Ancient knight's skeleton found under ice cream shop

A Medieval Knight’s Skeleton Unearthed Beneath an Ice Cream Parlor in Gdańsk

Archaeologists have made a remarkable discovery in the historic city of Gdańsk, Poland. Buried beneath what was once an ice cream parlor, they uncovered the remains of a medieval knight. This finding has sparked significant interest due to its historical and cultural significance. The site, located in the Śródmieście district, has been under excavation since 2023, revealing a wealth of information about the past.

The initial discovery was a medieval tombstone adorned with a carved image of a knight. According to reports from the Polish archaeology firm ArcheoScan, the tombstone was lifted earlier this year, revealing the complete skeleton of an adult male believed to have lived during the 13th or 14th century. The archaeologists describe this as an “exceptional significance” and one of the most important archaeological discoveries in recent years.

The tombstone is crafted from Gotland limestone, a material that was highly valued during the Middle Ages. The relief on the stone depicts a knight wearing chainmail armor and mail leggings, holding a sword and a shield. The slab measures approximately 150 centimeters (4’ 11”) in length, and despite some damage, many important details of the artwork remain visible.

“This tombstone is remarkably well preserved, considering it was carved from soft limestone and lay underground for centuries,” said Sylwia Kurzyńska, an archaeologist and director of ArcheoScan. She added that the knight is shown standing upright with an uplifted sword, a posture that likely symbolized authority and elevated social status.

This type of depiction is rare in late medieval sepulchral art, which typically featured inscribed epitaphs, heraldic panels, or Christian crosses. Only a small fraction of such artworks included detailed depictions of the deceased, and among those, most were simplified engravings on flat slabs intended for church floors. The fact that both the artwork and its archaeological context remain intact makes this find even more unique.

After lifting the stone, archaeologists discovered the remains of a man who stood between 170-180 centimeters (5’ 7” – 5’ 11”) tall, significantly taller than the average medieval person. The bones were arranged naturally, confirming that the tombstone marked the original burial site. Preliminary analysis indicates excellent preservation, and although no grave goods were found, all available evidence suggests the deceased was a person of high social standing—most likely a knight or commander held in particularly high esteem.

The grave was part of a cemetery containing nearly 300 burials, associated with the oldest known church in Gdańsk. The church was built using oak trees felled in 1140 and was located in an early medieval stronghold that was occupied from the late 11th century to the early 14th century. This area was a place of power, faith, and burial, holding symbolic and strategic importance in the history of Gdańsk.

Experts believe this discovery offers invaluable insights into the lives and deaths of Gdańsk’s military elite during the 13th and 14th centuries, as well as into medieval funerary traditions and cross-Baltic cultural connections.

Currently, archaeologists are conducting further analysis of both the tombstone and the skeleton. The stone slab is being cleaned and stabilized for documentation and 3D scanning, allowing for the digital reconstruction of missing fragments. The skeleton will undergo anthropological and genetic analysis to uncover more about the knight’s life, and a facial reconstruction based on the skull is also planned.

This extraordinary find continues to shed light on the rich history of Gdańsk and the medieval period, offering a rare glimpse into the lives of those who once walked its streets.