Amateur archaeologists made a series of stunning discoveries this summer in the quiet Grodziec Forest District near Kalisz, Poland, uncovering treasures that reveal centuries of history in the region. In just five weeks, the Denar Kalisz Group, working with the Voivodeship Office of Environmental Protection in Kalisz, unearthed artifacts that dated from the Roman period to the Middle Ages and capped off their season with one of the most spectacular discoveries ever: a complete Gothic gold necklace.
The exploration began in early June with the discovery of a Roman-era burial site linked to the Przeworsk culture. One of the graves held the remains of a warrior, buried with his spearhead and shield boss, testifying to the martial traditions of the time.
A few days later, an 11th-century coin and a small striated ceramic vessel were unearthed. The sealed vessel was examined at the University of Science in Kalisz. Inside, archaeologists uncovered 631 coins and fragments, confirming that the earlier loose coin had hinted at a hidden cache.
By the end of June, a second ceramic pot had been uncovered, also packed with coins. But the biggest story broke on July 12, when Denar Kalisz member Mateusz Lachowicz unearthed what first appeared to be a piece of a gold bracelet.
An analysis using an X-ray revealed it to be far more incredible — a complete gold torc, or rigid necklace, dating from the 5th century. Bent and folded to fit inside the pot, the object weighed a dramatic 222 grams and was almost entirely gold. With a hook-and-loop closure and no apparent inscriptions, the necklace is unusual and well-preserved. Specialists believe it is linked to the Gothic culture, whose people resided in parts of modern Poland during the Migration Period.
Similar torcs have been found in Scandinavia, often with runic inscriptions, but this is the first of its kind to be unearthed in Poland. The Goths, who were Germanic people, had already settled in the Lower Vistula region, such as in the Tuchola Forest and Krajna, and had interactions with Slavic cultures, participating in the great population migrations of the period.
The gold necklace will be transferred to the Kalisz Regional Museum for public display. From the grave of a Roman warrior to a Gothic treasure, the summer discoveries show that history is still quietly waiting under the forest floor to be uncovered.
More information: DENAR Kalisz – Stowarzyszenie Poszukiwaczy Śladów Historii
