Viking sword

This sword was found in the River Maas, near Aalburg in the province of North Brabant. It is a broadsword that once belonged to a Viking. The pommel of the hilt and the crossguard (the metal bar between the handle and the blade that can be used to block the opponent’s weapon) are ornamented with narrow threads of copper that have been hammered into the iron. The pommel also has a wider decorated bronze strip.