The discovery was made during ongoing excavations in the Śródmieście (city centre) district, where a team from the archaeology firm ArcheoScan has been working since 2023. The site lies within the bounds of an early medieval stronghold, once home to Gdańsk’s oldest known church.
The breakthrough came earlier this month when archaeologists lifted a decorated tombstone, revealing the complete remains of an adult male beneath it. The man is believed to have lived in the 13th or 14th century.
“The tombstone is made from Gotland limestone, which was highly valued in the Middle Ages,” said Sylwia Kurzyńska, archaeologist and director of ArcheoScan. “It depicts a knight in chainmail, standing upright with an uplifted sword, a posture likely symbolising authority and high social standing.”
Kurzyńska described the find as “one of the most important archaeological discoveries in Poland in recent years,” noting that such detailed knightly depictions are rare in medieval sepulchral art, where simpler engravings or crosses were more common.
Despite centuries underground, the slab remains in “remarkably good condition,” Kurzyńska said. Measuring roughly 150cm (4ft 11in) in length, the artwork still displays key features, though it is partially damaged.The skeleton, lying directly beneath the stone, was naturally arranged, indicating it was the knight’s original burial site. Preliminary analysis suggests the man was between 170 and 180cm (5ft 7in to 5ft 11in) tall, significantly taller than the medieval average.“Although no grave goods were recovered, all available evidence points to a person of high status, most likely a knight or commander held in great esteem,” Kurzyńska added.
The tomb was found in a cemetery that once surrounded the city’s oldest wooden church, constructed from oak felled around 1140. Nearly 300 burials have been documented in the area so far.
The tombstone is now being cleaned and digitally scanned for reconstruction, while the skeleton will undergo further anthropological and genetic tests. A facial reconstruction will also be attempted to bring the face of the long-buried knight back to life.
