The Dystrup swords: A hoard with eight short swords from the Early Bronze Age

Abstract

Abstract The finding of a sword in a potato harvester in the autumn of 1993 led to the excavation of a monotype hoard comprising a total of eight short bronze swords at Dystrup in Northeastern Djursland (Fig. 1)1. The swords had been deposited by a large stone on dry land. They are bronze-hilted swords, cast in one piece, and have the form of Hajdusamson-Apa swords. The ornamentation is composed of elements from various swords from period I and from the Fardrup bronzes. It could be shown that the swords come from the same workshop, which must be domestic. As a hoard find the Dystrup swords are normal for the style, period and zone I. The number of swords is, however, unique and the find is therefore extraordinary, which appears to be the norm for the period!