Dr Martin Rundkvist is a Swedish archaeologist, journal editor, public speaker, skeptic, atheist, lefty liberal, bookworm, and father of two. This is the world's #1 archaeology blog according to 
Members of the Manx Detectorists Society have found fragments of the hilt of a Viking Period display sword. It's cast in bronze with rich Borre Style decoration (c. AD 850-1000) and silver wire frills. Though settled by the Norsemen from about AD 800 onward, the island has not previously produced very many any of their swords.
Via BBC, 24HourMuseum and Manx National Heritage. Thanks to Greenman Tim of Walking the Berkshires and Dear Reader Eleanora for the tipoff.
[More blog entries about archaeology, vikings, vikingperiod, swords, isleofman; arkeologi, vikingar, vikingatiden, svärd.]
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Comments
Super find!
However, Manx National Heritage states that: "This is only the 13th recorded Viking sword from the Island". Could be that this is the first found by detectorists.
Posted by: Tobias | May 9, 2008 7:42 AM
Men av klingan finns inga spår. Antar att brons är mera beständigt än järn? (Om du ogillar kommentarer på svenska får du ta och säga åt mig.)
Posted by: kontakt | May 9, 2008 1:54 PM
The blade is such a large object that it is likely to have been found long ago without the aid of a metal detector. This is particularly so if the site is a ploughed field.
Posted by: Martin R | May 9, 2008 3:28 PM
Great, congratulations on this find, Manx. It's good to see that legal detectoring is paying off in the good sense. More of that in the future.
And check out what they are doing on Bornholm, probably one of the worlds best detector-associations:
http://www.dbabornholm.dk/
Posted by: christina | May 11, 2008 1:12 PM