Archaeological discoveries show that the
first settlements in the area of present day Białystok occurred during the
Stone Age. Tombs of ancient settlers can be found in the district of Dojlidy.
In the early Iron Age a mix of Prussians, Yotvingians and Wielbark culture
people settled in the area producing kurgans, the tombs of the chiefs in the
area located in the current village of Rostołty. Since then, the Białystok area
has been at the crossroads of cultures. Trade routes linking the Baltic to the
Black Sea favored the development of settlements with
Yotvingia-Ruthenian-Polish cultural
