A hiker following an ancient trail in Norway sat down for a short rest, only to end up sitting next to a sword — a 1,200-year-old sword, experts have confirmed.
Made of wrought iron, the approximately 30-inch-long sword with its handle missing was partly buried under some rocks on an ancient route that crosses southern-central Norway, where hiker Gøran Olsen was a walking in Hordaland County.
Dated to around 750 A.D., it is in exceptionally good condition and if were to be given "polish and a new grip," it would be strong enough to use today, County Conservator Per Morten Ekerhovd said.
"It's quite unusual to find remnants from the Viking age that are so well-preserved ... it might be used today if you sharpened the edge," he said.
For at least six months of the year, frost and snow cover the mountains where the find was made, followed by summers with little humidity, which accounts for the sword's exceptional preservation, he added.
The sword may have come from a burial site, he suggested, or may have been lost by an ancient traveler over the high mountain pass.
In the Viking era, from around 700 A.D. to the late 11th century, such a sword would have been a status symbol because of the cost and difficulty in extracting the iron needed to make it, experts said.
It is typical of swords of the era from western Norway, they said, but still rare.
"It is unusual to find a sword of this type today," said county archaeologist Jostein Aksdal. "It was a costly weapon, and the owner must have used it to show power."
Under Viking law, all free men were expected to own and carry weapons, including swords, spears or battle-axes.
Although intended for combat, they were also status symbols, with swords — the most expensive to make — bestowing the highest status.
Aksdal said he would assemble a team of experts next spring, when the snow clears from the area around 150 miles west of the capital Oslo, to excavate for further artifacts.
"When the snow has gone in spring, we will check the place where the sword was found," he said. "If we find several objects, or a tomb, perhaps we can find the story behind the sword."
The sword has been given to the University Museum of Bergen for examination and preservation work.
