Amateur archaeologists discover 3,000-year-old sword on evening stroll

A couple casually finds a 3,000-year-old Denmark sword.
(Image credit: Museum Vestsjælland)

A pair of amateur Danish archaeologists discovered a 3,000-year-old sword while going for an evening walk near the town of Svebølle, The Local reports. Ernst Christiansen and Lis Therkildsen were wandering through a field with their metal detector when it notified them that there was something to be found beneath their feet.

The pair dug down about 11 inches and stumbled upon a sword hilt; they then contacted the Museum Vestsjælland about the discovery. The next day, museum inspector Arne Hedegaard Andersen helped the pair uncover the rest of the Bronze Age sword, which the museum described in a press release as being "so well-preserved that you can clearly see the fine details. And it is even sharp."

There have been so many recent discoveries of ancient treasures in Denmark in the past several months that the national museum is no longer able to keep up with the processing of such items, The Local reports. In other words, if you're looking for a place to take your metal detector, you might want to start checking that airfare to Copenhagen.

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Jeva Lange

Jeva Lange was the executive editor at TheWeek.com. She formerly served as The Week's deputy editor and culture critic. She is also a contributor to Screen Slate, and her writing has appeared in The New York Daily News, The Awl, Vice, and Gothamist, among other publications. Jeva lives in New York City. Follow her on Twitter.