Mediaeval European rulers’ hidden royal treasures since World War II have been rediscovered in Lithuania.
According to CNN, royal treasures hidden for more than 85 years have been unearthed in Lithuania. The artefacts that include the crown belonging to Alexander Jagiellon, or Aleksandras Jogailaitis, King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania.
Other items include a crown, a chain, a medallion, a ring, and a coffin plaque belonging to Elizabeth of Austria, or Elžbieta Habsburgaitė, and a crown, a sceptre, an orb, three rings, a chain, and coffin plaques associated with Barbara Radziwiłł, or Barbora Radvilaitė, who married to the Žygimantas Augustas, King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania.
Vilnius Archbishop Gintaras Grušas, in a statement sent to CNN by the Vilnius Archdiocese, said, “The discovered burial insignia of the monarchs of Lithuania and Poland are priceless historical treasures, symbols of the long tradition of Lithuanian statehood, signs of Vilnius as the capital city, and magnificent works of goldsmithing and jewellery.”
“This reflects the burial and honouring practices of the time. This discovery is of particular importance for our statehood, as it shows the location of Vilnius Cathedral as the necropolis of the elite of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania,” the statement adds.
As per the archdiocese, after examining the historic royal artefacts, they will be restored and will be presented to the public.
