Metal detectorist stumbles on rare medieval artifact — one of only 15, photos show

A metal detectorist in Poland stumbled upon a rare centuries-old artifact with a functional — and relatable — purpose. Photos show the intricately carved object.

Damian Tomczyk was searching with a metal detector near Kamień Pomorski when he uncovered a small carving of a human figure, the Museum of the History of the Kamień Land said in a March 14 Facebook post.

Archaeologists identified the artifact as a rare anthropomorphic loop from the late medieval period.

The late medieval period lasted from roughly 1050 to about 1500, according to the British Museum.

The extraordinary artifact measures about 3 inches tall, the museum said. From the front, the brownish-black carving looks like a person standing with their hands on their hips. From the side, the artifact has a rectangular-shaped loop extending off it.

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The human figure wears a costume from the late Gothic era, the museum said. Below the figure’s feet and in between its arms are several holes.

The late Gothic era was a period in the 15th century when Germany’s Gothic painting and architecture style peaked, according to Britannica.

The artifact was likely used as a hook for hanging keys or purses, according to a March 18 news release from Science in Poland.

The medieval loop is one of only 15 such artifacts, archaeologists said. Most of these loops were found in Germany and in German literature are referred to as belt hooks, figure key holders or key hooks.

Tomczyk’s find is in the collection of the Museum of the History of the Kamień Land. The museum also has two other medieval loops. A photo shows the trio.

Kamień Pomorski is a small coastal town in northwestern Poland, about 380 miles northwest of Warsaw and near the border with Germany.

Google Translate was used to translate the Facebook post from the Museum of the History of the Kamień Land and news release from Science in Poland.

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