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A medieval sword was found earlier this month at the bottom of Poland’s Vistula River during the dredging operations at Włocławek.
According to the Provincial Office for the Protection of Monuments in Toruń (Wojewódzki Urząd Ochrony Zabytków w Toruniu), preliminary analyses of the weapon traced it back more than 1,000 years to the 10th century A.D.
The sword uncovered in Włocławek was examined more closely under an X-ray scanner, which revealed an inscription hidden beneath layers of corrosion.
The inscription reads “U[V]LFBERTH,” which could be read as “Ulfberht,” a marking found on a group of about 170 medieval swords found mainly in northern Europe.
Each dates back to the 9th, 10th or 11th centuries.
Researchers plan to continue studying the ancient sword at Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń. It will ultimately be preserved and put on display at a history museum in Włocławek.