800-year-old toy unearthed after firehouse demolition. See it and other treasures
After demolishing a firehouse building in Poland, officials knew there was a chance that ancient treasures were hidden in the rubble.
They were right, according to the Provincial Headquarters of the State Fire Service in Toruń.
Archaeologists conducted a nearly 2-month long excavation at the site — and found a trove of artifacts dating as far back as medieval times where the building once stood. The fire service chronicled the excavation in a series of Facebook posts starting Dec. 11, when the investigation began.
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On the last day of their excavations, researchers unearthed a tiny figurine, the fire service said in a Feb. 17 Facebook post. It was a horse that was likely a toy or puppet, given the small hole on its underside.
The horse was covered in a glaze indicating that it likely dates to around the turn of the 12th and 13th centuries, making it around 800 years old.
Photos show the small toy, which measures just a few centimeters.
The ancient clay figure is especially important because there is little known about the city before the 13th and 14th centuries, according to Science in Poland (PAP). There is especially limited insight into ancient daily life in the city.
Other ancient discoveries
During the excavation, a variety of other artifacts were unearthed at the site.
Within an hour of beginning their survey of the site, the team of experts identified the foundation of a medieval tower, according to their Dec. 11 Facebook post. The tower stood next to the fire building’s wall ahead of demolition.
An ancient retaining wall of a medieval moat and the moat bed were also found, officials said in Dec. 15 and Jan. 7 Facebook posts.
The retaining wall has glazed green spots, according to archaeologists. These spots were repairs to the wall from shelling.
In the 19th century, the retaining wall was surrounding by a brick veneer, parts of which were also unearthed. The wall had holes, which were likely used as part of sewage or rainwater systems, experts said.
Evidence of wooden buildings that once stood near the wall was also found.
A number of smaller artifacts were also unearthed.
Ceramic vessels, a boar’s tusk and animal bone buttons dating to the 15th century were discovered, officials said in the Dec. 15 post.
Comb-like clay objects, a belt buckle and a bone knife sheath were also found, but officials did not specify their age.
An amber ring was also discovered. The ring, the only piece of jewelry found at the site, was burnt and broken, so it was immediately placed into water for preservation.
A number of other ceramics were also found, photos show.
Archaeologists also identified a hearth used for melting bronze. Preserved molten metal lumps were found from the hearth.
Now, officials plan to construct a new firehouse building at the site.
Toruń is in central Poland, about 160 miles northwest of Warsaw.
Google Translate and Facebook were used to translate Facebook posts from the Provincial Headquarters of the State Fire Service in Toruń and PAP.
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