Ancient Viking sword discovered 'sticking up out of the ground' after 1,300 years
A 1,300-year-old Viking sword was recently uncovered by an unlikely group of individuals: a class of first-grade children.
The 8th-century weapon was found in a field near the village of Brandbu, Norway, about 40 miles northwest of Oslo, in late April.
Viking Age swords are "relatively rare" finds, said Øystein Lia, an archaeologist and senior adviser with Innlandet County's Cultural Heritage department.
Lia told Fox News Digital that the Innlandet region receives approximately one Viking sword discovery every two years.
Though the sword owner's identity is lost to time, Lia said that the weapon "belonged to someone of high status within Viking Age society."
"It was most likely owned by a man, a free landholding individual and a significant warrior," he said.
"He may also have served as a military advisor to a local Viking chieftain."
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The news of the find was announced by the cultural heritage department of Norway's Innlandet County in May.
Officials said the sword was first spotted on a school trip by a 6-year-old boy named Henrik, who noticed "something strange sticking up out of the ground." Pictures released by officials show a long, rust-covered sword with its hilt largely intact.
"The sword is what we call single-edged," the department said in a Facebook post. "That means it is sharp on only one side."
The post added, "We believe the sword is around 1,300 years old, dating to the Merovingian Period or the beginning of the Viking Age."
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Officials also described the sword as exceptionally well-preserved, adding that they were proud of the children who uncovered it and reported it to officials.
Lia added to Fox News Digital that the sword is believed to have been produced in Norway and was likely crafted between 750 and 850 A.D., based on the fact that it is single-edged.
"Sword blades developed from large knives known as seaxes, or weapon knives," he added.
"These were initially elongated into single-edged sword blades with one cutting edge and later evolved into blades sharpened along both edges."
Since the sword was found in a cultivated field, archaeologists believe its original burial context was likely disturbed over time, though a nearby site suggests it may have come from a grave.
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"In this instance, a burial site with small burial mounds dating to the Iron Age is located approximately 40 meters [131 feet] away," said Lia.
"We therefore have good reason to believe that the sword originally derived from a grave context."
The sword has been transferred to the Museum of Cultural History in Oslo for preservation — and Lia added that X-ray analysis could reveal details about how it was forged.
The find is one of many impressive Viking discoveries reported this year.
Earlier this spring, two hobbyist treasure hunters uncovered one of the largest Viking coin hoards ever found in Norway after discovering dozens of silver coins in a field.
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Also, a British archaeologist recently said he may have identified England's first monumental Viking ship burial — a site he believes could be the resting place of the legendary leader Ivar the Boneless.