Medieval sword with Viking and Christian markings found in river

A beautiful blade. Secret symbols. A glittering pond. It’s the stuff of legends.

Dredgers* working on the Korte Linschoten River in the Dutch region of Utrecht in the Netherlands have made an unexpected discovery in the mud: a metre-long sword.

At first glance, it appeared to be just like any other medieval weapon, with features typical of swords made between 1050 and 1150AD.

But during cleaning, its true significance came to light.

Unique designs had been etched into its blade.

Both sides featured copper circles with sets of three straight lines.

They were simple yet striking symbols.

But the circles contained emblems* from completely different cultures.

On one side, there was a circle divided by a multiform cross*. Historians have identified it as a sun cross or sun wheel, a sacred sign typically found in medieval churches.

The circle on the other side contained five interlaced squares. This geometric design is an “endless knot*”, a Viking and Germanic symbol of unwavering loyalty and the interconnectedness of all things.

Which poses the question: why were they on the same sword?

TWO WORLDS, ONE SWORD
At the time the sword was made, the era of the Vikings was ending. The Celtic tribes had merged into feudal states*. Roman Catholicism had taken over.

But some were clinging to the old ways. And not all Christians thought every nonbeliever was a barbarian*.

The Linschoten Sword dates from an era when the Bishop of Utrecht ruled the region around the nearby town of Montfoort. Neighbouring Holland and Flanders were being brought together under counts*.

The new European nations were unified enough to start the First Crusade*, resulting in the Christian conquest of Jerusalem in 1099.

But scattered here and there were communities that still clung to the old ways. The old order was weakened but it was not finished yet.

Archaeologists believe the Linschoten Sword was forged to be part of both worlds.

“This sword tells the story of a time when symbolism and spirituality were deeply intertwined*, and when a simple design could transcend* centuries,” a Montfoort district spokesman said. “Its refined craftsmanship and symbolic depth make it not only a historical relic*, but also a work of art that reflects the cultural complexity of early medieval Europe.”

But it was even more than that.

Conservators believe that the sword was never used and the blade was never sheathed*.

That has led to speculation it was specifically made to be offered as a sacrifice. That it was cast into the river as part of a ceremony or sacred vow.

“Medieval swords are very personal possessions,” a conservator statement reads. “They were buried with the owner or ‘sacrificed’ in the water. It is, therefore, a golden opportunity when one surfaces centuries later”.

THE IMPORTANCE OF SWORDS
The medieval city of Utrecht was a centre of power in what is now the Netherlands. It was strategically positioned on a trade hub coming out from a crossing of the Rhine River.

It was a crossroads of culture, industry, religion and political power and swords were the primary status symbol of the era.

They were expressions of status and strength but they were also personal jewellery items, showing their owners’ wealth and sophistication.

Swords were labour-intensive – especially good swords.

Forging strong and flexible blades required months of effort from a master in metallurgy*. Only then could the expensive artisans be hired to put the finishing touches on the sword.

This process is why they tended to be owned only by nobles, influential church figures and the wealthy landholder class that were often knights.

A sword’s significance could quickly outgrow its cost.

Noble families would treasure very fine examples as heirlooms*, symbols of their importance and their rule. Many were even given names.

It’s a reverence* still evident in legends such as Excalibur* and Durandal*.

The Linschoten Sword was beautifully preserved when it was discovered thanks to the lack of oxygen in the clay soil that encased it. But it began to corrode the instant it was exposed to the air.

So, it was immersed in a chemical bath for 10 weeks to remove the salts that the metal had absorbed. It was then cleaned again, dried and treated to stabilise the steel.

A year later, it’s ready for display.

The sword has been donated to the Rijksmuseum van Oudheden (National Museum of Antiquities) in Leiden, where it is now on display to the public.

POLL

GLOSSARY

• dredgers: excavating material from the bottom of a waterway
• iconic: symbolic of an era
• emblems: an item that symbolises a family or country
• multiform cross: a cross with multiple forms or shapes
• Endless Knot: a symbol representing eternity, no beginning and no end
• feudal states: a system of society where people lived as either rich nobles, the religious clergy or poor peasants and had no choice as to which class they were born into
• barbarian: someone not belonging to one of the great civilisations
• count: a title of European nobility, equivalent to a British earl
• First Crusade: a quest (1095 and 1102AD) by western European Christian forces to take over the city of Jerusalem and what is referred to as The Holy Land, which was under Muslim control. Christian forces successfully took over Jerusalem on July 15 1099. Initially 60,000 soldiers and at least 30,000 pilgrims went to the middle east, though by the time they reached Jerusalem only 1,300 knights and about 12,500 infantry remained
• intertwined: joined together
• transcend: go beyond something
• relic: something that has survived from the past
• sheathed: kept in a sheath, a protective case
• metallurgy: the science of metals
• heirlooms: precious items passed down between family members from generation to generation
• reverence: deep respect for something
• Excalibur: the mythical and legendary sword of King Arthur. There are two different versions of the tale in which Arthur got his sword. One is that he was the only person who could draw his magical sword from a rock in which it was embedded. Another was that he was given it by the Lady of the Lake and that when he died he ordered the faithful Sir Bedivere to throw the sword back into the lake again, where it is then caught by a hand
• Durandal: the legendary sword of Roland, a knight of Charlemagne (the king of the Franks) in French epic literature. Durandal was said to have belonged to Charlemagne before Roland, having been given to him by an angel of god who instructed him to give the sword to one of his counts

EXTRA READING
Sword from Crusades salvaged at sea
Rare Viking Thor hammer pendant uncovered
800-year-old castle saga solved

QUICK QUIZ
1. What were the two symbols identified on the Linschoten Sword?
2. What do historians believe the sword was made for?
3. Where was the sword found?
4. Why was the sword so well preserved?
5. How was the sword cleaned and prepared for display?

LISTEN TO THIS STORY

CLASSROOM ACTIVITIES
1. Design your own family heirloom sword
Think about all the hidden meanings and symbolism of swords back in the medieval era and how you would design a sword today to represent your family.

Draw some symbols and artwork on the sword to represent things that you would like your family to be remembered for.

Time: allow 20 minutes to complete this activity
Curriculum Links: The Arts, History, English, Personal and Social, Critical and Creative Thinking

2. Extension
In this era swords were used as a symbol of stature and importance. What could you liken this to in today’s era? What items do we use as a sign of power and wealth?

What things might we be leaving behind to be found in thousands of years time?

Time: allow 10 minutes to complete this activity
Curriculum Links: English, History, Personal and Social, Critical and Creative Thinking

VCOP ACTIVITY
Imaginative dialogue
Imagine you were there during the event being discussed in the article, or for the interview.

Create a conversation between two characters from the article – you may need or want to include yourself as one of the characters. Don’t forget to try to use facts and details from the article to help make your dialogue as realistic as possible.

Go through your writing and highlight any punctuation you have used in green. Make sure you carefully check the punctuation used for the dialogue and ensure you have opened and closed the speaking in the correct places.