Completely preserved medieval sword from the 14th century has been discovered at a peat bog near Hrubieszów. The finder donated the artefact to the local Fr. Stanisław Staszic Museum. “This is a unique find in the region” – said Bartłomiej Bartecki, director of the museum.
The sword was discovered last week in the Commune of Mircze, a dozen kilometers south of Hrubieszów. The founder donated the artefact to the Museum in Hrubieszów. The weapon is corroded, but preserved almost entirely. Only the hilt has not survived to our time.
“The place where the discovery was made is a wetland and a peat bog. It is possible that an unlucky knight was pulled into the marsh, or simply lost his sword” – told PAP Bartłomiej Bartecki, director of Fr. Stanisław Staszic Museum in Hrubieszów.
“This is a unique find in the region. It is worth pointing out that while there are similar artefacts in museum collections, their places of discovery is often unknown, and that is very important information for historians and archaeologists”
This two handed sword was a typical weapon in the 14th century. “It is very light – it originally weighed about 1.5 kg. Today it measures about 120 cm” – added Bartecki. In his opinion the sword was very well made; it is well balanced, perfect for fencing.
On the rear bar of the weapon there is a clear sign of an isosceles cross inscribed in the shape of an heraldic shield, probably made by the blacksmith. Bartecki explained that it was a kind of a maker’s brand. This symbol was normally not visible, because the bar was covered by a hilt made of wood, bone or antler.
