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A. Kanecki

bridges was regulated by laws issued by the prince of the land (Gbger 1972).

The development of trade, both domestic and between different natbns, depended to a large degree upon the condition of roads and bridges. ^r''hat is why the authorities took care to maintain them in a good state.

While in the early days the passages through wetlands were paved mly with wood, they later took the form of dikes filled with sand, reinftrced and interlaid with wood and, still later, were paved with stones ("...A like between the lakes paved with cobble-stones, further with fascines, ditc.ied, bordered with trees ..." — Góralski 1959). Some of them, even in the Miidle Ages, were constructions of impressive sizes. A 25 km road embankraent running from Głuszyna near Poznań along the Kórnik—Zaniemyśl Lakes gully up to the Warta could serve as an example. In 1331 a battle "vith troops of the Teutonic Order, recorded by Jan Długosz (1961-1985), was fought in its vicinity.

Crossing of wetlands reąuired the preparation of a "bridge", a dike or a paved ford. Names of towns, such as Brodnica, Brody, Bródek, Bródno, Eiały Bród, etc. indicate the past existence of nearby fords, most often paved with wood.

Apart from wooden platforms one can distinguish:

—    communication dikes in the form of embankments, built across river valleys, ranging from less than 100 m to over 4000 m in length, e.g. the dike in Międzyrzecz or dikes Crossing the Noteć river valley, 6—7 metres wide,

—    flood protection dikes in Poznań and Skwierzyna ("... the dam along the river is 260 metres long and 6.5 m wide" — Góralski 1959),

—    dikes leading to water mills, usually short structures, running across marshes,

—    dikes located by ponds,

—    dams impounding river waters in order to extend the operating capacity of water mills.

Along with the development of trade, the problem of maintaining the main routes in good condition acąuired increasing significance. As early as in 1569, the Polish Parliament (Sejm) appointed special officers responsible for inspecting roads and passages. At that time the first survey of all the roads and highways in Poland was carried out and bridge and dike toll rates were inspected.

The inspection carried out in 1767 showed that practically all river valleys had been provided with communication dikes, i.e. with road embankments, in order to maintain the continuity of traffic (ibidem). Sometimes even smali valleys e.g. the Samica river valley (near Stęszew) were crossed with at least three communication dikes. They hindered the outflow of water from the valley and thus madę them morę marshy. One can assume that such dikes already existed in the Middle Ages. Through the centuries they were maintained in a good state in order to preserve the continuity of traffic along the main communication routes.