Oldest time capsule in the WORLD found hidden in church spire
The world's oldest time capsule has been discovered in the small western town of Wschowa.
The capsule, which is made of copper and dates back to 1726, was found brimming with treasures in the sphere of the tower at the Church of St. Stanislaus the Bishop and Martyr during renovations.
The main casket has the date 1726 clearly stamped on it and contains four packages.
The original package from 1726 and three others which were added in 1786, 1884 and 1914.
The slice of history, the discovery of which was announced on Wednesday, is made up of two caskets.
The main one has the date 1726 clearly stamped on it and contains four packages, the original from 1726 and three others which were added in 1786, 1884 and 1914.
In addition to coins, medals, and documents,there was also a letter from the town council of Fraustadt, which was the name of Wschowa from the time of the partitions up until it became part of Poland after WWII.
According to information provided by the Wschowa Museum, the capsule is 35 years older than the one that still sits in the weather vane in Faneuil Hall in Boston, USA, dating back to 1761, thereby making the Wschowa officially the oldest ever time capsule to have been discovered.
It also beats the previous earliest time capsule in Europe, which was discovered in Ziębice, Lower Silesia, in 2020 and dates back to 1797.
As the casket was carefully opened, it became evident that a small-caliber lead bullet had once pierced its bottom, causing damage to some of the precious documents contained within.
The opening of the portal into the past revealed an array of artefacts, including coins, medals, and documents, as well as a letter from the town council of Fraustadt, which was the name of Wschowa from the time of the partitions up until it became part of Poland after WWII.
The smaller of the caskets contained coins from the 18th and 19th centuries, wrapped in newspapers.
Intriguingly, as the casket was carefully opened, it became evident that a small-caliber lead bullet had once pierced its bottom, causing damage to some of the precious documents contained within.
The smaller of the caskets contained coins from the 18th and 19th centuries, wrapped in newspapers.
To decipher the cryptic Latin letter enclosed within the primary casket, the Wschowa Museum enlisted the expertise of Zdzisław Koczarski from Jagiellonian University.
To decipher the cryptic Latin letter enclosed within the primary casket, the Wschowa Museum enlisted the expertise of Zdzisław Koczarski from Jagiellonian University.
The letter chronicles a devastating fire that engulfed the town, reducing the church to ashes.
The letter chronicles a devastating fire that engulfed the town, reducing the church to ashes.
It was first mentioned in historical records in 1136 and received its town charter in the 13th century. Wschowa was a prosperous town in the Middle Ages, and it was one of the largest centres of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth in the 16th and 17th centuries.
Wschowa belonged to Poland for most of its history, but it was also under the rule of other countries at different times.
According to the Wschowa Museum, the capsule is 35 years older than the one that sits in the weather vane in Faneuil Hall in Boston, USA, dating back to 1761 and it also beats the previous earliest time capsule in Europe, which was discovered in Ziębice, Lower Silesia, in 2020 and dates back to 1797.
In the 18th century, Wschowa was annexed by Prussia, and it remained part of the German Empire until the end of World War I. After the war, Wschowa was returned to Poland.
To read more about the oldest time capsule in Europe discovered in Ziębice, Lower Silesia, in 2020 click HERE.
