Marcin TrzciskiThe four newly uncovered spears add to a collection of some 280 weapons that had previously been found in the lake.Archaeologists recently found four spears from the 10th and 11th centuries C.E. in the water surrounding the island of Ostrw Lednicki in Polands Lake Lednica.Each of these rare spears is different from the last and shows a unique style of craftsmanship. The most notable find was a spear adorned with gold, silver, and bronze as well as ornamental wings, an elite weapon that likely belonged to someone of high social status.The spears, all well-preserved, add to the collection of roughly 280 weapons that have been found in the lake since scientists for Nicolaus Copernicus Universitys Centre for Underwater Archaeology began exploring the area. The finds support researchers theory that Ostrw Lednicki was an important site during the medieval era.The Four Medieval Spears Fished Out Of Polands Lake LednicaMateusz PopekOne of the spears was ornately decorated in spiral and triskelion motifs.The smallest of the four spears was found along with a fragment of its ash-wood shaft and had its tip adorned with an antler ring.Completely preserved spears are rare. Two more are known from this lake, measuring over three meters in length, Andrzej Pydyn, professor at the Nicolaus Copernicus University and director of the Center for Underwater Archaeology, said in a statement. This years find confirms information, known primarily from iconography, that both shorter and longer spears were used.Archaeologists also found a spear designed like a willow leaf, a shape not uncommon throughout Europe at the time. The spear is slender and delicate, and is similar to other spears found in the area, signifying there may have been a strong local tradition of this type of spear craftsmanship around Lake Lednica.M. TrziskiMore than 280 centuries-old weapons have been pulled from the waters of Lake Lednica over the years.The third spear was both the longest found and the most technologically complex of the four uncovered. It was forged using a technique called pattern welding, which involved repeatedly joining together both soft and hard steel to create peerlessly strong blades.The fourth blade was particularly ornate in its decoration, and left archaeologists most astonished. It was plated with gold, silver, bronze, and other metals, and the surface was adorned with spiral and triskelion patterns.Its possible that the decorations served an identifying function, allowing the weapons owner to be distinguished during ceremonies or battles, and also demonstrated prestige and high social status, Matusz Popek, from the Nicolaus Copernicus Universitys Center for Underwater Archaeology, explained. The presence of such a high-quality object at Ostrw Lednicki further underscores the special significance of this center, both politically and symbolically.Why Did These 1,000-Year-Old Weapons End Up At The Bottom Of Lake Lednica?Centre of Underwater Archaeology/Nicolaus Copernicus University How the weapons ended up in Lake Lednica is still debated.Radiocarbon dating and analysis determined the spears were from the early Piast period, around the turn of the 11th century C.E. But how exactly these objects, and the hundreds of other weapons found in Lake Lednica, ended up there is still debated.One theory connects the weapons to a particularly tense period during the invasion of the Czech prince Bretislaus during the 1030s. Researchers suggest the castle at Ostrw Lednicki may have been the site of a battle, and that weapons may have fallen into the water during fights on bridges or boats.M. PopekExperts believe that the spears date to the early Piast period, likely between 1016 and 1030 C.E.The other primary theory is that the weapons were placed under the water as part of some sort of ritual, a practice known to have occurred in other parts of Europe. Placing a precious object into the water may have held a symbolic meaning, as water was seen as a gateway between the living and the dead.Its possible that the arsenal gathered at the bottom of the lake is an echo of both turbulent historical events and ancient notions of waters power and sacrifice, Pydyn said. Its difficult to say definitively which of these hypotheses is closer to the truth.The spears will undergo further research and will be scanned with X-rays to determine where the objects originate from. Once these analyses are complete, the spears will be preserved and then put on display in the Museum of the First Piast Dynasty in Lednica.After reading about the four spears found in Polands Lake Lednica, learn about the 1,000-year-old carving of a human face also found at the bottom of the Polish lake. Then, read about the 6,000-year-old axe found in a Polish forest.The post Underwater Archaeologists In Poland Just Found Four Medieval Spears At The Bottom Of Lake Lednica appeared first on All That's Interesting.