Polish junkyard search uncovers ancient shield boss with cremated bones

A hunt for spare auto parts in a Polish junkyard has produced an archaeological discovery: an iron shield boss containing cremated bones believed to be associated with a Vandal warrior who lived roughly 1,800 years ago. The artifact was found earlier in September at a junkyard in Hrubieszów, near Poland’s southeastern border with Ukraine. According to reporting by Live Science, the finder recognized that the object appeared ancient and sent a photograph to the Father Stanisław Staszic Museum in Hrubieszów. Museum archaeologists identified the object as an umbo, the central metal fitting of a shield. It protected the warrior’s hand and supported the wooden and leather parts of the shield, which have since decayed. The pointed design of the iron fitting led the archaeologists to associate it with the Vandals, a Germanic people linked to the Przeworsk culture in what is now Poland. Later examination revealed that a plug of dried earth inside the shield boss contained cremated bones. The museum said the fitting showed signs of exposure to high temperatures, and that the combination of heat damage and burned bone indicated a cremation burial from the Vandal community. The conclusion is based on the artifact’s design, location and the material found inside it. Roman soldiers also used shields with central bosses, but the reporting states that Roman forces did not reach this far north, while the form of this example points to a second-century origin associated with the Vandals. The original burial site has apparently been destroyed or lost. As a result, archaeologists do not know what other objects may once have accompanied the remains. The museum said the grave could potentially have contained weapons or personal items such as a sword, spearheads, javelins, a belt buckle or a cloak clasp, but none of those objects were reported as part of the discovery.