July
21
/ 2025
From the muddy depths of a medieval castle moat in Poland, archaeologists have unearthed a spectacular 600-year-old jewel that once adorned the clothing of a noble or duke. The silver-gilt amethyst setting, probably part of an elaborate brooch, represents one of the rarest examples of high-status medieval jewelry ever found in a settlement context, offering unprecedented insights into aristocratic life along medieval trade routes. The remarkable find emerged from the moat of Castle Kolno in Stare Kolnie, near Poland's modern border with the Czech Republic. Led by Dr. Lech Marek from the University of Wrocław, the excavation team discovered the precious ornament embedded in sediments between timber bridge posts at the castle's northern approach, precisely where a medieval traveler might
