POZNAŃ, POLAND—According to a report in The First News, archaeologists from Nicolaus Copernicus University and the Museum of the First Piast at Lednica used photogrammetry to map the bottom of west-central Poland’s Lake Lednica, which is located between the city of Gniezno, site of the country’s first capital, and Poznań, the seat of the country’s first Christian bishop. The study revealed the remains of wooden shore fortifications dated to the time of Duke Mieszko I, who ruled Poland from about 960 to 992, and two medieval wooden bridges. Artifacts discovered under the remains of the bridges include an intact tenth-century sword and remains of its leather scabbard. X-rays revealed that the sword was decorated with a Christian symbol known as the Jerusalem cross. Two axes, a spearhead, arrowheads, crossbow bolts, a sickle, ceramics, and animal bones were also found. One of the axes, resembling a Scandinavian style, was inlaid with silver decorations. For more on medieval Poland, go to "Viking Knights, Polish Days."
