Sword Still Intact After 1,200 Years On Norwegian Mountain

A group of Norwegian hunters found a 1,200-year-old Viking sword preserved in perfect condition high up in the mountains.

Hunter Einar Ambakk and three friends came across a brown object protruding from a rock while tracking reindeer on a mountain in Reinheimen National Park in Oppland County, Norway, Pickles reported on September 7. When they got closer, they realized it was a metre-long sword that was still intact.

Local archaeologist Espen Finstad confirmed that the sword was a Viking-era iron sword, most likely made in the 10th century. According to Finstad, the sword is in good condition due to a combination of the quality of the iron, the high altitude and the cold conditions most of the year. The find is of particular interest because it was found at more than 1,600 meters above sea level, a record for Viking finds in Norway.

Finstad speculates that the sword may have belonged to a Viking who died in the mountains after getting lost in an avalanche. The sword is being examined by archaeologists in Lillehammer and will soon be transferred to the Museum of Cultural History in Oslo for further study and preservation.

According to VNE