"The discovered burial insignia of Lithuanian and Polish rulers are priceless historical treasures, symbols of the long tradition of Lithuanian statehood, signs of Vilnius as the capital, and magnificent works of goldsmithing and jewelry," said Archbishop Gintaras Grušas.
A secret cache containing the burial insignia of Lithuanian and Polish monarchs—hidden since the onset of World War II in 1939—was found under Vilnius Cathedral, according to Delfi Mokslas. The treasures include three crowns belonging to Alexander Jagiellonian, his mother Elisabeth Habsburg, and Barbara Radziwiłł, as well as other royal regalia found in the cathedral's catacombs.
The search for these hidden artifacts lasted nearly 90 years, beginning with attempts made after Lithuania regained independence, reports Delfi Mokslas. The cache was found and opened on December 16.
"The discovered burial insignia of Lithuanian and Polish rulers are priceless historical treasures, symbols of the long tradition of Lithuanian statehood, signs of Vilnius as the capital, and magnificent works of goldsmithing and jewelry," said Archbishop Gintaras Grušas, according to RMF24. He explained that the crowns were minted after the rulers' deaths and were created as part of the burial insignia, emphasizing that they were not worn during the rulers' lifetimes, as reported by Delfi Mokslas.
Among the treasures were three crowns, three chains, a medallion, four rings, three coffin plates, a scepter, and a royal orb, according to Delfi Mokslas. Additionally, six silver plaques adorning St. Casimir's Chapel were found, along with numerous votive offerings, rings, earrings, crosses, several bishops' insignia, and the coffin plate of Bishop Benedict Vainius of Vilnius.
The insignia were prepared for the rulers to serve them during their funeral and burial. The crowns were made for each ruler individually, immediately after their death, as part of the burial insignia, notes Niezalezna.
The treasures were hidden in 1939, shortly after the outbreak of World War II, when the cathedral was threatened with closure. They were concealed by bricking up the cathedral's treasury in a niche in one of the sanctuary staircases, according to Delfi Mokslas.
"All the found tomb insignia will undergo comprehensive restoration so that they can be exhibited to the general public," said Archbishop Grušas.
Polish media described the discovery as a "sensation," emphasizing the historical significance of the burial insignia dating back to the 16th century, according to Polsat News.
The crypt with the remains of Grand Duke of Lithuania and King of Poland Alexander Jagiellonian and his wives, Elisabeth Habsburg and Barbara Radziwiłł, was originally discovered in Vilnius Cathedral during emergency works after a flood in 1931, notes Niezalezna. At that time, the remains and burial insignia were found, but with the impending threat of war, they were hidden to protect them from potential looting or destruction.
Efforts to locate the hidden treasures intensified over the years. In 2009, a project by the Polish ministry established cooperation with Lithuanian heritage conservation institutions, and permission was obtained from the archdiocese administration for non-invasive research using ground-penetrating radar, thermal imaging, and metal detectors, reports Delfi Mokslas. However, these searches did not yield tangible results.
"They are very valuable relics in a historical sense," said Vydas Dolinskas, director of the National Museum of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, according to Delfi Mokslas. He added that some of the discovered items, such as rings, may have been worn by the rulers while they were alive—for example, the rings of Barbara Radziwiłł and Elizabeth Habsburg.
Speaking about the decision to open the hiding place, Dolinskas acknowledged mixed feelings due to current global events. "As we know, thank God, not in Lithuania, but there is a war, and we know what values are being destroyed in Ukraine, so opening hiding places that have been closed for 90 years is probably not the best thing," he said. "But since, as mentioned, some individuals were very close to the hiding place, the owner—the Vilnius Archdiocese Curia, the cathedral—just thought, and I think thought correctly, that these national and Church values need to be placed more safely in another place so that they are preserved for centuries to come," stated Dolinskas, as reported by Delfi Mokslas.
"I anticipate questions about where the find should be, especially the insignia; in my opinion, they are an inseparable part of the kings' remains, they are burial insignia, and the best place would be the kings' mausoleum," stated Rita Pauliukevičiūtė, the director of the Museum of Church Heritage, according to Delfi Mokslas. She acknowledged the challenges in preserving these valuable items.
This article was written in collaboration with generative AI company Alchemiq