(CNN) — Researchers have uncovered the remnants of amedievalknight, entombed beneath a covered ice cream shop in the Polish city of Gdansk.
Experts have been conducting work at the site in the historic Śródmieście (city center) neighborhood since 2023, and initially discovered a medieval tombstone featuring a carved depiction of a knight, as stated in a report from the Polish archaeological company ArcheoScan, which was sent to CNN on Tuesday.
The gravestone was moved earlier in July, exposing the full skeleton of an adult man, believed to have lived during the 13th or 14th century.
The discovery is considered “of exceptional importance” and “one of the most significant archaeological finds in Poland in recent years,” said Sylwia Kurzyńska, an archaeologist and director of ArcheoScan, in the statement.
The gravestone is crafted from Gotland limestone, a material that was greatly valued during the Middle Ages, and the carving shows a knight wearing chainmail armor and leg guards, along with a sword and a shield.
The slab is approximately 150 centimeters (4’ 11”) long, and key elements of the artwork remain visible even though it is somewhat damaged.
“The tombstone is surprisingly well-preserved, especially given that it was carved from soft limestone and remained underground for many years,” said Kurzyńska.
She remarked, ‘The knight is depicted standing straight with a raised sword — a stance that probably represents power and high societal rank.’
This distinguishes the tombstone from the majority of late medieval funerary art, which typically consisted of engraved epitaphs, heraldic panels, or Christian crosses, as noted by Kurzyńska.
“Just a tiny portion featured images of the deceased—and of those, most were basic carvings on flat stones meant for church floors,” she added.
It is also unique because both the artwork and its archaeological setting are still preserved.
Once the stone was moved, archaeologists discovered the remains of a man who was 170-180 centimeters (5’ 7” – 5’ 11”) in height, significantly taller than the typical medieval person, as noted by Kurzyńska.
The bones were placed in a natural manner, supporting the idea that the tombstone indicated the original burial location, and initial analysis suggests “excellent preservation,” she noted.
“Although no burial items were discovered, all the existing evidence indicates that the deceased was an individual of significant social status—probably a knight or commander who was highly regarded and respected,” said Kurzyńska.
The tomb was located within a cemetery that contained nearly 300 interments, and it was connected to the oldest recognized church in Gdańsk.
The church was constructed using oak timber that had been cut down in 1140, and it stood within an ancient medieval fortress that was inhabited from the late 11th century until the early 14th century, as stated.
“This was a location imbued with power, belief, and interment — a site of symbolic and tactical importance in the history of Gdańsk,” stated Kurzyńska.
The newest discovery “provides a valuable resource for understanding the lives and deaths of Gdańsk’s military leaders in the 13th and 14th centuries, medieval burial customs, and cultural links across the Baltic,” she noted.
Experts are currently conducting additional analysis on both the tombstone and the skeleton.
The stone tablet is being cleaned and reinforced to enable its documentation and 3D scanning, facilitating the digital restoration of lost parts, while the skeleton will be subjected to anthropological and genetic studies to uncover further details about the knight’s life, and a facial reconstruction will be created using the skull.
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