Archaeologists Discover Mysterious Medieval Knight Buried Beneath an Ice Cream Parlor in Poland
The well-preserved skeleton was buried under a rare limestone tombstone, which suggests the individual may have been an important member of Gdańsk society during the Middle Ages
Archaeologists have discovered the complete skeleton of a mysterious medieval knight under a former ice cream parlor in Poland.
Researchers found the well-preserved remains in the city of Gdańsk, a popular tourist destination located on the Baltic coast in northern Poland.
They were excavating the site of an ice cream shop that had operated there since 1962 but had recently moved to a new location, reports Tim Newcomb for Popular Mechanics. The plot had been sold to developers, who were required to bring in archaeologists before they could start construction. The 10,700-square-foot rectangular property is bordered by three streets in Gdańsk’s historic city center, according to a statement from the city.
Fun fact: Gdańsk is known as the “world capital of amber”
The Amber Museum and International Amber Association are located in the Polish city, which also hosts the annual World Amber Council.
Researchers with ArcheoScan, a Polish archaeology company, have been excavating the site since 2023. Last year, they unearthed the remains of a large wooden church built in the shape of a Greek cross. Archaeologists suspect it was built in 1140, which would make it the oldest known church in all of Gdańsk.
They’ve also discovered small cottages that date to the 12th and 13th centuries, as well as a medieval cemetery with nearly 300 graves. Eight of those graves were covered with stone tombstones, which suggests the individuals buried there were elite members of Gdańsk society.
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One of the tombstones, found on July 8, featured a carving of a knight wearing a helmet and chain mail and carrying a shield and sword. Researchers suspect it was made of limestone that came from the Swedish island of Gotland at some point during the 13th or 14th centuries.
“The tombstone is surprisingly well-preserved, considering it was made from soft limestone and buried for centuries,” an ArcheoScan spokesperson tells Fox News Digital’s Andrea Margolis, adding that tombstones like this were “very rare in Poland at the time and were typically made for important people.”
Beneath the slab, archaeologists found a human skeleton surrounded by 23 field stones that had been arranged to form a rectangle, according to the statement from the city of Gdańsk. Based on the remains, archaeologists suspect the man was probably at least 40 years old. He had a strong build and probably stood between 5 feet 6 inches and 5 feet 9 inches tall—which was about average for men living in Gdańsk during the Middle Ages, according to the statement.
“Although no grave goods were found, all available evidence suggests that the deceased was a person of high social standing—most likely a knight or commander held in particularly high esteem and respect,” archaeologist Sylwia Kurzyńska, the director of ArcheoScan, says in a statement shared with CNN’s Jack Guy.
For now, the knight’s identity remains a mystery. But researchers hope the tombstone and skeleton will offer up more clues about who the man was.
The tombstone, which was cracked, was taken in four pieces to the Archaeological Museum in Gdańsk, where experts are now working to conserve it. Moving forward, they hope to create a 3D model of the slab and conduct additional analyses to learn even more.
Researchers also plan to conduct a thorough examination of the skeleton, and they hope to share more information about the man next year.
