Ethnographic Arms & Armour - View Single Post - 'Octagonal' sword from Bronze Age burial in Germany is so well preserved it shines

Edster · 16th June 2023, 02:02 PM

Worth Noting.
'Octagonal' sword from Bronze Age burial in Germany is so well preserved it shines

Here's the link. Maybe a Moderator can extract the pictures.I can't.

https://www.livescience.com/archaeol...rved-it-shines

News
By Laura Geggel published about 16 hours ago
Archaeologists in Germany have unearthed a sword in a three-person burial dating to the late 14th century B.C.

We see a sword with a green handle in the mud.
The 3,000-year-old weapon is known as an octagonal sword. (Image credit: Bronzezeitliches Schwert aus Nördlingen; Archäologie-Büro Dr. Woidich)
Archaeologists in Germany have unearthed a sword from a Bronze Age burial, and the weapon is in such good condition that it still gleams.

The 3,000-year-old sword, discovered in the town of Nördlingen in Bavaria, was found in the burial of a man, woman and child. It appears that the trio were buried in quick succession, but it's unclear if they are related to one another, according to a statement the Bavarian State Office for Monument Protection released on Wednesday (June 14).

We see the handle of the sword next to a ruler in the mud.

The bronze hilt has turned green since it was crafted in the middle Bronze Age. (Image credit: Schwert Griff; Archäologie-Büro Dr. Woidich)
The sword is so well preserved, "it almost still shines," according to the translated statement. The weapon has an ornate octagonal hilt crafted from bronze that now has a greenish tinge, as bronze contains copper, a metal that oxidizes when exposed to air and water.

We see the sword in the dirt burial surrounded by human bones.

The newfound sword was discovered in a burial that had the remains of a man, woman and child. (Image credit: Schwert am Fundort; Archäologie-Büro Dr. Woidich)
Archaeologists dated the sword to the end of the 14th century B.C. Sword discoveries from this time and region are rare, as many middle Bronze Age graves were looted over the millennia, the team said.

Only skilled smiths could make octagonal swords. The handle, which has two rivets, was cast over the blade in 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, according to the statement. Even so, the sword could have easily served as an active weapon, as the center of gravity on the blade's front end suggests that it could have effectively slashed opponents.

Ed

16th June 2023, 02:02 PM	#1
Edster Member Join Date: Oct 2010 Posts: 401	'Octagonal' sword from Bronze Age burial in Germany is so well preserved it shines Worth Noting. 'Octagonal' sword from Bronze Age burial in Germany is so well preserved it shines Here's the link. Maybe a Moderator can extract the pictures.I can't. https://www.livescience.com/archaeol...rved-it-shines News By Laura Geggel published about 16 hours ago Archaeologists in Germany have unearthed a sword in a three-person burial dating to the late 14th century B.C. We see a sword with a green handle in the mud. The 3,000-year-old weapon is known as an octagonal sword. (Image credit: Bronzezeitliches Schwert aus Nördlingen; Archäologie-Büro Dr. Woidich) Archaeologists in Germany have unearthed a sword from a Bronze Age burial, and the weapon is in such good condition that it still gleams. The 3,000-year-old sword, discovered in the town of Nördlingen in Bavaria, was found in the burial of a man, woman and child. It appears that the trio were buried in quick succession, but it's unclear if they are related to one another, according to a statement the Bavarian State Office for Monument Protection released on Wednesday (June 14). We see the handle of the sword next to a ruler in the mud. The bronze hilt has turned green since it was crafted in the middle Bronze Age. (Image credit: Schwert Griff; Archäologie-Büro Dr. Woidich) The sword is so well preserved, "it almost still shines," according to the translated statement. The weapon has an ornate octagonal hilt crafted from bronze that now has a greenish tinge, as bronze contains copper, a metal that oxidizes when exposed to air and water. We see the sword in the dirt burial surrounded by human bones. The newfound sword was discovered in a burial that had the remains of a man, woman and child. (Image credit: Schwert am Fundort; Archäologie-Büro Dr. Woidich) Archaeologists dated the sword to the end of the 14th century B.C. Sword discoveries from this time and region are rare, as many middle Bronze Age graves were looted over the millennia, the team said. Only skilled smiths could make octagonal swords. The handle, which has two rivets, was cast over the blade in 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, according to the statement. Even so, the sword could have easily served as an active weapon, as the center of gravity on the blade's front end suggests that it could have effectively slashed opponents. Ed