Swords
The swords were initially found in the 1960s by archaeologist Brian Hope-Taylor but their value did not come to light until forty years later, when they were recovered from Hope-Taylor’s Cambridge flat. The swords, found in an excellent state of preservation, were taken to the Royal Armouries in Leeds to be examined, a variety of techniques, such as metallurgical analysis, edge testing and x-rays, were used. It has emerged that one of the swords is an 8th century Anglian sword; what makes it truly unique is that it is made up of six strands of carbonised iron, which would have been welded to bond the strands together, creating something that was strong but not brittle; previous swords from this time period have only been found to have four strands, making this sword an exceptional find. The blade would have been 70 to 80cm long and would have been commissioned by a wealthy noble, or Northumbrian King. The swords date back to the time period in which King Oswald reigned so it is possible that he commissioned the making of the sword. The swords will be going to the British Museum for stereo x-rays which will produce a 3D replica of what the sword would have looked like when it was first made; the swords will reside in Bamburgh Castle Museum and go are on display there now.
