Medieval spear taken from a Polish lake may have belonged to a prince

One of the four spears found also stands out for still having a wooden handle. Hundreds of spears, axes and swords have already been found in Lake Lednica and there are several theories surrounding the phenomenon.

A team of underwater archaeologists recovered four medieval spearheads Remarkably well-preserved at Lake Lednica in central Poland, a site already known for its wealth of early medieval weaponry.

Among the most recent discoveries is an ornate, golden spearhead that researchers believer belonged to a high-ranking nobleman or even a prince, says .

In a statement, the team of archaeologists described the decorated spearhead as coated with gold, silver, bronze and other metalsfeaturing exquisitely carved spiral and triskelion motifs. The sumptuous design and the presence of wing-like elements near the base suggest that the weapon was probably ceremonial rather than intended for combat. Researchers believe it may have served as a symbol of power or an insignia of elite status.

Another of the recently recovered spearheads stands out for its exceptional state of conservation, with the smallest fragment still attached to a wooden handle 2 meter ash spears, as only two other spears found in Lake Lednica retained their shafts. This example also stands out for its a horn ring at the tip, which makes it unique in the collection.

A third spearhead is described as slender and delicate, shaped like a willow leaf, which was a style widely used in early medieval Europe. The fourth was forged through a advanced welded steel technique which combined soft low-carbon iron with hard high-carbon steel. This method, common among elite artisans of the time, produced weapons with superior durability and cutting power.

Lake Lednica has long been a treasure trove of medieval weapons. More than four decades of exploration by Nicolaus Copernicus University divers have revealed around 145 axes, 64 spearheads and eight swordsraising questions about why so many artifacts ended up underwater.

One explanation relates deposits to political turmoil which followed the death of King Mieszko II in 1034. Researchers suggest that the weapons may have fallen into the lake during battles on bridges or boats.

Another theory proposes that the findings can be remnants of pagan rituals. Although Christianity spread to Poland around a millennium ago, pagan practices persisted for centuries, and depositing weapons in water may have been a form of offering.

Researchers are now analyzing the artifacts using scanning technology. macroscopic x-ray fluorescence to better understand its chemical composition, origins and manufacturing techniques.