Point d’intérêt
The Zakrzów treasure
Surviving objects and copies from three richly furnished graves discovered in Zakrzów.
Langue du contenu
Three graves from Zakrzów are among the best-known finds associated with Silesia's ancient elites. They date from the turn of the third and fourth centuries AD. They were discovered in 1886 and 1887 in a sandpit belonging to the Korn and Bock paper mill. The first burial was damaged during sand extraction, and Wilhelm Grempler recovered the scattered objects. The graves had rectangular, stone-lined chambers with wooden coverings.
Their contents included more than two hundred objects: ornaments, vessels, toiletries and other personal equipment. Materials included gold, silver, glass and amber. Many objects came from the Roman Empire. The wealth of the finds is associated with the high status of the people buried here, described in archaeology as elites or princes.
The collection's later history is as important as its discovery. After wartime evacuation, most originals disappeared in 1945. About fifteen per cent of the original assemblage survives. However, copies had already been made after the discovery. The story of the treasure therefore includes surviving objects as well as documentation and reproductions of lost finds.
Pour les enfants
In Zakrzów, archaeologists found three very richly furnished graves dating back around 1,700 years. They contained more than two hundred objects, including ornaments, vessels and personal belongings. Some were made from gold, silver, glass or amber. Many came from the Roman Empire.
The graves were discovered during sand extraction in 1886 and 1887. Sadly, most of the original objects disappeared in 1945. Only part of the assemblage survives. Copies made earlier help us understand what the lost objects looked like. As you explore this story, remember the difference between an original and a reproduction.
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