The sword remained intact after 1,200 years in the Norwegian mountains

A group of Norwegian hunters found the Viking 1,200-year-old sword preserved in perfect condition on a high mountain.

Einar Ambakk and three friends caught a brown object protruding from the rock while tracking reindeer on the mountain of Reinheimen National Park in Oppland County, Norway, Pickles reported on September 7. As they approached, they realized it was a sword about one meter long that was still intact.

This is a Viking-era iron sword and most likely produced in the 10th century.

Espen Finstad, a local archaeologist, confirms this is a Viking-era iron sword and is likely to be produced in the 10th century. According to Finstad, the sword is in good condition due to the combination Iron quality, high altitude and cold conditions are almost year round. The finding attracted much interest because the sword was found at more than 1,600 meters above sea level, a record height for Viking-era discoveries in Norway.

Finstad speculates the sword may belong to a Viking who died in the mountains after being lost in a snowslide. The sword is being examined by archaeologists in Lillehammer and will soon be transferred to the Cultural History Museum in Oslo for better research and preservation.