Researchers and divers have unearthed the remains of a medieval soldier from the underwater slope of Lake Asveja in eastern Lithuania.
The human remains were found under a layer of mud and sand at a depth of nine meters during an underwater examination of the remains of the old Dubingiai bridge, said Elena Pranckenaite.
She said the underwater find, which was not a burial, was unique and the first of its kind in Lithuania.
Personal belongings found nearby, including a sword, well-preserved leather boots and two knives, suggest that the remains belonged to a medieval soldier.
The find can be dated to the 16th century.
Researchers have preliminarily identified the remains as those of a young man. The cause of death could not be determined.
The remains are now being examined at the Faculty of Medicine at Vilnius University, and the archaeological finds have been sent to the Lithuanian National Museum for conservation.
The bottom of Lake Asveja has been intermittently explored using underwater archeological methods since 1998.
