The sword entrusted to the Bronze Age – 2000โ4000 years ago – has been found in a garden in Satakunta, Western Finland.
The discovery was made using a metal detector Matti Rintamaa In the village of Panelia.
The sword was found in about seven different pieces scattered throughout the yard.
Although Rintamaa discovered the object at the end of July, the Satakunta Museum and the National Board of Antiquities have only revealed the discovery now.
"The site probably broke down and was then transported to the site along with a field that was moved in connection with a construction project years ago," the museum and the agency said in a joint press release. "The original context of the sword can only be guessed at, but possibly it was once sacrificed to the coastal waters of ancient Gulf of Panelia."
A rare discovery
Bronze Age artifacts are rare finds, as only about 200 artefacts from the era are known to have been found in Finland.
This figure includes about 25 swords and daggers, two of which were also found in Panelia.
"During the Bronze Age, the area surrounding the ancient Gulf of Panelia was densely populated, as evidenced by the numerous cemeteries in the area. The panel also houses Finland’s largest known Bronze Age cemetery, the Royal Tomb royal tomb)," the press release stated.