Metal detectorist finds ancient artifacts in Poland forest. One was deadly weapon

Armed with a metal detector, a man set off into the Tomaszów State Forests on the hunt for remnants of wars past.

Jarosław Wróblewski, a licensed conservationist in Poland, was hoping to find objects left behind from wars fought in the country’s Tomaszów region, according to a June 24 Facebook post from the Lublin Provincial Conservator of Monuments.

Instead, the beep of his machine indicated artifacts much older were just below the surface.

First, the detectorist discovered a small, delicate and decorative pin, officials said. Just a few centimeters long, the bronze piece had lost parts of a clasp that once existed.

The piece was dated to the third or fourth century, during the Roman period, according to the release.

Wróblewski also found a short, decorative spike, officials said.

It was made from a long needle and topped with a circular piece. It was also dated to the same Roman time period, according to the release.

However, this piece is unusual for the region, officials said, and was likely brought to the area by a nomadic culture from the Baltics moving through modern-day Poland.

The last piece discovered in the forest was not a dainty, decorative piece. It was an ancient iron battle hammer.

Likely from the early Middle Ages in the 10th to 15th centuries, the poorly preserved weapon has mostly rusted, according to the release, and has some damage to the metal.

It is about 6 inches long and is made of a longer, rectangular shape with an arched blade.

This piece was also likely brought to Poland by nomads, officials said, but from the Black Sea region south of Europe.

The artifacts will be analyzed by museum personnel, and the place where they were found will be searched for any other pieces, officials said.

Tomaszów Lubelski is in southeastern Poland, about a 185-mile drive southeast from Warsaw near the border with Ukraine.

Facebook Translate and Google Translate were used to translate the Facebook post from the Lublin Provincial Conservator of Monuments.

This story was originally published June 24, 2024 at 3:15 PM with the headline "Metal detectorist finds ancient artifacts in Poland forest. One was deadly weapon."

Irene Wright

McClatchy DC

Irene Wright is a McClatchy Real-Time reporter. She earned a B.A. in ecology and an M.A. in health and medical journalism from the University of Georgia and is now based in Atlanta. Irene previously worked as a business reporter at The Dallas Morning News.