‘Extremely rare’ 3,000-year-old sword discovered in Germany is so well preserved it SHINES, archaeologists say
- The ancient weapon was unearthed in the small German town of Nördlingen
- Experts were shocked to see how shiny it was despite being in a burial site
- Not sure where the sword was made or who the people at this tomb are
Archaeologists have unearthed an extremely rare Bronze Age sword at an ancient burial site in Germany.
The weapon, believed to be 3,000 years old, was unearthed in the small town of Nördlingen just last week.
Experts were shocked that it was so well preserved that it actually shone, even though three people lay in one grave.
The three bodies included a man, a woman and a teenager. Researchers weren’t sure if they were related.
“The sword and the burial still have to be examined so that our archaeologists can further classify this find,” said Mathias Pfeil, head of the Bavarian State Office for Monument Preservation. “But you can already say that the condition is exceptional!” A find like this is really rare.’
Archaeologists have unearthed an extremely rare Bronze Age sword at an ancient burial site in Germany
When was the Bronze Age?
The Bronze Age lasted from 3300 B.C. to 1200 BC Chr.
It was the first time humans began working with metal and creating new tools and weapons.
This was a huge advance at the time, improving agriculture and boosting trade.
Despite its age, the sword’s zigzag pattern is still fully visible, broken up by rivets and rivets.
Although experts believe it was difficult to manufacture, they are convinced it was a real weapon, designed for sharp cuts.
At the time, there were few hotspots for trading such swords in Europe, including southern Germany, northern Germany and Denmark.
At this time, swords from Nördlingen were often part of the “urns” that were characterized by the custom of cremation in the Late Bronze Age.
While the Urnfield culture is thought to have first appeared in northern Italy and Eastern Europe, it also made its way to various other countries such as Germany and Ukraine.
It is believed that warlike behavior had spread among members of this community by this time, just prior to the start of the Tumulus culture era.
This led to a huge advancement in bronze weapons and armor.
However, the team remains unsure of where this newly found sword was made and will investigate further in due course.
They even point to “migratory artisans” and imports as a potential source of the sword.
The German discovery comes just months after a 3,000-year-old toddler shoe was found in a river bed in north Kent.
Experts were shocked to see how shiny the sword was despite lying in a grave of three people
Archaeologists are unsure where the sword was made and who the people at this tomb are
Pictured: The small town of Nördlingen in southern Germany where the sword was found
Bronze Age Armor: It is believed that the Urnfield culture first appeared in Northern Italy and Eastern Europe and then spread to various other countries such as Germany and Ukraine
The rare 15cm Bronze Age leather shoe is believed to be the oldest found in Britain and was discovered by Steve Tomlinson, 51, in September.
Mr Tomlinson did not think much of the find at first, but sent it to a unit in East Kilbride, Scotland, for carbon dating.
Five weeks later, he was shocked to discover the age after believing it to be medieval.
“I thought it was something good, but I still thought it was medieval,” Tomlinson said.
“I sent it in for carbon dating and five weeks later I got a call from a gentleman in the lab who said to me, ‘I think you’d better sit down.’
“I’d had a good day in the mud that day – I’d found some Roman pottery shards – but I wasn’t expecting that.”
BRONZE AGE BRITAIN: AN AGE OF TOOLS, POTS AND WEAPONS LASTING NEARLY 1,500 YEARS
The Bronze Age in Britain began around 2,500 BC. and lasted almost 1,500 years.
It was a time when sophisticated bronze tools, pots and weapons were imported from continental Europe.
Skulls uncovered from this period differ significantly from Stone Age skulls, suggesting that this migratory period brought new ideas and blood from overseas.
Bronze is 10 percent tin and 90 percent copper, both of which were in abundance at the time.
Crete appears to be a center of expansion for the bronze trade in Europe and weapons first came from the Mycenaeans of southern Russia.
It is widely believed that bronze first arrived in Britain with the Beaker people, who lived in temperate Europe around 4,500 years ago.
They owe their name to their distinctive bell-shaped cups, which are decorated with finely serrated stamps in horizontal zones.
The decorated pots are nearly ubiquitous across Europe and may have been used as drinking vessels or ceremonial urns.
It is believed that the Becher people originally came from Spain and soon spread to central and western Europe in search of metals.
Textile production was also practiced at this time and people wore wrap skirts, tunics and cloaks. Men were generally clean-shaven and had long hair.
The dead were cremated or buried in small cemeteries near settlements.
This period was followed by the Iron Age, which began around 650 BC. and ended around AD 43.