CANTERBURY, ENGLAND—A beautifully crafted sword was among the many extraordinary burial objects—including knives, spears, brooches, and buckles—that were unearthed by archaeologists at an Anglo-Saxon cemetery near Canterbury, according to a statement released by the University of Lancashire. The exceptionally well-preserved weapon dates to the sixth century a.d. and features a silver and gilt hilt and a blade inscribed with runic inscriptions. Researchers also recovered pieces of the sword’s scabbard, which was made from leather and wood and lined with beaver fur. “Swords like this were more than weapons, they were symbols of authority and lordship that were passed down for generations,” said University of Lancashire archaeologist Duncan Sayer. “This one was so closely associated with the man it was buried with that he looks to have been hugging it.” Within the same grave, the team also found an unusual gold pendant inscribed with a dragon or serpent, which researchers believe may have once belonged to a high-status woman and may have been kept as a family heirloom. To read about traces of an Anglo-Saxon kingdom discovered beneath a medieval castle on Britain's northeast coast, go to "Letter from England: Stronghold of the Kings in the North."
