A historic barrel from the 15th century excavated during the construction of a nuclear power plant
According to Polish Nuclear Power Plants (PEJ), the find is tentatively dated to the period from the 15th to the 17th century and may provide valuable information about Baltic trade in the late Middle Ages and early modern era.
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PEJ protects monuments from the seabed
The barrel was found during another UXO research campaign, launched in March 2026, carried out as part of the preparation of the marine part of the power plant project. These tests are aimed at detecting and neutralizing objects that may pose a threat to investments, such as unexploded ordnance, unexploded ordnance or ferromagnetic waste. Their results are used in the safe design and construction of the cooling water supply system.
Barrel found
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PEJ / Polish Nuclear Power Plants
According to Polish Nuclear Power Plants, the work is carried out by specialized teams using geophysical research and historical analyses, and, if necessary, also includes the safe removal of potentially dangerous objects.
PEJ point out that one of the challenges of the project is the identification and proper protection of monuments lying at the bottom of the Baltic Sea. The company emphasizes that it conducts constant monitoring, cooperates with archaeologists and contractors, and remains in contact with the relevant conservation services and the National Maritime Museum in Gdańsk.
The find is secured
The find was secured and transferred to the National Maritime Museum, where it will undergo specialized research and conservation. The barrel was found at a depth of approximately 19 meters, one meter below the seabed, and recovered by divers under the supervision of an underwater archaeologist. It is approximately 70 cm high, 40 cm in diameter and weighs 216 kg.
According to preliminary findings, the object may contain osmund iron nuggets – a raw material widely used from the Middle Ages to the 17th century. The preserved bottoms bear merchant marks, the so-called signs, used to mark goods transported by sea until the end of the 17th century.
Experts from the National Maritime Museum indicate that the nature of the find fits well into the known context of the Baltic iron trade. Similar barrels with osmund were transported, among others, on a 15th-century merchant ship called the “Copper Ship” and a 17th-century “Rudowiec”. Such discoveries allow us to better understand the organization of maritime transport, methods of marking cargo and the route of ancient trade routes connecting the largest ports in the Baltic Sea.
