By Anna Ellis •
Updated: 26 Nov 2024 • 18:10 • 1 minute read
Archaeologists have uncovered a unique fragment of a Viking sword near Witmarsum, a village in northern Netherlands.
The find, a pommel cap from the 10th century AD, once formed part of a gilded sword hilt. It features intricate patterns in the Mammen style, a decorative art tradition that followed the Jellinge style.
The Fryske Akademy explained that the design includes depictions of wild boar heads, which symbolised strength, courage, protection, and combat.
Interactions between Frisia, Scandinavia, and the British Isles
Dr. Nelleke IJssennagger-van der Pluijm, director of the Fryske Akademy, noted that this discovery sheds light on the interactions between Frisia, Scandinavia, and the British Isles during the Viking era. This deepens our understanding of Viking-Frisian connections.
The pommel cap was studied by Dr Diana Spiekhout, curator of Middle Ages and Mound Culture at the Fries Museum. Supported by the Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research (NWO), she described these swords as having an “epic” quality.
Human-Like Traits and Great Significance
Such swords were seen as having symbolic human-like traits and carried great significance. They were often handed down through elite families, with each generation adding decorative features. While this tradition has been documented in Frisia, most examples date back to before the eighth century AD.
The find has sparked a collaborative study by the Fryske Akademy and the Fries Museum. Researchers aim to determine how the pommel cap ended up in Friesland and who might have owned the sword. “By combining our expertise, we can examine this artefact through Frisian, Viking, and sword tradition perspectives,” said Diana Spiekhout.
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Originally from Derbyshire, UK, Anna has lived in the middle of nowhere on the Costa Blanca for 20 years.
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