Archaeologists discover a 3000-year-old ceremonial sword in Germany

Archaeologists have discovered a 3000-year-old sword in Germany that had been used as part of a Bronze Age burial ceremony, according to a press release from the Bavarian State Office for Monument Protection on Wednesday.

The sword, which was found in Bavaria, had been used in the burial ceremony of a man, woman and child. While the three had been buried together, testing has yet to decipher if they are biologically related.

Archaeologists dated the sword to the  14th Century BCE, which makes the find exceptionally rare. The majority of artifacts from this period were looted over the millennia, the archaeology team claimed. 

The sword has no signs of having been used, which suggests that it may have been created for ritualistic purposes. However, the center of gravity on the sword’s front end means that it would have made an effective weapon had it been used in battle.

The significance of the sword

"The sword and the burial still have to be examined so that our archaeologists can classify this find more precisely," said Mathias Pfeil, head of the Bavarian State Office for Monument Protection. "But it can already be said: the condition is exceptional! A find like this is very rare!"

The sword “almost still shines," the press statement said, pointing to how well-preserved the artifact is.

The sword, which had a greenish color, contains both bronze and copper. Over time, the copper oxidized to create the unique color. It is believed that the sword’s components were manufactured separately in southern Germany, northern Germany and Denmark. This led to the archaeologists theorizing it had been constructed by a wandering artisan.