A medieval sword, a portrait of a Swedish queen, and a 400-year-old typeface were found in Estonia

During archaeological excavations in the Estonian city of Tartu, researchers discovered medieval weapons, fragments of ceramic tiles featuring portraits of European rulers, and a 17th-century metal printing type. The finds will help investigate the history of the city, including the period of Swedish rule and the development of university printing. This is reported by Arkeonews, according to UNN.

Details

According to the available information, the excavations took place from November 2 to 6, 2026, at the site of the future Siuru cultural center. They were conducted by the archaeological company OÜ Arheox with the support of the Tartu City Museum.

Among the most impressive discoveries is a fragment of a ceramic tile with green glaze and a relief portrait of Queen Maria Eleonora of Sweden. The artifact dates to the first half of the 17th century. Archaeologists also found a tile depicting Johann Albrecht II, Duke of Mecklenburg-Güstrow. Such tiles were used to decorate stoves. They not only heated rooms but also demonstrated the status and political preferences of their owners.  As the publication writes, these artifacts from different eras provide new evidence of the city's history, from everyday life in the Middle Ages to Swedish administration and the beginnings of university printing in the 17th century.

The discovery of Maria Eleonora's portrait in Tartu is significant in the context of the city's historical ties with the Kingdom of Sweden. King Gustavus II Adolphus turned Tartu into a major educational center by founding the University of Tartu in 1632. As a result, images of the royal family became widespread in the decorative and applied arts of the Baltic region during this period

In addition, the researchers also discovered a medieval sword and knife with a preserved wooden handle. The sword's exact age is still being determined.

The team also found a metal fragment that could have been the tip of a sword scabbard or another cutting tool. Experts describe the fragment as an object that potentially belongs to the early modern or modern period, although no evidence has yet been released directly linking it to the sword. During the Middle Ages, Tartu was one of Livonia's most important trade and settlement centers. The long history of settlement explains why objects from different periods are found within a single excavation site, requiring archaeologists to assess the dating and stratigraphic layers of each artifact separately

Also, according to the publication. one of the most scientifically significant results of the excavations was the metal printing type, which was only six millimeters high.

Archaeologists found a small italicized letter "h" on this piece, cast in reverse. Approximately 25 millimeters long, the object corresponds to the dimensions of movable metal type used in 17th-century printing presses

According to Arvi Haak, head of the archaeology department at the Tartu City Museum, such letters were used to manually set texts in early modern printing houses, and similar early modern printing types had not previously been documented during archaeological excavations in Estonia.

Meelis Friedenthal, a book historian at the University of Tartu, assumes that the type may have belonged to the first university printing house. It began operating in 1632 and mainly published academic texts, speeches, and invitations in Latin.

The history of university printing was interrupted by wars in the 17th century. When Russian troops seized Tartu in 1656, members of the university fled to Tallinn, but the printing equipment remained in the city. Later, the equipment was hidden in a church and returned for use after the university reopened

Let us recall

In northeastern France, archaeologists discovered a rare 5th-century burial site where Germanic warriors were buried together with weapons and horses. Among the finds was a sword decorated with gold and garnets, which may have belonged to a military leader.