In Sandnes, Norway, a tourist stumbled upon a gilded sword scabbard—basically a cover for the sword—made in the 6th century, buried under a tree. The artifact dates back to the Migration Period, and scientists say it belonged to a big-shot chieftain. This find is extremely rare—only 18 such items have been found in Northern Europe. Archaeologists think the treasure was buried as a gift to the gods during the crises and crop failures that hit the region after the Roman Empire fell.
Recently in Norway, a tourist found a scabbard for a gold sword from 1,500 years ago under a tree. This was reported by the country’s University of Stavanger, according to Fox News.
They found the artifact in the Austratt area of Sandnes, which is in southwestern Norway. It goes way back to the 6th century, during that crazy time in Norway when people were constantly on the move—basically right after the Roman Empire fell apart.
An anonymous tourist who lives in Australia said that he “enjoys exploring and getting to know the area.”
When he saw a tree that had been knocked down by a storm, he started feeling around the ground under it.
“I noticed a slight elevation in the ground beneath the tree and poked it with my walking stick. Then, out of nowhere, I spotted something shiny. I didn’t really realize what I had found,” the man shared.
According to experts, the sword scabbard probably belonged to a chieftain who ruled in Hov.
“It’s got a lot of decorations, and it probably decorated the scabbard that went around the waist, where the sword hung. This is the first time one’s been found in Rogaland, and only 17 others have been found in Northern Europe so far,” the university said.
Meanwhile, archaeologist and university professor Håkon Reiersen called the find “stunning.”
“Finds like this always come as a nice surprise. It’s pretty unlikely that something like this would happen. At that time, there were crop failures and a crisis, so people probably set aside valuable items as offerings, hoping for better times,” he added.
The professor said that the sword’s owner “was probably a chieftain in this area during the first half of the 6th century and had loyal warriors with him.”
“Gold fittings on scabbards usually show almost no signs of use, but this one is worn and well-used, indicating that the chieftain actually used it frequently. This made it clear that he was a big shot,” he explained.
As for why the scabbard was hidden, archaeologists say the sword fragment was buried in a rock crevice “as an offering to the gods.”
“At that time, there were crop failures and a crisis, and people likely left valuable items as offerings in the hope of better times,” said the local museum’s representatives.
They’re planning to put this artifact on display at the Archaeological Museum of the University of Stavanger. Christine Armstrong-Oma, the museum’s director and a professor, said she’s “very grateful to the observant tourist.”
“[The tourist has given us] a new piece of a mosaic from the center of power in Gove during the Great Migration Period. The museum’s researchers are among the best in the world, so we can keep studying the find and its decoration. This helps us learn more about the rich people who ruled here in the past. We’re going to put it on display for everyone to see, so you can all share in the gold rush with us,” she said.