So this girl sees something.....

[Speedo66]

in a lake in Sweden two months ago, and pulls out a 5th or 6th century iron age sword and scabbard. It's pre Viking era which was 8th century.

She and her parents were asked not to notify the media until authorities could further search the lake and surrounding areas before treasure hunters were attracted by the story.

Here's a link: https://www.nytimes.com/2018/10/06/world/europe/sweden-girl-sword-lake.html?rref=collection/sectioncollection/world&action=click&contentCollection=world&region=stream&module=stream_unit&version=latest&contentPlacement=8&pgtype=sectionfront

 

[JeffG]

A stolen artifact ditched in the lake? It seems way beyond unlikely.

 

[jar]

Strange women lying in ponds distributing swords is no basis for a system of government. Supreme executive power derives from a mandate from the masses, not from some farcical aquatic ceremony.

 

[mdThanatos]

Strange women lying in ponds distributing swords is no basis for a system of government. Supreme executive power derives from a mandate from the masses, not from some farcical aquatic ceremony.

Sounds like someone is looking at being repressed.

 

[hso]

http://www.startribune.com/minnesot...king-era-sword-from-lake-in-sweden/495285461/

 

[bannockburn]

Very cool discovery along with the story behind it!

 

[entropy]

Pommel type puts it as late Migration- Early Viking age, a bit later than they estimated. That sword is cool, but the best thing to come out of Jonkoping is Agnetha Faltskög.

 

[Double Naught Spy]

A stolen artifact ditched in the lake? It seems way beyond unlikely.

Unlikely, but certainly not unheard of. Random archaeological finds get made with surprising regularity in old world countries.

 

[Deltaboy1984]

Cool finds!

 

[b0ned0me]

A stolen artifact ditched in the lake? It seems way beyond unlikely.

It's in the southern more densely (lol) populated part of the country where there have been people schlepping stuff over the landscape for thousands of years, and in some places the landscape tends to naturally funnel peoples movements along ridgeways, passes or as in this case along narrow lakes with rivers flowing through them. As double naught says it's not unheard of that people today decide to do something in a convenient spot and stumble across traces of people having done something similar a long time ago.
The original owner probably dropped it over the side, overturned their boat or possibly drowned while wearing it and similarly there are likely quite a few knives, axes, fishing gear and other stuff that have gone to the bottom of that lake even in this century, given the nordic propensity for mixing boats and alcohol during the summer.

 

[toivo]

Does this mean she gets to be queen?

 

[armoredman]

And the family gets nothing, sword "repo'd" by the government? Oh well, hopefully it will be well preserved and in a museum soon.

 

[hso]

A stolen artifact ditched in the lake? It seems way beyond unlikely.

Considering landscapes and bodies of water change over time it should come as no surprise that artefacts come out of the shallows from time to time.

 

[Speedo66]

And the family gets nothing, sword "repo'd" by the government? Oh well, hopefully it will be well preserved and in a museum soon.

From what I’ve seen over there, Swedes have a thing for their history you don’t see here. There are rune stones hundreds of years old unwatched in public areas that are unmolested, no “Johnny was here” carved in them, no graffiti. I wouldn’t think they’d expect to be compensated for finding the sword.

They have something called “every man’s right” which would never fly here. It’s a law allowing you the right to camp for one night on anybody’s property, woods, not front yard, and the right to hike or pick berries or mushrooms, etc. Goes back to farmers traveling to a far market place to sell crops. They know not to damage property or leave waste behind. It’s imbued in their culture, it wouldn’t work here. As with the history, different mind set.

 

[entropy]

Yes, I have a friend in Norway who often takes advantage of that freedom. I'd love to be able to just pick a spot to camp and not have to worry about whose property it is. After seeing what people here leave at public campsites, I agree, it would never work here.

 

[Dibbs]

Does this mean she gets to be queen?

Here we go, with the moistened bints lobbing scimitars, again!