Archaeologists discover 'rare' 2,000-year-old sword in China

Archaeologists in China have discovered a remarkably well-preserved bronze sword at a tomb complex in Zhoukou City, in the Henan province.

The sword is 2,000 years old and is a rare find thanks to its preservation, Han Yanzhen, of Zhoukou City's cultural heritage institute, told Xinhua News. The archaeologists believe the sword belonged to the tomb's owner.

The team made the impressive find during a search for cultural relics at the 21-tomb site before infrastructure construction is done at the site. The tombs span across multiple historical periods, from the Warring States Period in 475 to 221 B.C.E. to the East Han Dynasty in 25 to 220 C.E. Other finds from the site included burial goods like jewelry and ceramics, as well as two bronze swords.

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Yanzhen explained that the sword is well-preserved thanks to the site's soil conditions. The sword is so intact that it appears to glitter, China Daily reports. The researchers hope the find will help historians better understand ancient burial traditions in China.