Swedish-bound ship sunk with booty

Polish researchers have found what looks like a ship with plundered goods from the 17th century at the bottom of the river Vistula. Booty on the way to Sweden.  

  • Academics from Warsaw University unveiling the extraordinary hoard of treasures found on the bed of river Vistula. Treasures on their way to Sweden. Photo: PAP/Pawel Supernak.
  • Polish researchers have found what looks like a ship with plundered goods from the 17th century at the bottom of the river Vistula. Booty on the way to Sweden.

  • For over 80 years, Poland was governed by kings from the royal Swedish Vasa family—King Sigismund from 1587 to his death in 1632, then his sons Vladislav IV, 1632-1648, and Johan II Kasimir, 1648-1668. Poland was robbed of many treasures between the years 1655 and 1660 during what has become known as “The Swedish Deluge,” or the Polish-Swedish War, during which King Karl X Gustaf attacked the country. Warsaw was besieged and several treasuries were emptied and sent to Sweden via the city Gdansk. But all ships didn’t reach their destination. “Some of them simply drowned,” said archaeologist Dr. Hubert Kowalski, in an interview with Polish Radio. Among the 70 artifacts found are five tons of sculptures (decorations, doors, floors), relics from the Royal Palace in Warsaw, as well as the former Villa Regia, later transformed into the Kazimierzowski Palace (today a branch of Warsaw University).