Iron Age warriors bent the swords of their defeated enemies, ancient hoard reveals

By Laura Geggel - Editor 8 days ago

It's one of the biggest Iron Age weapons hoards in western Germany.



Some of the bent weapons that were found during the 1950s at the hillfort in western Germany. (Image credit: LWL archeology for Westphalia/Hermann Menne)

A metal detectorist scouring an ancient hillfort has uncovered "one of the biggest Iron Age weapon hoards in western Germany," according to archaeologists at the Regional Association of Westphalia-Lippe (LWL).

The hoard contains more than 150 objects, including deliberately bent weapons, such as 40 spearhead and lancehead tips, swords and fragments of shield bosses (round structures at the center of a shield); tools; belt hooks; horse gear; three silver coins; bronze jewelry; and one fibula, or lower leg bone, Manuel Zeiler, an archaeologist at LWL, told Live Science.

"The arsenal is the largest in [the German state of] North Rhine-Westphalia and also links the [state's region of] Sauerland with complex processes in Iron Age Europe," Michael Baales, an LWL archaeologist and head of the Olpe branch in North Rhine-Westphalia, said in a translated statement, released March 31.

Moreover, the damaged weapons — which ancient people would have purposefully destroyed by bending them — shed light on how victorious Iron Age warriors treated the losing side's arsenal, Baales said.

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