Archaeologists in Gdańsk, Polandhave discovered a remarkable medieval tomb under a modern ice cream store, revealing new perspectives on the first history of the city. Depending on the reports of MechanicalThe discovery includes a sculpted limestone slab representing a knight in complete armor alongside a well -preserved male skeleton. Preliminary meetings suggest that the burial comes from the end of the 13th or early 14th century, a period coinciding with the rise Teutonic knights in the region. The tombs presenting the resemblance of the deceased were rare in medieval Poland, which makes this discovery particularly important. The location of the tomb in the historic center of the city – an old bastion with a castle, a church and a cemetery – highlights its importance in understanding the lives and burials of the elite of Gdańsk.
A rare carved limestone slab
The most striking feature of the tomb is a large limestone slab Complex cross with the image of a knight. “We discovered a large sculpted limestone tomb with the image of a knight in the chain of the chain”, “,” Sylwia KurzyńskaArchaeologist with Archaeoscan Who co-produced the excavation, said Live science in an email. The representation is unusual for the period, because “only a few featured images of the deceased,” she said. Measuring about 59 inches (150 centimeters) in length and made from limestone imported from Gotland, in Sweden, the slab shows a man standing in the armor position, holding a sword and a shield. The level of detail surprised the researchers, given the gentle nature of the limestone and the centuries where it has remained buried.
Exceptional conservation of the tomb
“Since it was made of sweet limestone and was buried for centuries,” said Kurzyńska, “the preservation of the slab is remarkable – sculpture, armor and shield are still well defined.” The survival of the tombstone offers a rare opportunity to study medieval crafts and funeral art in Poland. The combination of detailed armor, sword and shield indicates that the commemorated knight was high social status. The discovery also underlines the level of competence required to produce such a sustainable and realistic representation in soft limestone.
Skeleton and social status
Under the carved slab, archaeologists discovered a well -preserved male skeleton. “All the evidence suggests that the commemorated person was of a high social level, most likely a knight or someone who has a military function,” said Kurzyńska. While the burial coincides with the period when the Teutonic knights were active in the region, no registration or symbol was found to definitively link man to order. The absence of serious goods can reflect either a cultural practice or the specific status of the individual within medieval society.
Current research and facial reconstruction
The researchers began a detailed study both on the tomb slab and the skeleton. High -resolution 3D scanning is used to document and preserve complex sculpture, while the chemical and genetic analysis of the bones aims to reveal more about the identity and way of life of the knight. “We also plan to create a facial reconstruction based on the skull,” said Kurzyńska, to determine what the knight, which the public has nicknamed the “Gdańsk LancelotMaybe in life. These analyzes promise to provide unprecedented information on the appearance, health and social role of a medieval Polish knight.
An overview of the medieval past of Gdańsk
The discovery of the Knight’s grave offers a rare link to The early history of GdańskIlluminating the lives and burials of the city’s medieval elite. The discovery demonstrates the value of archaeological work even in modern urban environments, showing how centuries in history can be hidden under daily structures. While the analysis continues, the tomb and its occupant can reveal a lot about the social, military and artistic practices of Polish in the 13th and 14th centuries, providing a tangible link with a period of training in the development of the city.