According to reports, a Bronze Age sword, believed to be around 2,500 years old, has been found in a swamp near Vekso, Denmark. The artefact, folded in an S-shape, is believed to have been part of a religious ritual. According to ROMU, the Danish museum group, the discovery includes additional Bronze Age objects, such as axes and ankle rings. The artefact was identified by a metal detectorist, who immediately alerted ROMU archaeologists.
Findings suggest ritual practices
ROMU archaeologist Emil Vinther Struve, in a statement, called the discovery significant, noting that sacrificial offerings were less common in the marshes in the late Bronze Age. Struve, speaking to the Danish Museum Group, commented that the sword may represent a transitional period between the Bronze and Iron Ages. Along with the sword, a large bronze neck ring was located 70 meters across, which is believed to have originated near Poland’s Baltic coast.
Design and cultural insights
The sword, which has iron rivets in its handle, is considered one of the earliest examples of iron use in Denmark. ROMU reports suggest that the weapon was probably produced in southern Europe under the Hallstatt culture, a society known for its emphasis on warfare. Struve explained that the design indicates a shift towards heavier, more durable swords for cutting rather than stabbing.
Historical and archaeological context
The Hallstatt culture, prevalent from the eighth to the sixth centuries BC, is noted for its connections to early Celtic traditions. Archaeologists have highlighted that while ritual sacrifices in swamps were more common in earlier times, similar practices involving “bog bodies” have continued into more recent times.
According to ROMU, the discovery outlines the evolution of weaponry and cultural practices during a transformative era in European history.
