PhD Paweł Litwinienko

Underwater archaeologist, since 2016 a member of the Underwater Archaeology Department diver’s team at the National Maritime Museum in Gdańsk, since 2026 a faculty member of the Institute of Archaeology in the University of Gdańsk. Connected to maritime history, sailing and diving since the earliest years of his life. As a commercial diver and underwater works supervisor he’s actively engaged in underwater archaeological research conducted by the NMM. His scientific research focuses on the history of shipping and shipbuilding, including the implementation of digital methods for documentation and reconstruction of historical ships, a main topic of his doctoral thesis, defended at the University of Gdańsk in 2026.

Title: When the Sun set at noon. Solen and the Battle of Oliwa in 1627

On November 28, 1627, the Polish royal fleet under the command of Admiral Arendt Dickmann defeated the Swedish squadron on the roadsted of the port of Gdańsk. This confrontation went down in history as the Battle of Oliwa, and next year we will celebrate its 400th anniversary. During the battle, the Swedish ship Solen was sunk, the wreck of which was discovered in 1969. Since the 1970s, archaeological underwater research on the wreck has been carried out by the National Maritime Museum in Gdańsk. We will tell you about underwater research on the wreck, the Polish and Swedish fleets, ships and tactics of naval combat, navigation and the everyday life of sailors in the 17th century.