A hiker in Norway recently discovered a 1,500-year-old gold sword fitting buried beneath a tree.
The University of Stavanger announced the find on May 5. It was uncovered in the Austrått district of Sandnes, a city in southwestern Norway, and dates back to the sixth century, during Norway’s Migration Period following the fall of the Roman Empire.
The hiker, a local resident and father of two, said he enjoys exploring the area. After noticing a tree knocked down by a storm, he investigated the ground underneath and spotted something glinting in the soil. “I didn’t quite understand what I had found,” he said.
The artifact is a gold sword fitting, about six centimeters wide, which would have been part of a scabbard worn on a belt. Officials believe it belonged to a chieftain in the Hove area. Archaeologist Håkon Reiersen called it “spectacular” and noted that gold scabbard fittings often show little use, but this one was worn, indicating it was actively used and reflected the owner’s status.
Researchers think the fitting may have been deliberately buried in a rock crevice as an offering during a period of crop failures and societal stress.
The artifact will be displayed at the Museum of Archaeology at the University of Stavanger. Museum director Kristin Armstrong-Oma thanked the hiker for his discovery, saying it provides new insights into the region’s leadership during the Migration Period.
