Polski
The Kamienna River is not called the most industrious Polish river for nothing. This is evidenced by the impressive industrial plants built here in the nineteenth century, which you can visit, for example, in the nearby Skarżysko-Kamienna, Wąchock or Starachowice.
Although it is hard to believe today, the industrial history of the Kamienna Valley dates back to the Stone Age. In an approximately 10-kilometer section, from the eastern borders of Skarżysko-Kamienna to the vicinity of St. Roch in Wąchock, researchers found traces of industrial settlement concentrated around a prehistoric mine.
Today, the area is known as the Rydno Archaeological Reserve. You won't find this strange name in dictionaries. It was proposed by Professor Stefan Krukowski - a Palaeolithic expert and researcher who discovered the prehistoric mine. It is supposed to refer to the words: ore, to engrave, spade. These words hint at what they were doing and what the former inhabitants of these areas were looking for. On the dunes on both sides of the river, there are remains of old settlements concentrated around the hematite mine. It is a mineral whose modern Greek name (hamea) clearly indicates its color - "bloody", "red".
Hematite in the form of a powder was used as a dye - a symbol of life, strength and health. In the Stone Age, it was an extremely valuable commodity, for which it was worth visiting the Kamienna river for several dozen kilometers. Obtaining hematite is not the only specialty of the inhabitants of Rydno. They were also able to process flint, which they obtained from distant, for those times, mines located in the vicinity of modern Orońsko, Wierzbica and Iłża.
Today, in the landscape of the Kamienna valley, it is difficult to see traces of the old industry without specialized archaeological knowledge. The archaeological picnic organized here every year is sure to catch your imagination. For a few days, Rydno turns into a lively settlement that recreates the life of prehistoric settlers down to the last detail.
