20 January 2025 The Future is the Product of the Past

Rare Celtic Helmet Unearthed in Poland, the Oldest Ancient Helmet Ever Uncovered in the Country

Archaeologists have discovered a rare Bronze helmet from the 4th century BC, along with 300 Celtic treasures, including axes, spearheads, a sword, and decorative horse harness in Mazovia, Poland.

Dr. Bartlomiej Kaczynski, who led the research, said the helmet found was a rare artifact and an example of advanced Celtic metallurgy.

According to experts, only a handful of such artifacts exist worldwide, making this an extraordinary find.

Research at the archaeological site “Łysa Góra” in the Chorzele commune was conducted by scientists from the State Archaeological Museum in cooperation with the Faculty of Archaeology of the University of Warsaw. Since spring, they have discovered about 300 different monuments in this place.

A bronze Celtic helmet from the 4th century BC was discovered in one of the archaeological sites along with four iron axes and a half-axe. This is the first find of this type from the Polish lands. So far, only a helmet from Siemiechów, dating to the 1st century BC, has been discovered.

“This is the first helmet of its kind found in Poland, and the oldest ancient helmet ever uncovered in the country,” Wojciech Borkowski, deputy director of the State Archaeological Museum in Warsaw, as saying.

Celtic helmet from Łysa Góra. Photo: B. Kaczyński. Państwowe Muzeum Archeologiczne

A defensive settlement spanning approximately three hectares was discovered by archaeologists at the Łysa Góra site, where the helmet was discovered after five weeks of excavation. The presence of burn marks suggests possible conflicts between the Celts and the Vandals.

Łysa Góra is a multi-phase settlement site. The earliest signs of occupation date back to the Lusatian culture, a group of people who lived in Poland, parts of the Czech Republic, Slovakia, eastern Germany, and western Ukraine in the late Bronze to early Iron Age.

Before distinguishing characteristics began to be discovered that proved the helm was an early La Tène helmet, it was initially thought to be a bronze vessel. The La Tène culture was a European Iron Age society that flourished from approximately 450 BC until the Roman Republic’s expansionists seized their ancestral lands in the first century BC.

Borkowski highlighted the global significance of the discovery, noting that only a few such helmets exist worldwide. This discovery disproves earlier theories that the Celts were restricted to southern Poland and indicates that they were also present in the northern region of Mazovia.

Archaeologists have had to reconsider the amber trade routes of the early Iron Age and the wider European trade networks due to the variety of artifacts found, such as bronze ornaments and iron tools. According to experts, the discovery holds significance not only for Poland but for the entirety of Central Europe.

Due to the helm’s poor condition, it has been sent to the Museum Conservation Department of the PMA for restoration, which is expected to take several months.

PAP

Photo: Facebook.com/Państwowe Muzeum Archeologiczne

Related Articles

A 4000-year-old Fabric Found in a Cave of Skulls in the Judean Desert is the Oldest Dyed with Insect Dye

15 July 2024

15 July 2024

Researchers discovered an ancient textile dyed with kermes (Kermes vermilio) in Israel’s Cave of Skulls that dates back to the...

Particle physics and archeology collaboration uncovers secret Hellenistic underground chamber in Naples

13 May 2023

13 May 2023

The ruins of the ancient necropolis of Neapolis, built by the Greeks between the end of the fourth and the...

A burial complex dating to the Second Intermediate Period has been discovered at the Dra Abu el-Naga necropolis at Luxor

12 April 2023

12 April 2023

At the Dra Abu el-Naga necropolis in Luxor, a family burial complex from the Second Intermediate Period has been found....

Assyriologist solves archaeological mystery from 700 BC in Khorsabad, Iraq

7 May 2024

7 May 2024

A new interpretation of a set of temple symbols that have puzzled scholars for more than a century has been...

Byzantine monk chained with iron rings unearthed near Jerusalem

4 January 2023

4 January 2023

A skeleton chained with iron rings was discovered at Khirbat el-Masani, about four kilometers northwest of Jerusalem, along the ancient...

Academics Uncover Ancient Roman Physicians Galen’s Pharmacy Legacy in İzmir

27 February 2024

27 February 2024

As a part of research on medicinal plants in Bergama, İzmir’s historic district where Galen (129 AD -200 AD) once...

2,500-Year-Old Phoenician Shipwreck Being Rescued By Spanish Archaeologists

6 July 2023

6 July 2023

A 2,500-year-old Phoenician shipwreck has been found underwater in the southeastern Spanish region of Murcia. An extraordinary Phoenician shipwreck dating...

Ancient Rome’s city borders were discovered in a rare stone

17 July 2021

17 July 2021

Archaeologists unearthed a rare stone outlining ancient Rome’s city borders during excavations for a new sewage system. The stone comes...

Unique ‘Excalibur’ Sword Found Upright in Ground Unearthed in Spain Holds Islamic Origins

26 April 2024

26 April 2024

Researchers have finally unraveled the mysteries of the historical sword discovered in Spain 30 years ago, which they named ‘Excalibur’...

Remains of 14th-century Synagogue thought to be one of largest in region discovered in Poland

14 August 2023

14 August 2023

The remains of what is thought to be a sizeable 14th-century synagogue complex, including a mikvah, have been discovered during...

The World’s Largest Pyramid Is Hidden Within a Hill in Mexico

8 October 2022

8 October 2022

The largest and tallest pyramids in the world are incredible feats of design, engineering, and construction. The Great Pyramid of...

A painted Wooden Saddle Discovered in an Ancient Tomb in Mongolia Represents Earliest Evidence of Modern Horse Riding

13 December 2023

13 December 2023

Researchers unearthed a wooden saddle framed with iron stirrups in a tomb in Urd Ulaan Uneet, popularly known as the...

A new finding in Persepolis reveals a Royal wall

23 October 2023

23 October 2023

A new find at Persepolis, whose magnificent ruins rest at the foot of Kuh-e Rahmat (Mount of Mercy) in southwestern...

5,500-year-old Menhir discovered in Portugal

28 August 2023

28 August 2023

A 5,500-year-old (that is around 3500 BC) menhir has been discovered in the town of São Brás de Alportel in...

Huge ancient stone murals discovered in central China: “It is an important discovery that enriches and rewrites the art history of the Song Dynasty”

10 October 2022

10 October 2022

Two stone murals from the Northern Song Dynasty (960-1127) have been discovered in Henan Province, central China, and are the...