ÖLAND, SWEDEN—Popular Mechanics reports that a keen-eyed passerby noticed an unusual object protruding from a wetland in Löt on the island of Öland. At first glance it appeared to be a somewhat modern rusted bracelet, but closer examination determined it was, in fact, a rare Viking Age iron armband. The C-shaped ornament is adorned with animal heads at each end and embellished with rows of decorative dots. There are over 1,000 Viking armbands in Sweden’s State Historical Museum, but only three of them were made from iron, the majority having been fashioned out of either silver or bronze. This is partly due to iron’s highly corrosive properties, but experts believe the wetland’s poor oxygen conditions helped preserve this example for 1,000 years. Archaeologists plan to investigate the site further to possibly determine how the piece of jewelry ended up in that location. Was it purposely deposited into the bog as an offering or simply lost by mistake? To read about an ancient massacre that occurred on the island, go to "Öland, Sweden. Spring, A.D. 480."
