A man using a metal detector stumbled upon a medieval artifact in Poland while searching for World War II relics, according to a local museum. The Museum of the History of the Kamień Land announced the find on Tuesday. The man, identified as Jacek Ukowski, discovered a piece of a “medieval leaded pope’s bull,” which is a type of public decree or charter issued by a pope during their reign. These bulls often include a metal seal, making them easily recognizable to metal detectors.
The fragments of the bull were inscribed with a Roman numeral and a partial name, dating it to a period between 1303 and 1352. The location of the find was surprising, as papal bulls in Poland are usually found near church sites or city centers, not alongside train tracks. The museum speculated on various reasons for this, from the bull being lost in transit to being deliberately destroyed and abandoned.
Despite the mystery surrounding the artifact’s discovery, Ukowski had previously found another papal bull in February and donated both relics to the museum. This recent find marks the third such artifact discovered in the region by Ukowski and adds to his impressive collection. Kerry Breen, a reporter and news editor at CBSNews.com covers current events, breaking news, and issues like substance use. She graduated from New York University’s Arthur L. Carter School of Journalism and previously worked at NBC News’ TODAY Digital.
