The Military Museum in Białystok, northeastern Poland, has unveiled a Viking Age sword discovered by divers in the Supraśl River.

According to experts, the sword is one of the few hilt examples found in Poland and is completely unique to the region. “It is very unusual, as far as I know, that there are only three or four such swords in the country,” said Robert Sadowski, director of the Military Museum in Białystok.

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Based on the shape and form of the handle, it is likely of Viking origin, but could also be related to one of the Baltic cultures.

Poland was not an important theater of Scandinavian activity during the Viking Age, but archaeological evidence confirms their presence in the material culture of commercial and administrative centers.

Experts suggest that the sword probably dates back to the late 9th to early 10th century AD and may have been lost while crossing the Supraśl River or perhaps in a skirmish nearby.

The latter is supported by a closer analysis of the blade, which reveals evidence of a violent past, marked by microcracks, scratches and splinters caused by numerous blows in battle.

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Dr. Ryszard Kazimierczak from Nicholas Copernicus University in Toruń explained that the preservation process took place in a carefully controlled humid environment to prevent the sword from drying out after being embedded in river sediment for centuries.

The sword will now be added to the museum’s collection, joining a similar sword that was also recovered from the Supraśl River during drainage work in the 1970s.

Photo credit for header: Artur Reszko

Source: Science in Poland

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