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miekka - Petersenin H-tyyppiä; miekka

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miekka - Petersenin H-tyyppiä; miekka

physical description: A complete sword in good condition. Weight: 1340 g. Balance point: 115mm. The blade seems to have been broken and re-welded approximately 24 cm below the hilt. On one side the fuller is inscribed +VLFBERHT+, and the reverse side contains a vertical line and an incomplete lattice weave. The material of the inlays is twisted pattern-welded rod. The inlays were defined by surface examination. Radiographs: no. 578. The hilt belongs to Petersen’s type H. The parts of the hilt are of iron and decorated with inlays of silver and copper wires (24 wires/cm). The wires are arranged to form a chequerboard pattern. The sword belongs to a group of finds from under a large rock (KM18402:1–7), and was claimed for the National Museum in 1971.

Literature: Moilanen 2010a: 9; Peirce 2002: 54–55; Räty 1983: 38–39,
42, 156, 162–163, 238; Räty 1998: 39–40, 48; Williams 2009: 130, 159

A group of finds (KM 18402:1–7) was discovered in 1971 under a large rock about 4.6 kilometres southeast of Hämeenlinna Castle and 1.1 kilometres southeast of the Church of Vanaja. The site is known as Peltorinne in Hämeenlinna. Inlaid sword KM 18402:1 was found along with a small knife. After this, a trial excavation was conducted, revealing some more finds. The site was destroyed by building work and it contained no definite evidence of a cemetery. Among the recovered finds a small blade fragment is also known (KM 18402:3), indicating the presence of another sword.

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