The grave of a tall and “very, very powerful” man with a big sword was reportedly uncovered in Sweden in December, presenting a rare find from medieval Europe.
Archaeologists believe the medieval nobleman was around 6 feet, 3 inches tall, a pretty impressive size given the average male in the 16th century was about 5 feet, 5 inches, according to Live Science. But almost as impressive was the man’s sword, which was over 4 feet in length and inlaid with different metals to create the design of the Christian cross, the excavation team’s leader Johan Klange told the outlet.
The giant man and his sword were discovered in the center of Halmstad city, on the west coast of Sweden, close to Denmark. A friary that was active until at least 1494 was also uncovered in addition to the man. It’s believed it was burned down during the Protestant Reformation in 1531. But these dates also hint at the nobleman’s purpose.
Images of the sword were shared on social media, showing its surprisingly intact condition.
A sword over 130cm long was discovered during archaeological research conducted in the city of Halmstad, located on the west coast of Sweden.
The sword was located in the grave of a tall (approx. 190cm) man and, placed on his left side, was the only artifact found with the… pic.twitter.com/j3jZaI6Z1V
— Archaeo – Histories (@archeohistories) January 8, 2024
“We hypothesize that he was part of the high nobility of the Kalmar Union, and may have owned property in both Sweden and Denmark,” Klange told the outlet. “These people became very, very powerful.” (RELATED: Ancient Discovery In Greece May Completely Rewrite The Human Story)
Researchers believe the fella may have been one of many duped men who supported Sweden’s union with Denmark and Norway, which apparently didn’t go very well. Lasting from around 1527 to 1593, the Protestant Reformation was a time of massive social upheaval that fundamentally changed the course of history for the states involved.