Ancient weapons linked to legendary medieval rulers found in lake near royal stronghold

Archaeologists precocious retrieved aboriginal medieval weapons from a water successful Poland — relics believed to beryllium connected to the country's archetypal rulers.

The Museum of the First Piasts astatine Lednica announced the find successful a Facebook station connected Nov. 12. The underwater excavation took spot astatine Lake Lednica, successful west-central Poland, immoderate 150 miles westbound of Warsaw. 

The water surrounds Ostrów Lednicki, an land that served arsenic a monolithic royal stronghold successful the precocious 10th century.

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Over the years, excavators person recovered astir 280 artifacts successful the lake, including 145 axes, 64 spearheads and 8 swords — and, astir recently, 4 spears.

Researchers from Nicolaus Copernicus University successful Toruń, successful collaboration with the Museum of the First Piasts astatine Lednica, recovered the spears. 

The weapons day to the epoch of Mieszko I and Bolesław the Brave, pivotal figures successful medieval Poland's rise. (De Agostini via Getty Images; M. Trzciński, Muzeum Pierwszych Piastów na Lednicy via Facebook)

The weapons day backmost to the clip of Mieszko I and Bolesław the Brave, 2 legendary figures successful the enactment of medieval Poland.

Speaking to Fox News Digital, depository manager Andrzej Kowalczyk said Lake Lednica has "surpris[ed] scientists for decades" — and that the weapons adhd to the site’s enduring mystery.

"Decorated socketed spearheads are exceptional examples of aboriginal medieval weaponry successful Northern and Eastern Europe," helium said.

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"Three akin examples were recovered successful the 1990s successful the waters of Lake Lednica. However, nary finds truthful richly adorned — with a socket made wholly of colored metallic alloys — had been discovered until now."

The elaborate decorations connected the weapons, arsenic good arsenic the precious metals they were made from, suggest "high-born warrior[s]" could person utilized them, Kowalczyk said.

Similar spears were recovered successful the 1990s, but nary arsenic richly adorned arsenic those discovered now, said experts.  (M. Popek, Muzeum Pierwszych Piastów na Lednicy via Facebook)

The artifacts "add caller elements to the largest postulation of aboriginal medieval weaponry successful Europe recovered astatine a azygous archaeological site," helium added.

The astir breathtaking find, Kowalczyk said, was the "princely spear" that was exceptionally well-preserved.

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"The alloy blade, oregon leaf, is acceptable successful an intricately ornamented socket, which inactive contains a fragment of the shaft," helium said.

"Specialized studies person shown that overmuch of its aboveground is covered with gold, metallic and bronze, arsenic good arsenic different metallic alloys. … There are besides interlace designs whose crisp ends lucifer claws oregon beaks, complemented by rows of tiny dots forming the inheritance of the pattern."

Excavators person retrieved hundreds of weapons from the lake, including 145 axes and much than 60 spearheads. (M. Trzciński, Muzeum Pierwszych Piastów na Lednicy via Facebook)

As to wherefore the weapons were near successful the lake, experts accidental determination are 2 main hypotheses.

In the archetypal theory, archaeologists deliberation the weapons fell successful the water during battles implicit the Lednica stronghold, apt during the 1030s, erstwhile Czech Duke Bretislaus invaded Poland.

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On the different hand, the weapons whitethorn person been ritually placed successful the h2o arsenic offerings, the depository said — adjacent arsenic Christianization was underway.

"Such practices are known from earlier periods and galore places crossed Europe," said Kowalczyk. 

"Water was perceived arsenic a gateway to the satellite of the dead, and throwing invaluable objects into it was an enactment of heavy symbolic meaning," said a depository director.  (M Trzciński, Muzeum Pierwszych Piastów na Lednicy via Facebook)

"Water was perceived arsenic a gateway to the satellite of the dead, and throwing invaluable objects into it was an enactment of heavy symbolic meaning."

Kowalczyk emphasized the peculiar value that Ostrów Lednicki holds successful Polish past — including being the tract wherever Mieszko I was apt baptized.

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"It should beryllium emphasized that it was connected Ostrów Lednicki that the oldest Christian liturgical objects ever recovered successful Poland were discovered — including a staurotheke (a reliquary of the True Cross), a liturgical comb made of ivory, a three-armed robust censer with holes for suspension and bony plaques from a reliquary chest," helium said.