New Viking Sword Discovered in Southern Norway

A sword from the late Viking Age has been discovered in a burial in Langeid, a village in southern Norway. “Although the iron blade has rusted, the handle is well preserved. It is wrapped with silver thread and the hilt and pommel at the top are covered in silver with details in gold, edged with a copper alloy thread,” project leader Zanette Glørstad said in a press release. Post holes in the four corners of the large grave once held a roof, and yielded charcoal dated to the year A.D. 1030, which coincides with coins found at the bottom of the grave. One of the coins, from England, was minted during the reign of Ethelred II, between 978 and 1016. A battle ax with a shaft coated with brass was also discovered in the same grave.





“At the top of the pommel, we can also clearly see a picture of a hand holding a cross. That’s unique and we don’t know of any similar findings on other swords from the Viking Age. Both the hand and the letters indicate that the sword was deliberately decorated with Christian symbolism. But how did such a sword end up in a pagan burial ground in Norway? The design of the sword, the symbols and the precious metal used all make it perfectly clear that this was a magnificent treasure, probably produced abroad and brought back to Norway by a very prominent man,” added Camilla Cecilie Weenn.




This is very interesting, I am really curious about this Christian connection . I just came across this so I am still reading up on it , I figured i would drop it on ATS and get some ideas going about this sword and it's supposed Christian symbolism. Maybe one of our fellow ATS Brethren and Sistern can enlighten us a bit more on Norse Society !

Plenty more to read HERE

♠Kap♠

Is it anything compared to the Ulfberht? Is it one?

Sounds more like an old sword than a new one.
A fine discovery though.

originally posted by: Phage

Sounds more like an old sword than a new one.
A fine discovery though.

Now now old friend it's not like you to drop one -liners. Why not do what you do best and hit this thread with some knowledge.

a reply to: Kapusta
I contributed what I could. It is a fine discovery.
All I have ever found is some shaped stones. Also not new.

originally posted by: Phage
a reply to: Kapusta
I contributed what I could. It is a fine discovery.
All I have ever found is some shaped stones. Also not new.

I see where this is going ..... Would you like me to change the title ?

a reply to: Kapusta
No. I like it.
But aside from bringing a cool discovery to the table, where else would you think the discussion might lead?

originally posted by: Phage
a reply to: Kapusta
No. I like it.
But aside from bringing a cool discovery to the table, where else would you think the discussion might lead?

No Idea , My knowledge is weak in this area ...


You don't have anything in that bag of facts you got derrr ?

Meh...maybe someone will come along and make this thread interesting...

a reply to: Kapusta

Well.
I know there were vikings.
I know they invaded and stuff. Had very good boats and weapons. Were pagans, and probably mostly blonde.

Maybe this was made as a gift for someone
who had slain a christian priest?
Vikings were known to do that,
slay people.

originally posted by: Phage
a reply to: Kapusta

Well.
I know there were vikings.
I know they invaded and stuff. Had very good boats and weapons. Were pagans, and probably mostly blonde.

lol oh yeah...

I second that ..

any emphasis on the Christian symbolism?

a reply to: Kapusta

Please point out how I put personal truth forward as fact.

My guess would be that a wealthy viking found Christ.
But it's only a guess.

Not much to contribute, but I found the article to be a fascinating read. Great find, thank you.

originally posted by: Phage
a reply to: Kapusta

Please point out how I put personal truth forward as fact.

My guess would be that a wealthy viking found Christ.
But it's only a guess.

Found Christ,yet buried in a pagan cemetery ....

Heh maybe ...

any other ideas ?

The coins were minted during the reign of Ethelred II 'The Unready' (R. 979-1013 and 1014-1016).

In 1030 ruled Canute 'The Great' (r. 1016-1035) who also became king of Denmark and Norway and was a second generation Christian.

www.royal.gov.uk...

Ethelred, the younger son of Edgar, became king at the age of seven following the murder of his half-brother Edward II in 978 at Corfe Castle, Dorset, by Edward's own supporters.

For the rest of Ethelred's rule (reigned 978-1016), his brother became a posthumous rallying point for political unrest; a hostile Church transformed Edward into a royal martyr. Known as the Un-raed or 'Unready' (meaning 'no counsel', or that he was unwise), Ethelred failed to win or retain the allegiance of many of his subjects. In 1002, he ordered the massacre of all Danes in England to eliminate potential treachery.

Not being an able soldier, Ethelred defended the country against increasingly rapacious Viking raids from the 980s onwards by diplomatic alliance with the duke of Normandy in 991 (he later married the duke's daughter Emma) and by buying off renewed attacks by the Danes with money levied through a tax called the Danegeld. The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle in 1006 was dismissive: 'in spite of it all, the Danish army went about as it pleased'. By 1012, 48,000 pounds of silver was being paid in Danegeld to Danes camped in London.

In 1013, Ethelred fled to Normandy when the powerful Viking Sweyn of Denmark dispossessed him. Ethelred returned to rule after Sweyn's death in 1014, but died himself in 1016.

Canute 'The Great' (r. 1016-1035)
The Anglo-Saxon kings
Son of Sweyn, Canute became undisputed King of England in 1016, and his rivals (Ethelred's surviving sons and Edmund's son) fled abroad. In 1018, the last Danegeld of 82,500 pounds was paid to Canute. Ruthless but capable, Canute consolidated his position by marrying Ethelred's widow Emma (Canute's first English partner - the Church did not recognise her as his wife - was set aside, later appointed regent of Norway). During his reign, Canute also became King of Denmark and Norway; his inheritance and formidable personality combined to make him overlord of a huge northern empire.

During his inevitable absences in Scandinavia, Canute used powerful English and Danish earls to assist in England's government - English law and methods of government remained unchanged.

A second-generation Christian for reasons of politics as well as faith, Canute went on pilgrimage to Rome in 1027-8. (It was allegedly Christian humility which made him reject his courtiers' flattery by demonstrating that even he could not stop the waves; later hostile chroniclers were to claim it showed madness.)

Canute was buried at Winchester. Given that there was no political or governmental unity within his empire, it failed to survive owing to discord between his sons by two different queens - Harold Harefoot (reigned 1035-40) and Harthacnut (reigned 1040-42) - and the factions led by the semi-independent Earls of Northumbria, Mercia and Wessex.

a reply to: Kapusta

Found Christ,yet buried in a pagan cemetery

What pagan cemetery? The sword was found in a grave in a viking cemetery. What makes you think a viking cemetery would be a exclusively pagan cemetery? You think a high ranking viking who happened to be a Christian would be excluded?

Apparently that was not the case. If my guess is correct.

a reply to: theabsolutetruth

I have Knut IV Hellige (Holy) in my family lineage and according to that he is buried in Knuds kirke ( Canute´s church) in Odense Denmark.. not in Winchester. Intresting he seems to have two burial places..

a reply to: Phage

Blessing cemetaries started in middle ages so every one prior middle ages were buried just in the land..

originally posted by: Phage
a reply to: Kapusta

Found Christ,yet buried in a pagan cemetery

What pagan cemetery? The sword was found in a grave in a viking cemetery. What makes you think a viking cemetery would be a exclusively pagan cemetery? You think a high ranking viking who happened to be a Christian would be excluded?

Apparently that was not the case. If my guess is correct.

did you read the Op ?

But how did such a sword end up in a pagan burial ground in Norway?

Now he's getting fired up folks !

get it Phage !

a reply to: Kapusta

did you read the Op ?

Yes. But I guess you missed the rest of my post. Would a Christian have been excluded from a viking cemetery?
Apparently not, if my guess is correct.