I found a Viking sword!

[AccurateCalls]

I planned a day trip to a location that I thought had lots of potential. After searching the area for about 5 hours I found nothing but bottlecaps and other garbage. I was a little frustrated that I wasn't finding anything, so I decided to just wander into a nearby forest. Again, for about 2 hours I found nothing but scattered garbage, and right as I was ready to give I got a huge iron signal, somewhat near the surface. I figured it must be a saw blade since I find lots of them and the area had been heavily logged.

When I gently lifted the object out, I knew immediately I had found a Viking sword. There were also other signals in the area, I suspect I found a Viking age graveyard. I didn't dig the other signals but I rang my archeologist contact, and I will be joining him on the further excavation of the area next week!

This sword dates to the year 800-1050 and is one of a few hundred that have ever been found in Finland. I believe it is a Peterson Type H Viking Sword. A Viking sword was at the top of my bucket list, I guess now I need to find a new white whale to chase.

 

[itsaring!]

Wow! Last weird deep iron signal I checked out at the beach was a lifter out of a boat engine. Congrats on a stellar find!

 

[MasonDixonMding]

Very cool find!
Why do you think it was a grave yard?
Wouldn’t things be deep?
I have no idea just trying to learn something. Congrats

 

[cellrdwellr]

Straight from "Game of Thrones" times! Awesome find!

 

[The Rebel]

Wow that's a fantastic find.

What are the laws in Finland about finds like this? Are you able to keep it?

 

[UT_Dave]

Congrats Man! That had to feel really, really good!

- Dave

 

[NikfromFarEast]

I planned a day trip to a location that I thought had lots of potential. After searching the area for about 5 hours I found nothing but bottlecaps and other garbage. I was a little frustrated that I wasn't finding anything, so I decided to just wander into a nearby forest. Again, for about 2 hours I found nothing but scattered garbage, and right as I was ready to give I got a huge iron signal, somewhat near the surface. I figured it must be a saw blade since I find lots of them and the area had been heavily logged.

When I gently lifted the object out, I knew immediately I had found a Viking sword. There were also other signals in the area, I suspect I found a Viking age graveyard. I didn't dig the other signals but I rang my archeologist contact, and I will be joining him on the further excavation of the area next week!

This sword dates to the year 800-1050 and is one of a few hundred that have ever been found in Finland. I believe it is a Peterson Type H Viking Sword. A Viking sword was at the top of my bucket list, I guess now I need to find a new white whale to chase.

Cool.
But it looks like Petersen type E

 

[Saker]

Thats awesome. Congrats on an amazing find! I never even considered adding a Viking sword to my bucket list...but I will now. Although probably not a likely find in the U.S...but I can dream...

 

[AccurateCalls]

Wow! Last weird deep iron signal I checked out at the beach was a lifter out of a boat engine. Congrats on a stellar find!

Haha, thanks btw I just bought a house with a yard and I am going to be making a test garden with those coins real soon!

Very cool find!
Why do you think it was a grave yard?
Wouldn’t things be deep?
I have no idea just trying to learn something. Congrats

The location seems like a graveyard because of several factors, e.g. elevation, soil composition, on a promontory overlooking an area that was a bay 1000 years ago, etc. There were several other signals around too, but here in Finland when a good find is found the law says you have to stop and let the archeologists examine the area. Which is totally fine by me because they invite you to the excavation and its a lot of fun.

The depth is a bit of a weird one. Here in Finland in the forests, there is tons of exposed bedrock and many places the soil depth isn't too deep. It's also possible erosion has worn it down. I personally think it was likely logging, they have these machines that rip the tree stumps out of the ground, and they are constantly moving boulders so they mechanized tree cutters can move through. It probably got partially surfaced during that process. It's definitely something the archeologists are curious about too

Wow that's a fantastic find.

What are the laws in Finland about finds like this? Are you able to keep it?

In Finland, everything older than 100 years must be reported to the museum agency so they can decide whether they want it for study in exchange for financial compensation. I personally donate every item they want, so I am happy to give them the sword, especially since it will likely end up in a museum somewhere with my name under it But the Museum system here has allowed me to keep tons of awesome stuff too.

Congrats Man! That had to feel really, really good!

- Dave

No joke, I couldn't take a proper video or photo for the first 10 minutes I was shaking so much

Straight from "Game of Thrones" times! Awesome find!

Thanks!

Cool.
But it looks like Petersen type E

Oh yeah you are totally right! Thanks for the correction

 

[maxxkatt]

I planned a day trip to a location that I thought had lots of potential. After searching the area for about 5 hours I found nothing but bottlecaps and other garbage. I was a little frustrated that I wasn't finding anything, so I decided to just wander into a nearby forest. Again, for about 2 hours I found nothing but scattered garbage, and right as I was ready to give I got a huge iron signal, somewhat near the surface. I figured it must be a saw blade since I find lots of them and the area had been heavily logged.

When I gently lifted the object out, I knew immediately I had found a Viking sword. There were also other signals in the area, I suspect I found a Viking age graveyard. I didn't dig the other signals but I rang my archeologist contact, and I will be joining him on the further excavation of the area next week!

This sword dates to the year 800-1050 and is one of a few hundred that have ever been found in Finland. I believe it is a Peterson Type H Viking Sword. A Viking sword was at the top of my bucket list, I guess now I need to find a new white whale to chase.

that is a great find. Have to admit I never dreamed of finding a Viking Sword. Mainly because the Vikings didn't seem to think it was worth their while to visit Georgia. But several years ago a two local men up around Rome, Georgia or some other city in that area found a really good example of a Spanish sword sticking up from a recently plowed field. The Spanish did travel up the Chattahoochee River through North Georgia and the Rome, GA area.

 

[Kansashunter]

Very cool find, congrats

 

[AccurateCalls]

Thats awesome. Congrats on an amazing find! I never even considered adding a Viking sword to my bucket list...but I will now. Although probably not a likely find in the U.S...but I can dream...

Thank you! Maybe if you dig a really, really deep hole you could pop out the otherside in Viking territory and find one

that is a great find. Have to admit I never dreamed of finding a Viking Sword. Mainly because the Vikings didn't seem to think it was worth their while to visit Georgia. But several years ago a two local men up around Rome, Georgia or some other city in that area found a really good example of a Spanish sword sticking up from a recently plowed field. The Spanish did travel up the Chattahoochee River through North Georgia and the Rome, GA area.

Thanks. Wow that must be a pretty rare sword find! I wonder if anybody has found a Viking sword in North America, I know they visited way up Northeast somewhere.

Very cool find, congrats

Thank you!

 

[AirmetTango]

Awesome, amazing find, AC!! That belongs in the Eye Popping, Mind Blowing section, in my book! Thanks for sharing!

Might be going out in the weeds a bit, but what would be the difference between the different Peterson types?

 

[MasonDixonMding]

Keep us posted if you get back out there.

 

[AccurateCalls]

Awesome, amazing find, AC!! That belongs in the Eye Popping, Mind Blowing section, in my book! Thanks for sharing!

Might be going out in the weeds a bit, but what would be the difference between the different Peterson types?

Thank you! There is a Norwegian archeologist (Peterson) who created a typology chart that shows all the essential varieties of swords. Admittedly I am far from an expert on these, but a lot of it has to do with the different ways the hilt was constructed. They can use these difference to determine an age and origin.

Keep us posted if you get back out there.

I went out with the archeologist and he had me scan the area to see if there were more objects. Sadly the only other signals were nails and barbed wire fence pieces. The conclusion by the archeologist was that this sword was sacrificed and hidden next to a rock. We were able to find evidence of a hole that was dug ~1000 years ago by the person who stashed the sword!