Development of the cultural landscape of the mountains and foothills in the Western Sudetes in the pre-industrial period. Adaptation of settlement and economy to natural conditions
Abstract
The aim of the study was the reconstruction of the cultural landscape of mountains and foothills in conditions typical for Central and Eastern Europe and its development from the Middle Ages to the time of industrialization. The Western Sudetes in Lower Silesia in Poland was selected as a representative area.
The research effort was focused on describing the relationship between man and the natural environment and the characteristics that make settlement and the economy difficult. As a result, a model of a mountain region composed of complementary functional elements was shown, which included the following: castles and noble mansions, cities, villages, centers of mining and glass production, and relics of law enforcement.
Over the course of several centuries, an original natural and cultural structure was formed, distant from political and economic centers. Its individual features were shaped by continuous adaptation to the conditions of mountains and foothills, combining agriculture with mining and glassmaking.