OSTROWITE, POLAND—Science in Poland reports that a medieval grave of man in northern Poland has yielded two identical amber rings, two coins, a bronze bowl, and an iron knife in a leather sheath with bronze fittings. “The deceased was most likely a representative of local, Pomeranian elites,” said Jerzy Sikora of the University of Lodz, since artifacts unearthed at the site of a nearby settlement indicate the region was a trading center between the eleventh and fourteenth centuries. Fragments of wood recovered from the bronze bowl suggest the man had been placed in a coffin, with the vessel at his feet. Fragments of leather under the bowl may be remnants of his footwear. Imprints of fabric have been found on the surface of the bowl and the knife sheath, Sikora added. The artifacts in the grave are additional evidence of trading relationships with other areas of Poland and the rest of Europe, he explained. To read about four medieval warrior graves uncovered near the village of Cieple, go to "Viking Knights, Polish Days."
