Archaeologists in Germany unearth 3,000-year-old sword that 'still shines'

A sword, made of bronze and estimated to be more than 3,000 years old, was unearthed in southern Germany in such a well-preserved state that it “almost still shines”, officials said.

The Bavarian state office for the preservation of historical monuments (BLfD) stated that the newly-discovered sword, which is estimated to date back to the end of the 14th century BC, which is the middle phase of the bronze age, was discovered during excavations being conducted in Nordlingen, between Nuremberg and Stuttgart, last week.

There is an octagonal hilt on the sword and it was found in a grave in which three people were buried in quick succession - a man, a woman and a boy - with bronze objects, stated the BLfD this week. The archaeologists are still not clear if the three people were related to each other or not, or if so how.

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'A very rare find'

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Head of the BLfD Prof Mathias Pfeil said: “The sword and the burial still need to be examined so that our archaeologists can categorise this find more precisely. But we can already say that the state of preservation is extraordinary. A find like this is very rare.”

“It is unusual to find swords from the period, but they have emerged from burial mounds that were opened in the 19th century or as individual finds,” the BLfD stated.

According to the translation of the statement release, the excavated item represents the bronze full-hilt swords (octagonal sword type) in which bronze has been used to make the entire octagonal hilt.

As per a report published by LiveScience, archaeologists emphasised that the sword, which has been estimated to belong to the 14th century BC, is a rare find as discoveries made from this era and region are rare since people have looted many Middle Bronze Age graves over the millennia.

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According to archaeologists, such octagonal swords can only be made by skilled smiths. There are two rivets over the handle which were cast over the blade using a technique known as overlay casting.

“However, the blade doesn't have any visible cut marks or signs of wear, suggesting that it had a ceremonial or symbolic purpose,” as per the statement released.

The experts have suggested that the sword must have easily served as an active weapon since the centre of gravity on the front end of the blade suggests that it could have slashed opponents effectively.

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