Fixings in a plastered ceiling

[slaskman]

Asking on behalf of a friend here;
The house in question is from the 1800s-1900s and built with masonry. The ceilings appear to be plastered, and if you look through a hole from the second floor, the ceilings seem to consist of reed and plaster.
Is there any chance of attaching something to the ceiling without finding the beams?
She tried with drywall anchors, and they didn't hold at all but disappeared into the ceiling.

 

[Larsa]

There are probably planks above plaster and reed. Long screws all the way up into the planks and it will be fine...