Viking sword gives up its secrets as X-rays reveal ornate decoration on ‘rare survival’ from Orkney burial

inews

By Cahal Milmo

December 9, 2021

A Viking sword discovered on the Orkney Islands locked into a block of soil by corrosion has been shown by X-rays to have “many stories to tell”, including a rare ornate geometric design on the hilt.

The unusually heavy iron sword is one of several “mind-blowing” discoveries from the burials at Papa Westray, one of the smallest islands of Orkney, following the first in-depth analysis of artefacts including a decorated buckle and a bundle of hunting arrows.

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