Lost treasures of Lithuanian and Polish rulers discovered in Vilnius Cathedral crypt

A great discovery has been made beneath the Cathedral Basilica of St. Stanislaus and St. Ladislaus, the most important Catholic cathedral in Lithuania; Archaeologists recently uncovered a hidden chamber in the cathedral’s crypts containing a collection of burial regalia of prominent leaders of Lithuania and Poland.

The discovery was announced during a press conference at the Museum of Religious Heritage located in Vilnius. Among the notable artifacts uncovered was the funerary crown belonging to Alexander Jagiellon, who held the тιтle of Grand Duke of Lithuania from 1492 and King of Poland from 1501, along with the burial regalia ᴀssociated with Elisabeth of Habsburg and Barbara Radziwiłł, the first and second spouses of Sigismund Augustus.

The regalia consists of crowns, scepters, royal orbs, chains, medallions, rings, and coffin plaques—all fashioned with extraordinary skill.


Vilnius Metropolitan Archbishop Gintaras Grušas said: “The discovered burial regalia of Lithuanian and Polish rulers are invaluable historical treasures, symbols of Lithuania’s long tradition of statehood, markers of Vilnius as its capital, and magnificent works of goldsmithing and jewelry.”

He explained that these artifacts were not used during the lifetimes of the rulers; rather, they were created posthumously as elements of their funerary practices.

Scholars argue that in 1939, the regalia were hidden during a period of radical turmoil. Lithuania was under the imminent threat of the German-Soviet Boundary and Friendship Treaty, which placed the country under Soviet control and led to the establishment of the Lithuanian SSR.

In this context, the treasures were hidden to protect them against possible looting or destruction, as the cathedral itself was in danger of being closed imminently.

Despite many searches for the cache after Lithuania declared its independence, the treasures were not found until December 16 last year. Now, the royal regalia will undergo thorough restoration before being displayed in upcoming public exhibitions.

More information: Science In Poland (PAP)

Related Posts

Ancient Greco-Roman sculptures were scented, study reveals

Ancient Greco-Roman sculptures were scented, study reveals

Scholars have known for centuries that the ancient Greek and Roman statues, far from being the immaculate white marble figures put on view in museums today, were…

2,000-year-old large wooden houses uncovered in Zhejiang, revealing secrets of the Yue Kingdom

2,000-year-old large wooden houses uncovered in Zhejiang, revealing secrets of the Yue Kingdom

Archaeologists in Shaoxing, Zhejiang Province, have unearthed a well-preserved ancient settlement dating back 2,500 years, belonging to the Yue State of the early Warring States period (475-221…

Mikveh ritual bath discovered in Ostia Antica, Italy

Mikveh ritual bath discovered in Ostia Antica, Italy

Archaeologists in Ostia Antica, the ancient port city near Rome, have made an amazing discovery—a Mikveh, a Jewish ritual bath, from the late 4th or early 5th…

First burials: evidence of Neanderthals and Homo sapiens sharing culture 110,000 years ago

First burials: evidence of Neanderthals and Homo sapiens sharing culture 110,000 years ago

A recent discovery in Tinshemet Cave, central Israel, is changing the way we look at early human interactions. Archaeologists have found human burials from the Middle Paleolithic…

Teeth from burial pit in Mongolia trace Han soldiers in the Xiongnu war

Teeth from burial pit in Mongolia trace Han soldiers in the Xiongnu war

New information on a mᴀss burial found at the Bayanbulag site in Mongolia, which is thought to hold the remains of Han warriors who participated in the…

Mystery of the Arnish Moor Man: Belongings of 18th-Century Suspected Murder Victim on Display

Mystery of the Arnish Moor Man: Belongings of 18th-Century Suspected Murder Victim on Display

A new exhibition showing the personal items of a mystery 18th-century man, known as the Arnish Moor Man, has opened at the Kinloch Historical Society on the…