Centuries-Old Iron Spear From Middle Ages Found With Metal Detector in Poland

Authorities in Poland say that someone made quite a historical discovery in one of the country’s southern forests by using a metal detector.

Łukasz Jabłoński found the head of an iron spear, one thought to be from 700 to 1,000 years ago in the Middle Ages, according to the Polish government’s Lublin Provincial Conservator of Monuments in a July press release.

Authorities added in the release that the iron spear was in “good condition” despite being admittedly rusty. Photos provided in the release show the rusty object is almost 10 inches long.

Photos also show that the diamond-shaped spear tip also has an attached sleeve, which archeologists say would be used to attach the spearhead to a pole, the release says.

The ancient treasure was found in a forest near the Polish village of Tereszpol, which is over 150 miles southeast of Warsaw and nearly 100 miles northwest of the western Ukrainian city of Kviv.

Authorities note that Jabłoński didn’t have to dig deep to find the spearhead, as it was buried only about half a foot underground. 

Jabłoński reportedly immediately notified the conservation office over the phone about his discovery and authorities said that the “presented find will be handed over to the Museum in Belgrade.”

The spearhead’s discovery is apparently not Jabłoński’s first archaeological find this year.

He also discovered 13 bronze ornaments with a metal detector in January at the “the meadows in Czerniczyn Poduchowny,” according to the release. Those artifacts are said to be close to 2,500 years old.

Jabłoński had received permission to search areas with his metal detector.