History buff makes ‘once in a decade’ find with Battle of Grunwald sword discovery
A history buff and treasure hunter has made a “once in a decade” find after he unearthed a sword, its scabbard and a knight's belt with two knives attached to it, which probably date back to the historic 1410 Battle of Grunwald.
The Office of the Warminsko-Mazurskie Province Governor told PAP on Thursday that "such a find happens once in a decade."
After finding the weapons near the north-eastern town of Olsztyn, Aleksander Miedwiedew gave his discovery to the regional governor, who in turn transferred it to the Battle of Grunwald Museum.
Speaking about his find, treasure hunter Aleksander Miedwiedew said: “It's a phenomenal set in the form of a sword, scabbard, belt and two knives.”
The Office of the Warminsko-Mazurskie Province Governor told PAP on Thursday that "such a find happens once in a decade."
Speaking about his find, Miedwiedew said: “It's a phenomenal set in the form of a sword, scabbard, belt and two knives.
One of the key events in Polish history, Grunwald saw a combined Polish-Lithuanian army defeat the forces of the German-Prussian Teutonic Knights and shifted the balance of power in Central and Eastern Europe, marking the rise of the Polish–Lithuanian union as the dominant political and military force in the region.
"Taking into account that these relics come from the turn of the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries, and have therefore been in the ground for about 600 years, they are preserved in an extremely good state," he continued, adding that in their day the artefacts would have been valuable items, equivalent to the price of a family car today.
The exact location where the weapons were found has not been disclosed as preparations are underway to conduct archaeological work on the site, Szymon Drej, the director of Battle of Grunwald Museum Director explained.
Teutonic Knights present Grunwald Swords to King Władysław II Jagiełło (painting by Wojciech Kossak).
He said: "It is puzzling that no one appropriated these items, which were very valuable at the time."
One of the key events in Polish history, Grunwald saw a combined Polish-Lithuanian army defeat the forces of the German-Prussian Teutonic Knights and shifted the balance of power in Central and Eastern Europe, marking the rise of the Polish–Lithuanian union as the dominant political and military force in the region.
The weapons will now undergo conservation and research work while researchers investigate who they belonged to.
Drej said: "The set of weapons will now undergo conservation and research work. We have certain theories about the social status of the sword's medieval owner and we are curious what lies beneath the layers of rust."
This is not Miedwiedew’s first sensational find. Last year he found two superbly preserved battle axes during archaeological work that has been going on for years at the site of the Battle of Grunwald.
