Four early medieval spears found in Lake Lednica

"Dendrological analysis and radiocarbon dating found that the spears date to the second half of the 10th and first half of the 11th century. A Piast dynasty stronghold was located on Ostrow Lednicki, an island on Lake Lednica. More than 280 military artifacts, including 145 axes, 64 spearheads, and 8 swords, from the reigns of Piast dynasty kings Mieszko I (r. ca. 960-992)"

"Scientists have two leading theories as to why so many weapons ended up in the lake. They may have fallen into the lake during the battles for the Lednica stronghold, fought on the bridges during the invasion of Poland by the Czech prince Bretislaus in the 1130s. The second hypothesis, a ritual one, posits that the weapons were placed in the water as an offering to deities or spirits. Such practices are known from earlier periods in many places in Europe."

"The four spears discovered this season are very different from each other and have their own unique features. The smallest spearhead is rhomboidal in shape and was found still mounted to its wooden shaft. The shaft is made of ash and survives in several pieces totalling approximately 2.1 meters (6'11) in length. Only two spears from Lake Lednica have such a well-preserved shaft, and they are longer exceeding three meters in length."

Dendrological analysis and radiocarbon dating found the spears date to the second half of the 10th and first half of the 11th century. A Piast dynasty stronghold stood on Ostrow Lednicki, an island on Lake Lednica. More than 280 military artifacts were recovered from the lake bed, including 145 axes, 64 spearheads, and 8 swords, forming the largest single-site collection of early medieval weaponry. Two leading explanations propose either battlefield losses during assaults such as the 1130s invasion by Czech prince Bretislaus or ritual deposition as offerings to deities. Water was perceived as a gateway to the dead, and weapon offerings carried symbolic meaning. The four spears found this season vary in form and preservation, with one rhomboidal spearhead still mounted on an ash shaft about 2.1 meters long and other shafts exceeding three meters; one spear tip features an antler ring not previously seen on medieval spears.

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