1,000-year-old medieval sword emerges from Dutch river after chance discovery: 'Barely corroded'

Fox News

10 hours ago

A remarkable medieval sword with rare symbols was recently put on display in a Dutch museum, over a year after it was found by construction workers unexpectedly.
The discovery of the sword was announced by the Netherlands' National Museum of Antiquities (RMO) in Leiden on June 24.
The artifact, named the Linschoten Sword, was found in March 2024 during "maintenance dredging activities," the museum said in a press release.
Construction workers were struck by a "long piece of iron" while cleaning a small river known as the Korte Linschoten, the statement noted.
The discovery turned out to be a sword measuring over three feet in length, dating back between 1050 and 1150 A.D.
Pictures show the sword with a long crossguard and a pommel shaped like a Brazil nut, the museum noted.
"The blade is sharp on both edges and inlaid with strips of gold-colored copper, forming circular motifs featuring a cross and an 'endless knot' flanked by three lines on each side," the RMO said.
Medieval swords are "rare finds."
The sword was likely made with high-quality iron that was mined locally in the Veluwe hills. Experts believe it was deliberately deposited into the river, as there was no trace of a scabbard or sheath.
The museum also noted that medieval swords were "deeply personal possessions."
"They were either buried with their owner or – alternatively – ritually deposited into water," the release noted. "In the latter case, they are often exceptionally well-preserved."
RMO curator Annemarieke Willemsen told Fox News Digital that medieval swords are "rare finds."
"When [swords are found], [they're] often well-preserved because they are made of top-quality steel," she explained.
Many swords were "deposited in a river, where they rested for centuries under the water table, in an anaerobic environment," the curator added.
"We have a similar sword with the same shape and date in our collections with the name 'Ulfberht' on the blade that was found in the river Schelde," she said. "We have [many] more swords from the Middle Ages more broadly.'"
"Only the organic components – such as the wooden grip and any leather wrappings – have succumbed to time."
In its statement, the museum noted that, though the sword was "remarkably well-preserved," it's possible that some components have decayed after 1,000 years.
"Only the organic components – such as the wooden grip and any leather wrappings – have succumbed to time," the RMO's press release added.
"The iron is barely corroded due to the oxygen-poor environment of the wet soil. Traces of the wooden hilt are still visible on the preserved sword."
The sword's remarkable preservation offers a rare connection to the 11th century, a period marked by frequent conflict in the Netherlands.
"During this period, the Bishop of Utrecht held authority in the region, although the Counts of Holland and Flanders were rising in power," the museum said.
"This era also saw a shift in military tactics and weaponry: vertical slashing from horseback gave way to horizontal thrusting between pieces of armor," the officials added.
"This sword, which could be wielded with one hand, embodies that transitional phase – suited to both techniques."