(ORDO NEWS) — In the Field Museum of Natural History (Chicago, USA) for almost 100 years there was a sword that was considered a well-made copy of a Bronze Age weapon. But recently it turned out that this sword is a real weapon of the Bronze Age!
Last year, the Field Museum of Natural History prepared for the First Kings of Europe exhibition, which is scheduled for March 31, 2023.
During the preparation, archaeologists from Hungary drew attention to the “replica” of the sword, stored in the museum.
This sword was found in the 1930s in the Danube River in Budapest, Hungary. It was believed to have been forged in the late Middle Ages and styled after the Hungarian weapons of the Bronze Age.
Sword analysis
Archaeologists examined the sword with an X-ray fluorescent detector. This device uses X-rays to determine what material an object is made of.
The researchers found that the weapons marked as “replica” were almost identical to other Bronze Age European swords with the same content of bronze, copper and tin.
The exhibit’s label was changed from “copy” to “original”, but this came too late to be included in the “Bronze Age” section of the First Kings of Europe exhibition. However, the sword will be placed in the main hall as a preview of the exhibition.
Researchers suggest that the weapons were thrown into the Danube sometime between 1080 and 900 BC for ritual purposes. This could either be in honor of the end of a battle or the death of a loved one.
—
Online:
Contact us: [email protected]
Our Standards, Terms of Use: Standard Terms And Conditions.