A medieval sword found in the vicinity of the city of Olsztyn in Poland might have been wielded by a warrior in the Battle of Grunwald in 1410, when knights of the Teutonic Order clashed with forces of the Polish-Lithuanian alliance, Live Science reports.
According to the media outlet, the sword was discovered by an archaeology enthusiast named Alexander Medvedev, along with several other items: a belt, two knives thought to have attached to it, and the remains of a scabbard.
"Such a find is found once in decades," said archaeologists.
As Medvedev reportedly explained, the weapons appear well-preserved despite resting in the ground for over six centuries.
What lies beneath a layer of rust on this ancient sword? Experts are hopeful to find more evidence it was carried by one of 66,000 troops that fought in the exhaustive Battle of Grunwald on July 15, 1410. https://t.co/cqDJiAUuSv
— Live Science (@LiveScience) April 28, 2021
With the artefacts now undergoing conservation and analysis, Szymon Drej, director of the Museum of the Battle of Grunwald, said that researchers are seeking to discover more about the "social status of the medieval sword."
"We will also examine the site of the excavation of the monument in more depth in order to get to know the situational context of its origin," he added.