Researchers in Poland were able to discover an early medieval sword on a muddy riverbed. Some of them think that the sword could have Viking origins and connections.
Early Medieval Sword Found
The sword is roughly 1,000 years old and is even believed to be older than the country itself. It was discovered covered in silt in the Vistula River's depths. Interestingly, the condition of the sword was seen to be "near perfect."
Local authorities then got in touch with the Provincial Office for the Protection of Monuments regarding the distinct finding. The Center for Sport and Recreation of the city then revealed the discovery through a Facebook post on January 12.
According to x-ray imaging performed on the artifact, the blade of the sword has an inscription that says U[V]LFBERTH, which is a marking that has been seen in a medieval sword group with 170 pieces found primarily within northern Europe. It is possible that it may have been a Franking name that was personal.
Considering the handle of the weapon, experts have classified the sword as a "type S" one, which is marked by a metal cross guard that is straight and that symmetrically widens close to the end. The top of the sword's handle had a three-part cap, which is a style that allows researchers to date the sword to the ninth to 10th century. This was when the first Piast dynasty's state formed.
Mateusz Sosnowski, a specialist from the Wda Landscape Park who was involved in the surveying of the sword explains that this is one of the most famous and best, when it comes to blade quality, early medieval swords in Europe. Sosnowski explains that this serves as the eighth sword of its kind that has been found in present-day Poland.
Sword Mysteries
The arrival of the sword in the area has remained unclear to some researchers. They are also puzzled about whether the sword really has Viking origins.
According to Sosnowski, due to the prime location of Wloclawek on the river, it may have been a crucial route for shipping during this period. It connected the city to far routes from Scandinavia and the Baltic Sea.
Sosnowski also shares that, on top of this, in a 2007 highway construction project, workers were able to find a cemetery nearby that dates back to the 10th and 11th centuries. In the course of research, several artifacts with Scandinavian roots were discovered. This enabled them to think that Scandinavian people may have been buried there. These individuals could have served the earliest Piasts, who were settling the state in the region back then.
However, not everyone thinks that the sword has Viking origins. Robert Grochowski, a Polish archaeologist, explains that this kind of sword is typically considered a Viking sword, though it was forged in present-day France. He adds that several weapons reached Central Europe via trade.
Grochowski expresses not knowing where the idea behind the Viking origins of the sword comes from. He adds that without further research, it would be unjustified to call it a Viking sword. It is hard to say anything more than the fact that the sword is an early medieval one.
RELATED ARTICLE: 'Replica' Sword at Chicago Field Museum Turns Out To Be Bronze-Age Relic Which Is Now 3,000 Years Old
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