Archaeologists at the AOC Archaeology have discovered a heavily-decorated hilt of the Viking sword found at a burial site in Papa Westray in 2015. The sword found in Orkney is a rare and complex find and has a lot to reveal, according to archaeologists. The sword that dates back to the 9th Century is being considered one of the heaviest designs of the Viking era. The sword was brought to the lab and put under the X-ray as part of the post-excavation project, during which the ornate hilt revealed itself, reported BBC. The sword is corroded and is extremely fragile, due to which the team examining the relic is not able to study the underside of the sword. The current study of the sword unveiled the guard of the sword, which consists of contrasting metals creating a honeycomb-like pattern. More information is yet to be dug out by the researchers.
“To preserve as much evidence as possible, we lifted the whole sword and its surrounding soil in a block to be transported to the lab and forensically excavated there,” said the team, as reported by BBC. “This rate survival will have many stories to tell,” said Andrew Morrison, team member, AOC Archaeology.
According to researchers, the sword, based on the current findings, belongs to the Pedersen Type D category, which are generally associated with the 9th Century. These kinds of swords are some of the heaviest makes from the Vikings era and needed a considerable-sized hilt to achieve the required stability. This may be the reason for the heavily ornate hilt of the found sword.
Apart from the sword, several other findings also surfaced in the excavation drive, such as a shield, arrows, a buckle, and a Viking boat burial. The research was funded by Historic Environment Scotland (HES) and will continue for a few months.
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