In 2022, an employee of Poland's Military Museum of Białystok went out for one of his regular swims in the Supraśl River — and came back with an intact sword from the Viking era.
Military Museum of BiałystokThe sword dates to the 9th or 10th century C.E. and could either be Viking or Baltic in origin.
In 2022, an employee of Poland’s Military Museum of Białystok named Szczepan Skibicki took a dive in the Supraśl River. While swimming, he came across an astounding discovery: an intact sword from the Middle Ages.
Skibicki carefully removed the artifact, which has since been examined by experts. They’ve determined that the sword is roughly 1,000 years old and was likely used in battle during the age of the Vikings.
The Discovery Of The Medieval Sword In Poland’s Supraśl River
Artur ReszkoThe sword shows some wear and tear indicating that it was used in battle.
According to Science in Poland, the sword was first discovered one Sunday evening in the summer of 2022 by Szczepan Skibicki when he was out for one of his regular swims in the Supraśl River. Skibicki stumbled across the sword while moving through a bend in the river, at a place previously covered by sand.
“It was Sunday, around 5 p.m., when I swam in the Supraśl River,” Skibicki recalled in a Facebook post from the Army Museum in Białystok. “I knew this place and remember a time before there was a scum there. However, when I swam there, there was no sign of it. At about 120 cm deep, I spotted an interesting object which turned out to be a sword! Then for the first and last time, I screamed for joy under the water! [T]hanks to my education and work I knew how to secure it and which services to notify.”
Experts believe that the sword was forged in the late 9th or early 10th century, which means it was most likely wielded by Viking or Baltic warriors. It’s in fairly good condition — even its hilt is still intact — but it does show some wear that suggests that someone used it in battle.
Artur ReszkoDespite being roughly a millennium old, the sword found in the Supraśl River is in remarkably good shape.
“The middle part shows how time has acted,” Robert Sadowski, the director of the Military Museum, explained. “When these swords were fought, the middle part was the one that most often took the blows and, by necessity, some micro-cracks, scratches, splinters appeared, which caused the material to react in this way and not in any other way for a thousand years.”
So, how did the sword end up in the Supraśl River?
The Questions Remaining About The Viking-Era Sword Uncovered In Białystok
According to the Military Museum, the sword was probably lost or dropped right at the place where it was found and sat undisturbed for 1,000 years. It could have slipped out of someone’s grip while they crossed the river, or it could have been lost in battle when its owner was killed or wounded.
Artur ReszkoQuestions remain about this sword found in the Supraśl River, but experts certainly agree that it’s “unique” and “unusual.”
Curiously, this is the second sword to be found in the Supraśl River. In the 1970s, another sword was found in the river during a drainage project. Though similar, it’s a bit more recent, albeit still medieval, dating to the early 11th century.
But while questions about the new sword found in the Supraśl River remain, it’s clear that it’s a remarkable and rare artifact.
Raz1el/Wikimedia CommonsPoland’s Supraśl River, where two centuries-old swords have been found over the past 50 years.
“It is a very unusual sword, from what I know, there are only three or four such swords in the country,” Sadowski said. He was seconded by Ryszard Kazimierczak, from the Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń, who remarked: “The sword is unique due to its form, shape and the degree of preservation of this organic substance, which we can see on the hilt.”
Indeed, the sword hints at a connection to the Viking Age. This era, which persisted from about 800 to 1050 C.E., saw Vikings conduct raids throughout Europe. They landed in Poland during this time, which is when the sword found in the Supraśl River was forged.
Military Museum of BiałystokMuseum employee Szczepan Skibicki happened upon the sword while out for a swim one evening in the summer of 2022.
For now, any other information about the person who once wielded this stunning blade is lost to time.
After reading about the medieval sword found in a river in Poland, go inside the story of Excalibur, the legendary sword wielded by King Arthur that was thrown into a lake after his death. Then, learn about the Khopesh, the ancient Egyptian sword that helped build an empire.
