A VERY rare Celtic sword dating back to the 2nd century BC is the March “exhibit of the month” at the Gemer-Malohont Museum in Rimavská Sobota.
The sword was discovered in 1962 when sand was being quarried in the village of Drňa, said archaeologist Alexander Botoš to the TASR newswire, adding that the sword is very well-preserved.
“This iron Celtic sword was encased in an iron sheath, richly decorated with wrought and engraved ornaments with geometric, floral and zoomorphic motifs. The Celts were known in ancient times for their wild, unyielding and belligerent nature and their women were said to fight as bravely as their men. The typical equipment of a Celtic warrior was a sword, a spear and a shield,” Botoš stated.
The archaeologist added that the Celts had established an important enclave in this area in the 3rd and 2nd centuries BC and that the site in Drňa ranks among the most important Celtic burial sites in the Carpathian Basin.
“In the course of the 3rd and 2nd century BC, Celts developed a unique artistic expression that was placed primarily on sheaths of swords that have mainly been discovered in the Carpathian basin. These swords were symbols of social status as they were owned only by leaders of the Celtic world. The swords were about 80 centimetres long,” Botoš told TASR.
