They trained in treasure hunting for a film – and then found the real thing

Polish actors preparing for a role in a new film discovered a 19th-century steel chest plate in the mud of a palace moat in Poland. The rare artifact, which miraculously survived, will be displayed at the Silesian Museum.

A group of Polish actors, preparing for a role in a new film based on the classic 1937 youth novel "The Devil from Seventh Grade," found a 19th-century steel combat chest plate in the deep mud of the moat of Pilchowice Palace in Poland. The training was organized by popular YouTuber Joanna Lamperska, in collaboration with the historical research association DRACO Żmigród. Researchers initially thought the armor belonged to a French soldier from Napoleon's army, and later leaned toward attributing it to the Prussian Guard, but final dating will be determined after professional preservation and cleaning. Alongside the armor, fragments of statues and historical door locks were found. The palace has a historical connection to the Napoleonic era: in 1813 it served as a venue for a nine-week ceasefire. During World War II, the palace was looted and valuables were thrown into the moat. Lamperska called the find "amazing, miraculously preserved." The museum clarified that the armor will be displayed to the public after conservation.