated through pottery typology, anthracological identification of charcoal, eleven 14 C measurements, and four OSL determinations of structural daub and pottery. Archaeological evidence, dominated by Przeworsk culture ceramics, suggests a date in the late pre-Roman to early Roman period. Radiocarbon results reveal two distinct chronological groups: an older cluster dating to the 4th–3rd centuries BCE and a younger one spanning the 2nd century BCE to the early 1st century CE. The older dates are interpreted as residual material redeposited from an earlier Jastorf culture metallurgical phase in the immediate vicinity. Luminescence dating of the kiln’s structural elements yields a weighted mean age of 2.08 ± 0.08 ka, corresponding to approximately the 3rd century BCE to 1st century BCE. The convergence of OSL and archaeological data indicates that the lime kiln was constructed and operated during the Przeworsk cultural horizon. This study demonstrates the necessity of multi-method dating strategies for complex, multi-layered settlement contexts and significantly refines the chronological framework for Iron Age lime production in Central Europe.