Police archaeologists have stumbled onto a massive discovery after locating the grave of a German soldier from WWII. While exhuming the remains of the soldier, they unearthed ancient treasure.
According to the Wdecki Landscape Park, a nationally protected area within Poland, the soldier was buried near a lake and discovered by the park’s archaeology team. The soldier is believed to have died in February 1945 while fighting for control of a bridge in Grzybek, Poland.
The park quickly began unearthing the soldier’s remains, but during the process, they stumbled upon another find.
“However, as it turned out during the exhumation, this place was hiding other secrets!” the park said.
The team responsible for exhuming the remains discovered a collection of ancient ceramic pottery and coins from various points of European history.
Some of the pottery dates back to the Neolithic period, which is believed to have run from 7000-1700 BCE. There were also tools dating back to the Mesolithic period, which ended in 8000 BCE.
Some of the coins that were found dated back to the Roman and Byzantine empires. In total, around 30 coins were found.
“Our hunters came across coins scattered from different eras and territories all over Europe, it looked as if someone had discarded their coin collection right here!” the park said.
Research in Poland, a branch of the Polish Agency for Academic Excellence, shared that the coins may have been collected by the German soldier, but there is no way of knowing for certain.
Research Poland did note that the items were in excellent condition and may have been preserved by the soil. The tools from the Mesolithic era were also the oldest ever found in the area.
Further expeditions are planned for the site, according to the park.