A Viking Sword 9th/10th Century, Petersen Type K, Wheeler Type IV With Blade Inscription. A river bed find from the Danube in excavated condition with tapering double-edged blade (inscription illegible) with central fuller - some old corrosion damage to lower fuller otherwise stable, robust and straight including the tip. Robust tang tapers in width. Five lobe pommel with platen/copper cross pattern and curved end cross piece with matching pattern of decoration. A prestigious sword of great importance due to its size and style of decoration. Previously unrecorded.
Provenance:
Found in River Danube in Hungary, unknown date.
See Ian Pearce, Swords Of The Viking Age (2002) pp.63-73 fro recorded examples of this type.
Viking swords with inscriptions have been found across Europe, Scandinavia, Britain and Russia. The indistinct blade inscription could be revealed through X-Ray analysis, and from closer inspection is similar to examples in Ian Pearce, pg 7-9 with possible ULFBERHT inscription plusher letters.
Highly probable that this sword was made by one of the best Frankish makers and found in an area used as a route by Varangians - Viking Mercenaries, as well as resident Magyars.