14th-century papal bull found in Polish cemetery: researchers think it’s unique

Archaeologists have found a medieval papal bull issued by Pope Boniface IX in an ancient cemetery. This treasure, mostly made of pure lead and believed to come from Sardinia, Cyprus, Greece and Spain, has been waiting for them for over six centuries.

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Jan Orlinski from the PARSĘTA search and research group could hardly contain his excitement when he found the artifact.

“This is the most valuable find we have made in the six years of our existence,” he said, adding that he had always been fond of papal bulls and realized that there were not enough of them in Kolobrzeg.

The group immediately recognized the significance of their find and donated it to the Weapons Museum in Kołobrzeg, where they worked for several years. The Bulla was then transferred to a special workshop in Krakow for careful conservation and restoration.

During the restoration of the artifact, scientists were able to determine its age and authenticity by analyzing the physical and chemical composition. The researchers explained that on the back there is information about which Pope brought the bull out. It turned out to be Pope Boniface IX.

But the real question is, how did this bulla come to this region? According to historians, it could be kept in a local monastery.

Johann Friedrich Wachsen noted that Pope Boniface IX issued a letter of indulgence to local Benedictine priests in 1397, as noted in an 18th-century chronicle. Scholars suggest that this bull may have been lost in the 16th century, possibly during the dissolution of the monasteries.

Whatever its source, the work is on display at the Arms Museum in Kołobrzeg and is ready to tell its story to anyone who wants to listen.

Previously Focus He talked about how the Egyptian and Roman gods came to Poland. The discovery of these antiquities was so unusual for this region that the Lublin Voivodeship Conservatory of Monuments (LWKZ) doubted their authenticity.

We’ve also written about 2,000 years of immaculate carvings of “incredible beauty” found in Wales.