An extraordinarily well-preserved Bronze Age sword has been found by archaeologists in the German town of Nördlingen.

Image credit: ARCHÄOLOGIE-BÜRO DR. WOIDICH

The sword has an octagonal hilt and was found in a grave thought to date back to the late 14th Century BC.

Its condition is so good “it almost still shines”, Bavaria’s State Office for Monument Protection (BLfD) told the BBC.

Image credit: ARCHÄOLOGIE-BÜRO DR. WOIDICH

But the sword was not the only interesting find uncovered from the grave: the bones of a man, a woman and a boy were also found, along with other bronze objects.

The town of Nördlingen in Germany, where the sword was found. Image credit: roger4336

Experts are not sure if the three persons were related, and the rarity of the sword raises questions about its origin.

Image credit: ARCHÄOLOGIE-BÜRO DR. WOIDICH

According to the BLfD, crafting a sword like this was a complex task due to the hilt being cast onto the blade.

Although the Nördlingen sword shows no signs of being used in combat, it is presumed to have served as a functional weapon rather than mere decoration.