Ancient Sword Found in Germany: Still Shining After 3,000 Years

Ancient Bronze Age Sword Found in Germany Shines After 3,000 Years

A Bronze Age sword that was discovered in Germany is in such good condition that it nearly glimmers after over 3,000 years.

The sword was discovered by German archeologists at a burial site in Nördlingen, Bavaria, in southeast Germany, alongside the remains of a man, a woman, and a boy. Images of the sword show the exceptional preservation and the intricate details on the hilt of the weapon. The Bavarian State Office for Monument Protection announced the find in a statement last week. 

“Last week, archaeologists made a very special find during excavations in Nördlingen: a bronze sword that is over 3,000 years old and is so extraordinarily well preserved that it almost still shines,” the state office said in the translated statement. “It is a representative of the bronze full-hilt swords, whose octagonal hilt is made entirely of bronze (octagonal sword type),”

The hilt of the sword is made of bronze, which now appears with a greenish tint, and is an octagonal shape, the statement says. Researchers have dated the sword to the 14th century B.C., which falls in the middle of the Bronze Age. 

The 3,000 year old sword is similar to the Bronze D type Rixheim swords (though the sword type has been described as “octagonal”).
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Exceptional Preservation and Mysterious Burial

Archeologists believe that the three bodies buried in the grave were placed in quick succession, but it’s unclear if they were related, according to the statement. 

“The sword and the burial still have to be examined so that our archaeologists can classify this find more precisely,” Mathias Pfeil, head of the state office, told LiveScience. “But it can already be said: the condition is exceptional! A find like this is very rare!”

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Rare and Skilled Craftsmanship

The find is so rare partly because many Bronze Age swords have already been looted, but also because the type of sword could only be made by skilled smiths, the outlet notes. 

“The production of octagonal swords is complex because the handle is cast over the blade (so-called overlay casting),” the statement said. “The decoration is made with an inlay and using hallmarks. While there are two real rivets, another pair of rivets are only implied.”

Octagonal swords were only made in two areas of Germany at the time, including one location in the south of the country and one in the north. It’s not yet clear where this sword stems from, according to the statement. 

While there are no major signs of wear or cut marks along the blade, archeologists believe it was used as a weapon because of “The center of gravity in the front part of the blade,” which means it was “balanced mainly for slashing.”