Archaeologists have found the oldest runic inscription minted on the blade of a knife that is almost 2000 years old.
Archaeologists in Denmark have discovered a 2,000-year-old knife with ancient runes stamped on it. It was reported by Euronews Culture.
The knife was found under the remains of a grave with an urn in a small cemetery east of Odense on the island of Funen and may date to 150 AD.
The 8cm steel blade has five hieroglyphs about 0.5cm high, each with three indentations, spelling out the word hirila, which means “little sword” in Old Norse.
Jacob Bonde, the curator of the city museum and archaeologist who made the discovery, said that he first thought it was an ordinary knife because there were no runes visible, but after cleaning it it became clear that it contained a word.
The runes on the knife are written in the oldest known runic alphabet, and therefore the new find is a very important part of understanding and interpreting the oldest use of writing in Denmark and the Scandinavian region.
At the same time, scientists at the Möntergården Historical Museum in the Danish city of Odense interpret this inscription as the name of the knife, but suggest that it could be the name of its owner.
It was previously reported that archaeologists during excavations in Ukraine discovered an ancient cemetery with human remains.
A glove dating back to the 14th century was discovered in Switzerland.
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Source: korrespondent
I am Ben Stock, a passionate and experienced digital journalist working in the news industry. At the Buna Times, I write articles covering technology developments and related topics. I strive to provide reliable information that my readers can trust. My research skills are top-notch, as well as my ability to craft engaging stories on timely topics with clarity and accuracy.