Tiny ancient tools dating back 500 years have been unearthed in the Sacred Gardens of Frombork, Poland.
The discovery was an unusual copper compass, shaped somewhat like a wishbone, with two prongs that meet at the top in a V-shape.
The discovery was announced by Warminska Grupa Eksploracyjna, the organization responsible for the finders, in a Facebook post on August 4, 2024.
An ancient compass has been discovered in Poland, and researchers believe the tool once belonged to Nicolaus Copernicus. (Pictures From History/Universal Images Group, via Getty Images)
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“Today we achieved great success,” a translated statement on the group's Facebook page read, adding that they had also pinpointed the location of the underground tunnel where they found the ancient artifacts.
The compass is the third of its kind found in Poland, according to a Facebook post by the archaeology group. Displayed photos of the discovery.
Following its discovery, the artifact was handed over to the Archaeological Survey, which confirmed that the compass dates to the 15th or 16th century, according to Live Science.
The compass is thought to be associated with the Polish astronomer and mathematician Nicolaus Copernicus, whose connection to the instrument stems primarily from the fact that it was discovered in Frombork, specifically in the Sacred Garden, where Copernicus spent most of his life.
Copernicus was a famous astronomer who spent most of his life in Frombork. (DeAgostini/Getty Images)
“We have found an ancient compass that probably belonged to Nicolaus Copernicus,” the Mischa Skarb Foundation, the organization behind the discovery, wrote on a translated webpage set up by Michael Anza to raise funds for archaeological research. “This tool could have been used by astronomers to make precise measurements and calculations essential for astronomical research. This discovery is of great historical importance, as it is one of the few direct evidences of Copernicus' practical application of science.”
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Copernicus was born on February 19, 1473. He is known for his work in astronomy, particularly his heliocentric theory. According to History.com, he was the first European scientist to propose that the Earth and other planets revolve around the Sun.
This contradicted the common belief held by astronomers that the Earth was at the center.
His ideas became the basis for many subsequent astronomers who built on Copernicus' ideas to gain a deeper understanding of the universe.
Copernicus' theory is set out in a book called “On the Revolutions of the Celestial Spheres.” (SSPL/Getty Images)
According to Space.com, Copernicus' theory was laid out in his book “On the Revolutions of the Celestial Spheres,” which he completed in 1532.
The work was finally published in 1543, the same year that Copernicus died in Frombork.
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Since the discovery of what is believed to be the famous astronomer's compass, it has been moved to the Nicolaus Copernicus Museum, where it already has another similar tool, according to an August 4 museum Facebook post.
