It sounds like something from a fantasy video game: While trekking the mountainous wild, a man in Norway recently stumbled upon an ancient, intact sword. And with the right treatment, it could still be used to vanquish baddies today, experts say.
CNN reports that outdoorsman Goran Olsen made the rusty discovery when he took a break while hiking an ancient route in Norway, about 242km west of the capital, Oslo. Apparently the sword was just lying under some rocks. Since the region is covered in snow and frost for half the year, CNN reports that those conditions shielded the sword from humidity, which helped preserve the sword’s excellent condition.
Olsen turned it in to the local Hordaland County Council, which then donated it to the University Museum of Bergen for preservation.
The 0.7m blade probably dates from about 750 to 800 A.D., and was likely used by vikings of the day. The sword was found in such unusually good condition, that experts say if you polished it up enough and outfitted it with a new grip, it could actually be used as a weapon over a millennium later.
That’s according to Hordaland County archaeologist Jostein Aksdal, who also says the story doesn’t end here. “When the snow has gone in spring, we will check the place where the sword was found,” he told Swedish newspaper, The Local. “If we find several objects, or a tomb, perhaps we can find the story behind the sword.”
We’ll keep an eye on the story, and our hopes up for a hidden viking weapon treasure horde.
[Hordaland County Council via CNN and The Local]
Images courtesy Hordaland County Council