Archaeologists find a sweet surprise below an ice cream shop: A medieval knight

Time of India

4 days ago

Image credits: X
The coolest treat this summer was received by the archaeologists in Poland, who found a sweet surprise under the site of a former ice cream shop. Researchers with the company ArcheoScan unearthed a skeleton of a medieval knight under a street corner in Gdańsk, Poland, in early July.
They were digging at a site which was a former ice cream parlor named Miś, when they discovered a 700-year-old Gotland limestone tombstone engraved with the image of a knight in armor holding a shield. As per a translated news release from Poland's national heritage agency, early estimates dated the stone back to the 13th and 14th centuries.
But that wasn't all. Just two days later, the researchers uncovered the knight's entire skeleton about five inches below the tombstone.
The knight was about 40 years old at the time of death and measured about 5 feet and 7 inches tall, said anthropologist Aleksandra Pudlo from the Archaeological Museum in a post on the official Gdańsk website. The knight's bones were found in what the researchers believe is a medieval cemetery with nearly 300 other graves.
"I can initially say that he was a man of strong build, over 40 years old. His height was approximately 170 centimeters, maybe more.
by Taboola
by Taboola
Sponsored Links
Sponsored Links
Promoted Links
Promoted Links
You May Like
Sulaymaniyah: Unsold Furniture Liquidation 2024 (Prices May Surprise You)
Unsold Furniture | Search Ads
Learn More
Undo
In the Middle Ages, this was the average height for men in Gdańsk; women were on average 10 centimeters shorter. We will know more about the skeleton from this grave after conducting a thorough examination," explained Pudlo.
According to the evidence, only eight of the 300 graves were covered with tombstones, which means that those were of the individuals who held important roles in the society of that time.
Image credits: X
The archaeological site was previously an ice cream shop that opened in 1962 and has since moved to another location.
Not only a knight's skeleton, but also other discoveries such as remains of small cottages from the 12th and 13th centuries and a wooden church from 1140, believed to be the oldest in Gdańsk, have also been found at the site.
According to the evidence, only eight of the 300 graves were covered with tombstones, which means that those were of the individuals who held important roles in the society of that time.
Researchers will make use of 3D software to examine the tombstone, and archaeologists may try to reconstruct the object.
While further research is required to determine the origins of the knight and the site, Pudlo shared that if all goes well, they could have the information by next year.
Gdańsk was captured by the Teutonic Knights in the autumn of 1308, and the origin of the knight will determine if he served the Pomeranian dukes of the Sobieslaw dynasty or the Order of the Hospital of the Blessed Virgin Mary of the German House in Jerusalem.