Tomb Slab of Mieszko III the Old

The sandstone tomb slab of Mieszko III the Old dates from the turn of the twelfth and thirteenth centuries. Its upper surface bears a relief of a processional cross resting on a semicircular base. The rectangular stone has bevelled sides, giving it the shape of a low, truncated pyramid.

The duke died in Kalisz in March 1202. He was buried in the Collegiate Church of Saint Paul at Zawodzie, near his son, Mieszko the Younger. The slab is associated with a sarcophagus standing on a foundation platform, rather than simply marking a grave in the floor.

The stone was later moved to Saint Adalbert's Church, where it was used as a step. Part of a ducal burial thus became a functional element of another church. At the museum, an animation accompanies it, presenting the history of the collegiate church. The remains of that building survive in the archaeological reserve at Zawodzie.