A team of archaeologists from Germany unearthed a rare sword in a tomb containing the remains of three people from the late 14th century BC.
The sword, which is more than 3,000 years old, was likely created by a skilled blacksmith. Photo: Bronzezeitliches Schwert
German archaeologists have unearthed a sword from a Bronze Age grave. The weapon is in such good condition that it still sparkles. The more than 3,000-year-old sword was discovered in the Bavarian town of Nördlingen, in a grave containing the remains of a man, a woman and a child. The three people appear to have been buried next to each other, but the team is not sure if they are related, the Bavarian Monuments Protection Agency said in a statement on June 14.
The weapon has an octagonal hilt cast from a copper alloy, now greenish in color due to oxidation of the copper by exposure to air and water. Archaeologists date the sword to the late 14th century BC. Swords from this period are rare in the region, as many Middle Bronze Age tombs were looted over the millennia.
Only a skilled blacksmith could have created an octagonal sword. The handle has two rivets, cast over the blade using a technique called overmolding. However, the blade has no obvious cut marks or wear, suggesting it was a ceremonial or symbolic object. Even so, it is likely to have been used as a weapon, as the center of gravity at the front of the blade suggests it could have been used effectively to cut an opponent.
Researchers say there were two production sites for octagonal swords in Germany. One was in southern Germany, while the other was in northern Germany and Denmark. It is not yet clear where the newly discovered sword came from. "The sword and the grave still need to be examined so that our archaeologists can classify the find more precisely," said Mathias Pfeil, head of the Bavarian Monuments Protection Authority.
An Khang (According to Live Science )
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