Ancient urn — still holding 2,500-year-old remains — unearthed during road construction
At least 2,500 years ago, someone died and was cremated. Their ashes, feet bones and parts of their skull were then placed in an urn and buried in a sprawling cemetery in Poland.
That’s where the remains stayed — until recently when archaeologists discovered the ancient burial site amid road construction, according to a Feb. 5 release from the General Directorate for National Roads and Motorways - Warsaw Branch.
Archaeologists working on three sections of a highway found the cremation cemetery in eastern Poland between Kałuszyn and Groszki, officials said. At the site, experts unearthed urns and pit graves.
The cemetery dates to between the sixth century B.C. and the fifth century B.C., officials said. At that time, cremation was a common practice involving burning the deceased’s body, collecting their remains and placing them in a vessel that was then buried.
In one of the unearthed urns, archaeologists discovered foot bones at the bottom of the vessel and skull fragments at the top.
At another construction site near the cemetery, experts identified the remains of a 19th century brewery, according to officials.
Remains of the structures foundations and floors were unearthed alongside glass pieces, ceramic artifacts and traces of plants used in beer. Evidence indicates that the brewery closed by the beginning of the 20th century, experts said.
The discoveries were made roughly 30 miles east of Warsaw.
Google Translate was used to translate a news release from the General Directorate for National Roads and Motorways.
This story was originally published February 5, 2024 at 4:55 PM with the headline "Ancient urn — still holding 2,500-year-old remains — unearthed during road construction."
