Skerne sword

The Skerne sword is a Viking age sword found in the River Hull at Skerne, East Riding of Yorkshire, England.^[1] It dates to the 10th century AD.

Discovery and description

The sword was found in an excavation by the Humberside Archaeology Unit in 1982 at a site near Skerne. The sword was interpreted as having been dropped into the River Hull from a structure like a jetty or bridge. The excavation found the wooden piles of a Viking bridge, built of oak, alongside other deposits including four knives, part of a spoon, an adze, and several animal skeletons.^[2]

The Skerne sword is a pattern-welded iron sword.^[1] It is inlaid with geometric designs in silver and copper wires on the hilt and was found within its scabbard. The sword can be categorised as of Petersen's Type X.^[3]

The deposition of the sword has been regarded as a pagan ritual deposit into the water and highlights the importance of bridges in providing access to such ritual space.^[4][5]

Public display

The sword was exhibited at a meeting of the Society of Antiquaries of London on 5 May 1983.^[3] It is in the collection of Hull and East Riding Museum.