Worker spots something in mud — and uncovers rare Viking sword in Poland, photos show
While dredging a river in Poland, a construction crew accidentally hauled up a medieval weapon. Archaeologists identified the artifact as a rare Viking sword, photos show.
Sławomir Mularski and his construction crew were hauling up mud and other debris from the bottom of the Vistula River in Włocławek on Friday, Jan. 12, the Provincial Office for the Protection of Monuments in Toruń said in a Jan. 17 Facebook post.
The crew was taking a load to the discard heap when Mularski spotted something in the mud, officials said.
Mularski’s heart began to beat faster when he realized what the crew had found, he told Science in Poland in a Jan. 18 news release.
Archaeologists identified the object as a rare Viking sword. A photo shows the weapon next to the river where it was found.
The sword is at least 1,000 years old, dating back to the ninth or 10th century, archaeologists said. Photos show the well-preserved sword. The rust-covered weapon has a long blade and a pommel that looks almost like a knot.
Archaeologists described the sword as an extraordinary and extremely valuable find.
The 1,000-year-old sword was a high-quality, technologically advanced weapon, Sambor Gawiński, the provincial conservator of monuments, said in the release. The blade was made from a combination of carbon and steel to make it strong and durable while still flexible.
Only 13 of these types of swords have ever been found in Poland, archaeologists said.
The sword will undergo analysis and conservation, a process that will take several months, Science in Poland said. Afterward, the artifact will be moved to another facility.
Mularski said he hopes the sword will be returned to Włocławek.
Włocławek is about 90 miles northwest of Warsaw.
Google Translate was used to translate the news release from Science in Poland and Facebook post from the Provincial Office for the Protection of Monuments in Toruń.
This story was originally published January 18, 2024 at 10:55 AM with the headline "Worker spots something in mud — and uncovers rare Viking sword in Poland, photos show."
