3,500-year-old treasures found in rare discovery made by metal detectorist in Poland
Equipped with a metal detector, Denis Konkol trekked through a forest in Poland, scanning the ground. That’s when his detector picked up on something — and Konkol unearthed a trove of ancient treasure just inches beneath the ground’s surface.
The history enthusiast had discovered five axes dating to the Bronze Age, according to a Nov. 27 Facebook post from the Starogard Forest District. Experts dated the weapons to approximately 3,500 years ago and said they were likely used for chopping wood or fighting.
Officials said the axes were in surprisingly good condition, calling Konkol’s find a “sensacyjne odkrycie,” which translates to “a sensational discovery.”
After Konkol discovered the axes, archaeologists conducted a full excavation to remove the weapons from the ground, Igor Strzok, the Pomeranian provincial conservator of monuments, told Science in Poland, a subset of the national news agency, according to a Dec. 5 post.
The axes were only about 8 to 12 inches deep in the soil.
The discovery is rare for the area, Strzok told the outlet.
Experts think the axes were placed in the ground on purpose, likely as a trade- or sacrifice-related deposit, experts said in the post. The weapons could be related to Baltic culture.
Strzok said similar discoveries have been made, but its been nearly 20 years since a weapon or tool like the axes has been discovered, according to Science in Poland.
The Starogard Forest District said that archaeologists also located an approximately 2,000-year-old “fibula” — which is similar to a brooch or pin — that was likely used to fasten clothes. These artifacts, given as gifts, were a testament to the owner’s wealth.
The forest is about 160 miles northwest of Warsaw.
Facebook was used to translate a post from the Starogard Forest District. Google Translate was used to translate a post from Science in Poland.
This story was originally published December 5, 2023 at 9:37 AM with the headline "3,500-year-old treasures found in rare discovery made by metal detectorist in Poland."
