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Bronze Age Sword Found in Danish Bog Leads to Hoard Discovery
A Bronze Age sword, ritually bent before being deposited as an offering, has been unearthed in Værebro Ådal by a metal detectorist on his very first outing. Described as "a very rare find," the sword was part of an entire hoard containing several objects dating to the transition period between the Bronze Age and the Iron Age, discovered in a bog near Vekso. The hoard also includes a beautiful neck ring. What makes the find even more precious is that very few late Bronze Age objects have been found in bogs.
A Continuation of the Offering Tradition
According to archaeologist Emil Winther Struve, speaking to the Danish museum organization ROMU, the bending rendered the sword unusable as a weapon, but its design and materials made it a valuable offering.
"We have many hoards from the early and middle Bronze Age, where bronze items appear in bogs, but far fewer from the late Bronze Age. The offering tradition, which was so visible and dominant in earlier periods, had receded by the end of the Bronze Age," says Struve, who is responsible for archaeological excavations in Egedal Municipality.
This suggests the objects were buried around 500 BC – approximately 2,500 years ago.
The archaeologists found that the offering tradition had not disappeared completely. The hoard also included two small bronze axes (celts), a ritually bent bronze sword with iron rivets in the handle, two to three large anklets (vulstringe), a possible fragment of a large brooch, and an object that archaeologists have seen in other finds but have yet to identify.
Just days later, the detectorist, Falsby, discovered another magnificent offering only 70 meters (230 feet) from the first site: the aforementioned large bronze neck ring. With its unique design, this neck ring is only the second of its kind found in Denmark. It is believed to have been produced along the Polish Baltic coast – where such items are more common – and to have reached Denmark via maritime trade connections.
Notably, two small bronze figurines of women wearing neck rings, contemporaneous with the Egedal find, have also been found earlier in Værebro Ådal. This clearly indicates continuity in Bronze Age traditions, with the local elite holding onto established customs and the status quo.
Bronze Age Denmark: A More Interconnected Europe
The sword's design suggests it was not produced in Denmark but was likely imported from the Alpine region, north of the Alps – an area home to the Hallstatt culture, which rose to prominence in late Bronze Age Europe, reports The Heritage Daily.
"Their swords were designed differently from earlier ones, perhaps reflecting a change in their use. Earlier swords were slender and may have been used for stabbing. But these are sturdier, heavier, and more suited for slashing. The Hallstatt culture, which spread rapidly, embodied a warrior ideal with a strong focus on conquest, war, and conflict. The sword may reflect this mindset," Struve explains.
Previously, the Smorumovre Hoard (1851), containing 163 items from the early Bronze Age, and the Vekso Helmets (1942), dating to the middle Bronze Age, had been found in the area. The archaeology team is pleased that they now have a major hoard from every era. The Danish Bronze Age (1700–500 BC) was renowned for the domestication of the horse, the expansion of trade connections across Europe, and most notably, burial mounds – Denmark alone has yielded evidence of 20,000 such mounds.
The artifacts are currently in the possession of the National Museum as danefæ (treasure trove). "We have very few swords of this type in Denmark. It would be exciting to analyze the bronze and iron to determine precisely where it was produced. This, however, will take some time. The preservation of the iron rivets in the handle is especially rare, and the sword will undoubtedly be stunning once the National Museum's experts have conserved it," concludes an excited Struve.
