Wczesnośredniowieczne grody nad Chodelką i ich zaplecze osadnicze

In the Valley of the Chodelka River (tributary of the Vistula River) located in the west part of the Lublin region, in close proximity to each other four early medieval strongholds, dated for 8–12th c. are located. The largest of them is located in the village of Chodlik, Karczmiska municipality, founded in 8th c. It is one of the largest and oldest early Slavic defensive for¬tifications in Poland. In its immediate vicinity smaller strongholds were built in 8–10th c. in Żmijowiska and Kłodnica, Wilkow municipality. The last one, most likely performing the function of a watchtower castle in Podgórze, Wilków municipality is located on a high Vistula escarpment at the mouth of the Chodelka River. The article discusses issues related to the construction and support base of stronglods in Chodelka River basin, their functions and mutual connections. An attempt was made to reconstruct the settlement transforma¬tions that took place in the region in the early Middle Ages.