Product description
This sword is a replica of the Snartemo sword, excavated in Norway. The original was buried as a grave gift in 550 AD with a Germanic chieftain. When archaeologists discovered the sword, it was placed on a bear hide, suggesting that the owner may have been a berserker.
In addition to the sword, Roman glassware and other weapons were found in the grave.
All evidence indicates that the owner of this sword was likely a Germanic chieftain or king. The stylized rings at the base of the cross-guard may represent miniature versions of Germanic oath rings. Agreements based on oath-bound reciprocity played a central role in Germanic society, and these rings may symbolize the oath-bound relationship between the chieftain and his tribe.
The grip and cross-guards of this sword are crafted in the Germanic Type I animal style, which was popular from the late 3rd to the 5th century AD.
