A rare Bronze Age mace, thought to be around 3,000 years old, has been discovered near the town of Dukla in southeastern Poland.
Unearthed during a legally authorised metal-detecting survey, the artefact is believed to have originated in the Middle East and may offer valuable new evidence of long-distance cultural connections and exchange networks during the Bronze Age.
The discovery was made by Krzysztof Wiśniewski, a member of the Galicja Exploration and History Association, during a search of land near Dukla.
“This was our second visit to this small area, which we had selected for a search for artefacts from World War II, particularly memorabilia from September 1939. This continued our small project of searching for traces of Border Protection Corps (BPC) combat in the Dukla region, which we began last year with the Cergowa operation,” said the Galicia Exploration and History Association.
The team retrieved a variety of historical items, including military buttons, medals, and an Austro-Hungarian belt buckle from the First World War. However, Wiśniewski uncovered an unusual bronze object distinguished by its striking green patina.
Recognising the potential significance of the find, the team contacted Dr Wojciech Pasterkiewicz, who went to the site to examine the artefact. Even experienced specialists struggled to identify the object immediately, with consultations later extending to experts beyond Poland.
It was later determined that the object was a bronze mace, a type of weapon associated with the Late Bronze Age. Specialists believe it may have originated in the Middle East and was deposited in the area nearly three millennia ago.
Following the discovery, the find was reported to the Krosno branch of Poland’s Provincial Office for the Protection of Monuments. Heritage officials conducted a formal inspection of the site and carried out additional surveys. Despite extensive searches, no further artefacts connected to the mace were found.
Archaeologists say the isolated nature of the discovery raises important questions about how the object reached the region. Researchers are now investigating who might have carried the mace, why it was brought to the area, and under what circumstances it was lost.
The find attracted considerable media attention and was presented during a press conference held at the Private Museum of Subcarpathian Battlefields in Krosno. Heritage officials, archaeologists, and members of the discovery team were present to discuss the significance of the artefact.
Experts point out that similar maces have been found in other parts of Eastern Europe, such as Ukraine, suggesting populations were in contact over a wide geographical area during the Bronze Age.
The discovery also underlines the importance of responsible metal-detecting groups in helping archaeological research comply with laws and heritage authorities. Further scientific study of the mace is expected to shed new light on prehistoric connections between Central Europe and the ancient Near East.
Sources : Galicia Exploration and History Association
