600 year-old Papal seals found in German toilet

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Sensational find in Germany: 600 year-old Papal seals

Greifswald, Germany

In one of the most sensational archaeological discoveries in Germany, four papal seals dating back 600 years have been uncovered from a medieval toilet shaft in the northeastern city of Greifswald, officials said on Thursday.

The four round seals cast in lead date to the papacy of Pope Bonifatius IX (1389-1404). The 3,5cm seals, each weighing about 50g, bear the inscription "BONIFATIUS VIIII" on one side and images of the apostles Peter and Paul on the other.

Regional archaeology office director Hauke Joens said the find -- in the shaft of a toilet on the campus of Greifswald University -- was "sensational".

He noted that over the years, individual papal seals would occasionally be found in various places. But the Greifswald find was the first in which several papal seals were discovered.

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