In an unexpected turn of events, a valuable historical discovery was made in Portugal. In the city of Figueira da Foz, medieval manuscripts were found in a garbage dump, writes WPTech.
The discovery has stunned historians and experts alike. The oldest of these manuscripts are over a thousand years old, and the story behind their discovery is even more surprising.
The collection of documents came to light when one of the letters was put up for sale online.
The seller, a café owner named Mario Rui, did not realize the letter was from the 15th century and had been written by King Alfonso V of Portugal.
At first, the authenticity of the document was questioned. No one thought it could be real.
Rui, who had found the documents in a trash can wrapped in old newspapers from the 1970s, initially thought little of their value.
He explained that the papers had been discarded after the Carnation Revolution, a peaceful event in 1974 that overthrew Portugal's dictatorship.
When he tried to sell one letter for 400 euros, the National Archives quickly contacted him. It was then that he realized the true significance of his find.
The manuscripts date back to different centuries. Some are from the 15th century, while others date as far back as the 11th century, a time before Portugal even became a state.
Historians from the Portuguese National Archives, known as Torre de Tombo, confirmed the authenticity of the documents.
One letter, written by King Alfonso V in 1480, is especially valuable, as it was written just before his death.
Rui decided to donate all the manuscripts to the National Archives. In return, he received financial compensation.
This extraordinary discovery is a reminder that history can sometimes be found in the most unlikely of places.
What began as a simple sale online led to the recovery of priceless pieces of Portugal’s past.
