Broken pieces of rare Viking sword reunited after 1,200 years apart

Two pieces of an ornate Viking sword that had been separated for about 1200 years have been reassembled. The pieces were found a year apart.

Last year, a metal detectorist in Stavanger found a small piece of metal while poking around a farm. A metal detectorist and his friend found the rest of the artifact after the man gave the fragment to the museum. The pieces of metal were part of a large sword.

The sword is of a rare type and is found in Western Europe and Eastern Europe. The hilt of the sword is decorated with carvings and gold and silver. The ends of the cross-guard are shaped like animals.

The rusty saber was found in Greece.

The sword might have been forged in the Frankish Empire or England around 800 A.D., based on its ornamentation. Only about 20 of the Viking swords recovered in Norway match the weapon's profile, and its owner remains a mystery.

The image is the first of three.

The end of the crossguard shows a head. Liserier Chant Aasen is a museum.

The hilt of the sword is decorated with carvings. Liserier Chant Aasen is a museum.

The sword is being examined with a microscope. Liserier Chant Aasen is a museum.

We can only guess who it belonged to. It was a highly decorative and impressive sword, and it must have belonged to someone with the means to acquire it, as well as someone who wanted to demonstrate their social status.

According to the Art Institute Chicago, swords from this era had their owner's names engraved on the blade, but because this weapon's blade is lost, archaeologists will have to rely on other clues.

The grave of a rich Viking queen was found near where the sword was found. We knew that this area was important, but we didn't think we'd find a thing like this. The acting head of the museum's collection department said in a translation. Once it has been restored and preserved, the sword will be on display at the museum. The sword's restoration can be followed on the museum's website, as well as on the social media sites.

It was originally published on Live Science