Reindeer hunter stumbles upon 1,100-year-old Viking sword

[T-Bob]

The incredibly well-preserved Viking sword was found by a reindeer hunter on a remote mountain in Southern Norway.

The Glacier Archaeology Program at Oppland County Council was recently notified about the sword, which was found in late August in the high mountains of the Lesja area. “It is a common type of Viking sword – what makes it special is the context and the preservation: It was found at 5381 feet above sea level,” explained Lars Pilø, an archaeologist at Oppland County Council, in an email to Fox News. “To my knowledge, a Viking sword has never been found at such a high altitude before.”

Read the rest of the story here: http://nypost.com/2017/09/12/reindeer-hunter-stumbles-upon-1100-year-old-viking-sword/

 

[Seahunter]

Wow, what a find. It is so great to hear stories like these where the person who finds the artifact gets it to the right people. Far too many people who find historic treasures like these of course keep them, forever lost to the world at large for educational purposes and as museum objects for all to see.

 

[Debi]

Very cool find!

 

[Charleh]

Wow, what a find. It is so great to hear stories like these where the person who finds the artifact gets it to the right people. Far too many people who find historic treasures like these of course keep them, forever lost to the world at large for educational purposes and as museum objects for all to see.

I know alberta has a few laws in place about stuff like that. So anything 12 inches below the soil is crown property. So sure you can keep a fossil or something like that, but if the government asks for it, you gotta hand it over.

That wouldn't be a bad program to have in place if people make awesome archaeological finds.

 

[Seahunter]

In the United States, the National Historic Preservation Act and the Archaeological Resources Protection Act work hand in hand to both preserve and claim artifacts found on U.S. soil. These acts spell out what constitutes a historical site or archaeological resource site. For the latter, the site must be at least 100 years old, and remains must be related to past human life or activity. The acts also spell out strict penalties for persons found executing an excavation without a permit.

Legitimate archaeologists are in favor of these kinds of laws because they help protect the integrity of the site. Professionals in the field do not keep, sell or trade artifacts they uncover. Their goal is to record history, plain and simple, and if possible, move the objects as a collection for research and display. Anything found is property of the public, and it's the responsibility of the finder to care for the item for the sake of the public. If you aren't an archaeologist and you happen to stumble upon an artifact in the United States, then you must report your finding. Each state has an office of historical preservation or archaeology, as well as a state archaeologist. They're great resources and the perfect place to start if you find something that has cultural significance.

 

[Taliesin]

That's absolutely awesome! Great article! Thanks for sharing it with us.

 

[Lynne]

Going to the site was well worth the time to see the video showing the sword.