Archaeologists Discover Gleaming 3,000-Year-Old Sword in Germany

It’s the kind of thing that you read only in legends. The ancient sword gleaming from the dirt, buried to hide its ancient past.

But for some researchers in Germany that legend became reality recently it made them stop in their tracks. While digging at a burial site in the state of Bavaria in southern Germany, archeologists found a nearly perfectly preserved sword from 3,000 years ago. 

The experts who found it have said that the sword is so well-preserved that it was gleaming when they pulled it out of the ground. 

It was discovered last week at a site in Donau-Ries, and researchers believe it was left in the grave as a burial gift, reports CNN.

The sword is thought to date to the end of the 14th century BCE, the Middle Bronze Age. A sword like this, with an octagonal handle made entirely from bronze, is a rare find, according to the statement.

“The sword and the burial still have to be examined so that our archaeologists can classify this excavation more precisely,” said Professor Mathias Pfeil, Head of the Bavarian State Office for the Preservation of Monuments.

“The state of preservation is exceptional! A find like this is very rare,” he added.

Researchers believe the sword was a real weapon. “The center of gravity in the front part of the blade indicates that it was balanced mainly for slashing,” the statement reads.

The grave contains the bones of a man, woman and boy, and other bronze items, according to reports.

Early June, archaeologists found in Nördlingen, Bavaria an exceptionally preserved sword ⬇️ from the Bronze Age (1400BC). It is still gleaming. It was found with the remains of a man, woman and a young person, buried in short succession. How cool is that? 😎

Good night! pic.twitter.com/YT3El9tojU

— Kalangfeld (@kalangfeld) June 16, 2023

BBC noted, “The archaeologists are not sure whether the three were related, and the rarity of the find raises questions about the sword’s origin.

The BLfD says manufacturing such a sword was complicated, as the hilt was cast on to the blade.”

“It is an octagonal sword with an octagonal hilt made entirely of bronze. The production of octagonal swords is complex because the handle is cast over the blade (so-called overlay casting). The decoration is made with an inlay and using hallmarks. While there are two real rivets, another pair of rivets is only implied. Despite the manufacturing effort and the lack of signs of a blow, it can be assumed that it was a real weapon. The center of gravity in the front part of the blade indicates a predominantly slashing balance.

Whether the sword was Bavaria crafted or was imported is currently being investigated. There are three main distribution centers during the bronze age for octagonal swords of this type, one in Southern Germany and the others in Northern Germany and Denmark,” Arkeonews explained.

“Comparing the casting methods and the decoration reveals that while some of the octagonal swords in the North may be genuine imports or the work of “wandering craftsmen,” others may be copies of South German designs.

Mathias Pfeil, head of the Bavarian State Office for the Preservation of Monuments, stated: ‘The sword and the burial still have to be examined so that our archaeologists can classify this find more precisely. But it can already be said: the condition is exceptional! A find like this is very rare!'”

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