What would have otherwise been an ordinary visit to school in Norway turned into an incredible adventure for archaeologists thanks to six-year-old Henrik Refsnes Mørtvedt, who unearthed a 1,300-year old sword while digging through some dirt in a field in Innlandet county. The boy made his discovery in a field close to Brandbu and Hadeland areas on a class excursion. According to experts, the sword is a rare artefact that has only one cutting edge. It was believed to have been made in the later part of the Merovingian age that preceded the Vikings. The experts consider the discovery to be of significant importance to the understanding of early medieval Norway, the wars fought there, and the emergence of the Vikings. The sword has already been taken to Oslo’s Museum of Cultural History for preservation and study.
An ancient Viking sword was discovered by a six-year-old in Norway
Students usually go home from their excursions at school carrying photos or dirty shoes. However, six-year-old Henrik Refsnes Mørtvedt found something much more extraordinary, the remains of an ancient sword, which is estimated to be nearly 1,300 years old.Henrik, a first-grader, found an artefact while walking in a ploughed field in Brandbu, Innlandet, Norway. At first glance, the rusty object sticking out of the ground looked like scrap metal. However, soon it became clear that the boy had made an incredible archaeological discovery.As stated by the local heritage experts, the sword belongs to the late Merovingian period, dating back to around 550–800 AD, just before the start of the Viking Age. The sword was determined to be single-handed, which was a popular type of sword in Scandinavia on the eve of the Viking period.Instead of trying to unearth the sword, Henrik’s teachers immediately called the archaeologists; this was appreciated by experts in public statements.“We are super proud of the children who managed to see the sword in the field. Well done! And we are very happy that they did everything right: They called an archaeologist,” said the local archaeologists as reported by Ancient Origins.
Why the Viking-era sword is historically important
Archaeologists believe the discovery could offer valuable insight into Norway’s early medieval history. According to the University of Bergen, Faculty of Science and Technology, Department of Earth Science, the Hadeland region, where the sword was found, has long been associated with Iron Age settlements, burial mounds and Viking activity.Historians note that the name “Hadeland” is traditionally linked to warrior culture, making the find even more fitting. The sword itself resembles what experts describe as “Type F” Viking swords, catalogued in Norwegian archaeological studies for over a century. Although heavily corroded, the weapon is now undergoing conservation and examination at the Museum of Cultural History in Oslo, reports the BBC. Researchers are expected to use X-rays and metallurgical analysis to study how the sword was forged, how it may have been used and who might have carried it centuries ago. Experts believe the sword may have belonged to a warrior or an individual of high social status during a turbulent period in Scandinavian history.
Norway’s growing fascination with Viking discoveries
There have been many discoveries of amazing relics from the Viking period in Norway and neighbouring Scandinavian states, mostly in surprising places. Over the past years, some of these artefacts have been discovered by reindeer hunters, trekkers, and even children due to the cold weather that exists in the region.In a previous incident, a sword that predates the Viking era was found by an eight-year-old Swedish girl while she was playing around a lake during a drought in 2018.This is just like what happened a couple of years ago when ten-year-old Fionntan Hughes discovered a prehistoric Viking Sword after he searched with a metal detector he received at his birthday.Like other discoveries, Henrik’s finding will spark interest among people. Discovering a prehistoric artefact accidentally by a child adds excitement to any such finding.However, beyond this excitement, archaeologists will get excited because it will remind them of what still lies buried under Europe. As conservation works proceed in Oslo, historians hope that this sword will offer insight into how Vikings operated before conquering other European lands.