Fisherman caught a 1,200-year-old Viking sword from the river
Amateur fisherman Trevor Penny from Oxfordshire (UK) used a magnet to catch a rusty metal object in the River Cherwell. As it later turned out, this is a 1200-year-old Viking sword.
Details of the incredible story were revealed by This is Oxfordshire.
Penny immediately handed over the artifact to experts for more detailed study. They dated the sword to the period between 850 and 975 AD and made the assumption that it had once belonged to a Viking, because at that time the territory of present-day England was divided between the Anglo-Saxons and Danish invaders and became the scene of numerous armed conflicts.
The fisherman said that the discovery itself and the process of confirming the authenticity of the relic were exciting, but not without certain obstacles.
“There was a conflict with the owners of the land and river regarding fishing permission. In the end, I donated the sword to the museum according to their requirements,” Trevor explained.
Now a unique Viking Age artifact will be kept in Oxfordshire museums. Perhaps it will be exhibited at future exhibitions.
“This is a truly amazing find – the oldest magnetically recovered item in our county. Archaeologists rarely find complete medieval swords preserved in such good condition,” adds the Briton.
It is worth noting that magnet fishing is a popular hobby, but requires permission from landowners and officials, since any artifacts found in this way are considered historical artifacts.
