Almost a decade has passed since the publication of Androshchuk’s excellent sword catalog of Viking Age Sweden, which was first published in Russian (2013) and later reworked into English (2014). During this period, new swords or their fragments were found or published. At the same time, we found pieces in the older literature that were not included in the catalog, and therefore we decided to map these newly detected swords in the form of a short article, which can be expanded at any time. This inventory is supplemented by a list of swords that are incorrectly labeled in Androshchuk’s work.
Newly detected swords
Sigtuna
In 2014, the site of Götes Mack in Sigtuna was archaeologically examined. During the excavations, among other things, a half of the crossguard (inv. no. F 181:248:11) with an approximate length of 5 cm and a weight of 24 grams was found (Hed Jakobsson 2017: 59, 388, Fig. 67; Androshchuk 2021: 35). The guard was cast of a copper alloy, and traces of silver and possible gilding were found in the alloy. The casting failed and the manufacturer dicarted the guard after the failure. Hed Jakobsson evaluates the ornament, which is located on the area of the guard, as Mammen or Ringerike style, but the closest analogy is Kirpichnikov’s type A-local. The dating of the piece points to the 11th century, probably its first half.
The guard fragment from Sigtuna. Taken from Hed Jakobsson 2017: Fig. 67.
Birka
A new excavation of the surroundings of the grave Bj 750 found a younger grave, which covered the grave Bj 750 and which contained three weapons – a sword (inv. no. 1880), an axe and a spear. The sword is intentionally broken and its blade is bent. The blade was found in 2013, the hilt a year later. The hilt belongs to a hybrid type – it is probably based on the K or N type, the pommel cap is hollow and the tang is peened on top of the pommel cap. Crossguard length 10.2 cm, upper guard length 6.9 cm, handle length 6.5 cm, pommel cap height 2.5 cm, blade width 5 cm, blade length at least 50 cm (Andersson – Näversköld – Vedin 2015: 19, 109) . Due to the context of the find, the whole set can be dated to 2nd-3rd quarter of the 10th century, or the 2nd third of the 10th century.
Sword from Birka. Taken from https://vikingar.historiska.se/.
Skärlöv, Öland
Apparently a context-free find, found in the 19th century, consists of a hollow pommel cap, which was attached to the upper guard with two rivets and at the same time the tang was peened on top of the pommel cap (Salin 1935: 102, 104, Fig. 260). The cap was cast of a copper alloy. According to Salin, the object was kept in a museum in Gothenburg. From the site of Skärlöv, 5 blades are also known, found in 1863, which are stored in the State Historical Museum in Stockholm (SHM 3104) and which Androshchuk included in his catalog. The pommel cap belongs to an unusual group of swords, which is close to the S, V and W types and which can be dated to the turn of the 10th and 11th centuries. To date, we have been able to find only four parallels that come from today’s Estonia, Latvia and Norway and one of which is complete (Tomsons 2018: 69-70; Zozulja – Kainov 2022: Fig. 3). It is noteworthy that this find is missing in Androschuk’s main publication, as he had pointed out the aforementioned comparison in his previous work (see Androščuk 2004).
Pommel cap from Skärlöv and comparison with the sword from Siguldas.
Salin 1935: Fig. 260; Atgāzis 2019: 10. att. tab.
Trummen
The sword, which was found in Trummen Lake in September 1970 and is part of the collection of the Småland Museum in Växjö (inv. no. M 21698), is one of the best-preserved Swedish swords of the Viking Age. Typologically, it belongs to the type X specimens, dating to 10th-11th century. Total length of the sword 92 cm, length of slightly bent blade 78 cm, width of the blade 6 cm, length of the guard 12 cm. The handle is covered with a perfectly preserved wooden handle with a decent carving. On the blade, we find partially preserved remains of an oaken sheath.
Sword from Lake Trummen. Taken from Digitalt Museum 2022.
Krutbrånet
In the Småland Museum, there is an overlooked Petersen type O lower guard made of copper alloy (inv. no. M 1965), which was given to the museum by Robert af Klinteberg in 1896. It is said to have been found in the site of Krutbrånet, at the place of the battle of Sävar (1809). The guard is 10.8 cm long and 1.2 cm high. There are three braids on the visible surfaces. The hole for the blade is not placed symmetrically and is about 5.5 cm long.
The guard from Krutbrånet. Taken from Digitalt Museum 2023a.
Tuna Alsike XII
The double-edged blade from the grave of Tuna Alsike XII was not included in Androshchuk’s catalog (Arne 1934: 44, Taf. XIX.1). It has a maximum width of 4.65 cm and is preserved in two fragments with lengths of 26.6 and 14 cm. Due to the attached stirrup and long knife, the dating points to the middle of the 10th century, or to the 3rd quarter of the 10th century.
The blade from Tuna Alsike. Taken from Arne 1934: Taf. XIX.1.
Norrtuna
When examining the mounds at the Norrtuna site in 2022, two swords were found in one grave (Seiler 2025). One of the swords has high hilt components and a separate pyramid pommel cap, suggesting that it originally belonged to Petersen’s H/I type. The second sword consists of an unhilted blade. Both swords were purposly thrust into the ground. In terms of dating, the older horizon of the Viking Age, from the 8th to the 10th century, is the most likely.
The hilted sword from Norrtuna. Source: Arkeologerna, Statens historiska museer.
The blade from Norrtuna. Source: Arkeologerna, Statens historiska museer.
Gamla Uppsala
In the summer of 2019, a burial ship was found in Gamla Uppsala equipped with a number of militaria (sword and chape, long knife, spear, axe, shield and arrows) and equestrian equipment (Arkeologerna 2023). The find has not yet been published, but from the documentary Vikingakungarnas krigare, which was broadcast by SVT on 5 February 2023, it is clear that there is another grave with a sword that is almost complete and has a long and low, slightly curved guard close to the Y type. The look at the pommel raises questions, but it is more likely that it is one-piece and articulated in a saddle-like manner, i.e. similar to a Y type pommel. The sword was sheathed in a scabbard, the end of which is tightly wrapped with an organic strap and covered with an Androshchuk type 3b chape. The find can clearly be dated to the 10th century. A personal discussion with research leader Anton Seiler (March 2023) indicated that two swords were found during the research.
The sword from Gamla Uppsala. Source: Vikingakungarnas krigare documentary.
Gamla Uppsala
Archaeological research in the Gamla Uppsala site from 2012-3 revealed an approx. 4.5 cm long fragment of a copper alloy guard (Jörpeland 2017: 175, 179). The guard, widening towards the end, is slightly curved and its surface is decorated with a braided ornament in the style of Urnes. The closest analogy is the guard from the site of Skillingmarks (SHM 17546), which Androshchuk classifies as Z type sword (Androshchuk 2014: 451, Pl. 138b).
The sword fragment from Gamla Uppsala and its analogies.
Source: Jörpeland 2017: 179; Androshchuk 2014: Pl. 138b.
Gamla Uppsala
Archaeological research at the Gamla Uppsala site in 2012-3 revealed a cremation grave dated to the 1st half of the 9th century, which contained an urn with burnt bones, a comb and a broken sword (Jörpeland 2017: 179). The sword has a pyramidal pommel that is close to Petersen’s type A or B, but it is possible that these are special types outside of Petersen’s typology. The total length of the sword is estimated at 900 mm.
The sword fragment from Gamla Uppsala. Source: Jörpeland 2017: 179.
Gamla Ingla
In 2014, i.e. at the time of the publication of Androshchuk’s book, a fantastic sword pommel cap from the Gamla Ingla site was published (Digitalt Museum 2023b). It was found during the repair of the church floor in 1944, where it was apparently brought together with the filling material. It was given to the administrator of the church, who in 1946 handed it over to the Upplandsmuseet in Uppsala, where it remains today under inventory no. UM20271. Length 7.5 cm, height 4.5 cm, weight 102 g. The cap is made of cast copper alloy and is openworked in the shape of spirals and further decorated. The overall tone of the head gives the impression of a Ringerike style. There are several direct parallels, all from England: the detector-discovered pommel from Tilney All Saints (LIN-9468E7), Snibston (LEIC-9158C3), the debatable pommel from Brigg, and the Battersea sword, which has a similarly shaped pommel with a spiral motif (Wilson 1965: Pl. IIA). It seems that the pommel typologically and decoratively fits in the Anglo-Saxon swords of the beginning or the first half of the 11th century. In 2024, the pommel cap saw its first official publication in academic press (Gustafsson 2024).
Pommel cap from the Gamla Ingla site.
Source: Digitalt Museum 2023b; Gustafsson 2024: Fig. 2.
Kungsbäck
During archaeological research in 2011, the remains of a cremation grave from the Viking Age were found in the Kungsbäck locality (Ulfhielm 2012: 11-15). The person buried was a young person aged 15-20 and was buried with the remains of horses, dogs, bears, cats, cattle and chickens. The finds included beads, a comb, a touchstone, arrows, a horsebit and a fragment of a blade with a scabbard chape. The blade is broken into three parts with a width of 4.5 cm and a total length of 18 cm. The chape belongs to Androshchuk’s type 3a-b, which places the grave in the 930s-980s typologically. Radiocarbon analysis with a result of 890–1020 AD did not refute this dating. Another cremation grave with a similar inventory was found in the same site in 1954 (Androshchuk 2014: 333).
Blade and chape from the Kungsbäck site. Source: Ulfhielm 2012.
The sword from an unknown Swedish location
In 1928, a batch of several dozen prehistoric and early medieval objects was sent to Riga as part of the Swedish-Latvian cultural exchange. One of the artifacts is a Viking Age sword from an unknown Swedish location. The sword is missing in both Androshchuk’s catalog of Swedish swords and Tomsons’ catalog of Latvian swords. In a personal discussion, Tomsons stated that he had not personally searched for the sword and considered it to have been returned to Sweden. We contacted the curator of the National History Museum in Riga, Mr. Eduards Plankājs, who tracked down the sword for the purposes of our text and provided us with the original Swedish documentation; therefore, we can confirm the sword still remains in Latvia and has the inventory number A 5606 (in the past mistakenly given as 5608). Until now, the find has only been published by A. Anteins (1960: 26; 1966; 1973: 42; 1976: 47-8), who subjected it to metallurgical analysis.
The sword belongs to Petersen’s type H/I and features a double-edged blade that is deliberately bent, indicating its original burial origin. The total length of the weapon is 95 cm, the width of the blade at the guard is 5.8 cm, the thickness of the blade is 0.6 cm. The blade is equipped with a fuller. The weight of the weapon is 1270 g. The hilt components were decorated with vertical inlay with a density of about 20 copper alloy wires per cm (Anteins gives the distance between the grooves as 0.05 cm). The blade is equipped with the inscription +VLFBERH.T+ on one side, and with a geometric ornament on the other side (III lattice IIII lattice). In theory, the quality of the inscription thus corresponds to Williams group B (Williams 2009), which corresponds well to the results of the archaeometallurgical analysis (heterogeneously arranged ferrite and pearlite with a carbon content of 0.3-0.8% and a troostite microhardness scale of 380-420 VPH).
The sword from an unknown Swedish location, stored in Riga.
Source: Anteins 1973: 42, 44.
The sword from an unknown Swedish location
In the Swedish Historical Museum in Stockholm, there is a sword that appears to be missing from Androshchuk’s catalog, although Ny Björn Gustafsson told us that he had discussed it with Fedir Androshchuk. Androschuk admitted in a private discussion that he did not include the sword in the catalog. The sword comes from an unknown Swedish location and lacks a catalog number, it only has the “item number” 266352_HST. We are not aware of any official publication, the only source of information is the catalog of the mentioned museum (Statens Historiska Museer 2024). According to this catalog, the sword is represented by a 35 cm long fragment with a broken blade and missing pommel cap. The double-edged blade is about 5.2 cm wide at the guard in its current corroded condition. The crossguard is 10 cm long and about 1.7 cm high. The upper guard is approximately 7 cm long and identically high. Both hilt components are decorated with tricolour inlay of silver, copper and brass, with the copper alloy wires arranged to form a rhombic ornament. The guards are decorated on the sides as well. Typologically, the sword can be assigned to Petersen’s type V or T2 (Viskupič 2025; 2026). Androshchuk considers the sword to be a young variant of type H/I or special type 20. Androshchuk added that this sword is not the same sword that he published under cat. no. 28 (Androshchuk 2014: 469-470).
The sword from an unknown Swedish location, stored in Stockholm.
Source: Statens Historiska Museer 2024.
The sword from Wiks slott
The Androshchuk’s catalog is missing a sword of Petersen’s type X that was observed by Fedir Androshchuk, Peter Johnsson, H. A. Lidén and Ulrik Skans in 2002 (Digitalt Museum 2024). The sword is from an unknown location, but it is likely that it came from a grave, probably from Uppland. Until 2020, it remained in a glass display case at the reception of the Wiks slott castle near Uppsala, after which it was donated to the Uppland Museum in Uppsala. Current inv. no. UM43474. The find was originally bent and straightened after discovery. The sword is in good condition and is 92 cm long, with 13 cm long hilt. The crossguard is 12 cm long, the pommel is 6 cm long and 3 cm high.
The sword from Wiks slott. Source: Digitalt Museum 2024.
Ajmunds, Gotland
In 1994, while digging for potatoes in Ajmunds, Gotland, a sword fragment (SHM 32574; 264887_HST) was unearthed. This piece is traditionally linked to the Battle of Mästerby in 1361 (Lingström 2025: 60-61). The fragment itself is 23 cm long, with a 3 cm tang and a 19 cm blade. The sword features a crossguard that measures 9.7 cm across, is 1.3 cm thick and 0.4-0.6 cm high. The blade is heavily corroded, but even in its current state, it’s at least 4.5 cm wide at the guard, and a single, broad fuller is still visible. Morphologically, this sword aligns with early medieval one-handed swords, especially those of Petersen’s type Y, a classification often used for similar fragments (see Kainov – Novikov 2024: 232).
There are other reasons to suspect the original dating. Not only have Viking Age weapons and jewellery been found nearby (Gustafsson 2011; Stenberger 1947: 153-4), but a pommel discovered in 2009 (Lingström 2025: Figs. 47, 92) might also belong to this sword. This pommel, which is about 8 cm wide and still has a part of the hilt attached, was initially dated to the 12th-13th century (Lingström 2025: 142-3). Its design, however, is consistent with Petersen’s type Y (for similar examples, see Kainov – Novikov 2024: 233). Experts Peter Johnsson and Gustav Solberg generally agree with this assessment. Of course, it is also possible that these two fragments come from different swords entirely.
Blade and pommel from Ajmunds. Source: SHM catalogue; Lingström 2025: Fig. 47.
Eskilstorp
In 2021, archaeological excavations were conducted at the southern Swedish site of Eskilstorp, uncovering a magnate farm dated to the period of 950–1050 CE (Ohlsson et al. 2023; Söderberg et al. 2025). During these excavations, an unusual sword pommel was discovered that cannot be classified within Petersen’s typology. It is a one-piece iron pommel featuring a raised central lobe that slopes down in arches toward the base. The approximate dimensions of the pommel are 7.2 cm in length and 3.9 cm in height. Its surface is decorated with inlaid and plated wires of silver and a copper alloy, which form an interlaced pattern. It is undoubtedly a hybrid form closely related to types S and V. A highly similar hybrid sword was found at the Hungarian site of Vác-Csörög, which dates to an analogous period (Horváth 2022: 657–8; Kovács 1994–1995: 179). It is possible that both swords share the same Central European origin or workshop, which sought to replicate the mainstream style.
Left: pommel from Eskilstorp (Ohlsson et al. 2023: Fig. 7).
Right: sword from Vác-Csörög (Kovács 2024: 158).
Tjureda
With the digitisation of the Småland Museum collections, two previously unpublished swords from the Tjureda site have appeared in the online catalogue Digitalt Museum (Digitalt Museum 2026a–b). Both were donated to the museum by Gunnar Olof Hyltén-Cavallius no later than 1886.
The sword designated with inv. no. L 303 is a fragment with a total length of 46 cm, consisting of a double-edged blade 42.6 cm long and 6 cm wide, a crossguard, and part of the tang. The pommel and the remainder of the blade are missing. The crossguard has an oval cross-section and, in frontal view, its ends appear to be bevelled into points. The stated length of 15 cm for the crossguard does not correspond to reality (it is actually closer to 10–12 cm). The photo resolution is poor, making it impossible to comment on the potential presence of non-ferrous metals. However, it is likely the remnant of a Type H/I sword. The sword is bent and apparently deliberately damaged, which may indicate a grave context.
Sword from Tjureda, inv. no. L 303. Source: Digitalt Museum 2026a.
The sword with inv. no. L 304 is better preserved, missing only the pommel cap and the tip of the blade. In its current state, the sword reaches a length of 65 cm, of which 53 cm accounts for the double-edged blade, which is 5.5 cm wide. The hilt consists of two massive guards of an oval shape, bevelled at the ends in frontal view. A raised ridge runs through the centre of the guards. The guards bear traces of vertical inlay. The lower guard is 10 cm long. The base of the pommel is hollow, and the peened tang, which is well preserved, fitted into this cavity. Nothing prevents the sword from being classified as Petersen Type H. The sword is bent, likely indicating it was deposited in a grave.
Sword from Tjureda, inv. no. L 304. Source: Digitalt Museum 2026b.
Odensjö
In 1867, the Småland Museum acquired a pommel cap from a composite pommel from the Odensjö site, which remains unpublished to this day and bears inv. no. L 551 (Digitalt Museum 2026c). The cap is made of iron, has a roughly semi-circular shape, and is hollow inside. Two rivets project from the interior of the cap, which were used to attach it to the upper guard. According to the description, it is said to be 8 cm long, 5 cm high (including the rivets), and 3.1 cm thick.
Only a single photograph is available, which was not taken from an ideal angle, making typological identification difficult. Assuming the pommel cap is perfectly semi-circular, Petersen’s Type N appears to be a plausible classification. However, the author leans towards the idea that the sides of the cap are slightly curved, which would suggest an affinity to Petersen’s Type V (Viskupič 2025). Due to corrosion, however, no grooves or decoration are visible on the pommel cap that would confirm such an identification.
Left: pommel cap from Odensjö. Source: Digitalt Museum 2026c.
Right: a possible Norwegian parallel (C26517). Source: Unimus.
Tanum
The Bohuslän Museum holds a sword pommel (inv. no. UM029445:266) discovered during archaeological excavations in 1997–1998 and accessioned into the museum’s collection in 2012 (Digitalt Museum 2026d). The pommel is absent from Androshchuk’s inventory. It likely represents the remains of a destroyed grave. Measuring approximately 7.5 cm in length and 4.8 cm in height, the pommel consists of two parts. Traces of silver vertical inlay are visible on the upper guard, and one side reveals the remnant of a rivet running from the pommel cap toward the base. If this is indeed a rivet (and not a distorted tang), the pommel most likely corresponds to Petersen’s Type H; otherwise, it could represent Petersen’s Type E.
The pommel from Tanum.
Source: Digitalt Museum 2026d.
Nyvla, Bälinge
In the Nyvla site, a damaged pyramidal pommel was found in the 20th century and was acquired in 1940 by the Upplandsmuseet in Uppsala, where it is stored under inventory number UM20286 (Digitalt Museum 2026e). The pommel, measuring 5 cm in length and 3 cm in height, was decorated with dense vertical inlay executed in an unidentified non-ferrous metal. Typologically, the finds belong to Petersen Type H/I.
Pommel from the Nyvla site.
Source: Digitalt Museum 2026e.
Hemmesjö
On September 26, 1838, a sword was excavated by Anders Magnusson, which today forms part of the Småland Museum collection under inv. no. L 133 (Digitalt Museum 2026f). The discovery occurred in a burial mound located approximately 35 meters south of the church in Hemmesjö. The sword is preserved fragmentarily; its current total length is 37 cm, of which 31 cm accounts for the double-edged blade. The blade is 5 cm wide and fitted with solid, oval guards. The pommel cap is missing, though the rivet holes on the upper guard are clearly visible. The sword is classified as a Petersen Type H, which appears to be a correct identification given the shape of its components and the traces of vertical inlay. The blade is intentionally damaged.
Sword from Hemmesjö.
Source: Digitalt Museum 2026f.
Three swords from the Västergötland Museum
The Västergötland Museum houses at least three double-edged swords that were not included in Androshchuk’s catalog and which originate from the collection donated to the museum by Alexander Sparre in 1923. The find spots are unknown. Currently, we only have poor photographic documentation, which precludes an ideal identification.
The first sword (inv. no. 1M16-12737:A) has a preserved length of 48.8 cm, with the front section of the blade missing. The hilt consists of a 13.7 cm long crossguard and an upper guard that apparently serves as the pommel. Both guards are slightly curved. The sword appears to be a Petersen Type Q (Digitalt Museum 2026g). The second sword (inv. no. 1M16-12743) is a fragment of a blade with a crossguard. Its current length is 15.4 cm. The relatively tall crossguard is 10.3 cm long and 2.7 cm thick. The sword appears to be a Petersen Type H (Digitalt Museum 2026h). The third sword (inv. no. 1M16-12738), with a preserved length of 21 cm, represents a section of a blade with a crossguard. The crossguard is 13.5 cm long and 2.7 cm thick, slightly curved on the underside, with rounded or slightly faceted terminals in front view. Its typological classification is ambiguous; theoretically, Petersen Type Q or similar all-iron types can be considered (Digitalt Museum 2026i). The museum also holds several blade fragments that could potentially belong to these three swords (inv. nos. 1M16-12749 and 1M16-12741).
Three swords from the Västergötland Museum.
Source: Digitalt Museum 2026g-i.
Berg, Österfärnebo
Länsmuseet Gävleborg holds a Petersen Type C sword from the Berg site (inv. no. XLM.39172-038), which is missing from Androshchuk’s catalogue (Digitalt Museum 2026j). Since Type C swords are rare in Sweden, we checked whether this might be one of the swords from the same cadastral area mentioned by Androshchuk (Androshchuk 2014: 347–9), particularly the swords from the Kungsgården site. According to a statement by Anki Börjeson from the museum, who sent us the inventory card for the Kungsgården sword, that discovery took place in the late 1940s, meaning it cannot be the sword from Berg.
The Berg sword was discovered during archaeological excavations in 1993. It is double-edged and 92 cm long. The crossguard is 9 cm long, 2.5 cm high, and 2 cm thick. The massive pommel is 8.5 cm long, 4.8–5 cm high, and 1.8 cm thick. The grip is 7.5 cm long. The sword is bent due to a burial rite.
Sword from the Berg site.
Source: Digitalt Museum 2026j.
Mislabeled swords
Lund, KM 66166:1903
The sword guard, which was discovered in the settlement layer of the PK banken site in Lund in 1974-5, does not belong to the Z type, as Androshchuk believed (Androshchuk 2014: 362). In terms of size, shape and decoration, it corresponds to the type S guard. The polemic about the affiliation of this crossguard is particularly interesting because the house in which the object was found can be dendrochronologically dated to 1010-1016 ±5 years and was destroyed in the 1030s. Androshchuk omits the crossguard is 12 cm long (Mårtensson 1976: 388).
The crossguard from Lund. Source: Mårtensson 1976: 388, Fig. 341, Pl. XV.
Birka, graves Bj 524 and 581
Androshchuk revised both swords and challenged the earlier arrangement by saying that the swords in the SHM museum are, in his opinion, mislabeled: the better-preserved E type sword, according to him, comes from grave 524 and the fragmentary V type sword from grave 581 (Androshchuk 2014: 385-6). However, during the years 2015-2020, due to the evidence of a female skeleton, grave 581 received unprecedented attention and the material was thoroughly researched and compiled. We can therefore assume that the set from grave 581 is correctly revised. The museum favors the pre-Androshchuk version, namely that the poorly preserved sword comes from grave 524 and the more complete sword from grave 581. However, there is some effort to compromise, so SHM designates the more complete sword as type V and the less complete as type E, which is incorrect. It currently appears correct that the fragmentary V type sword comes from grave 524 and the more complete E type sword from grave 581. This fits better with Stolpe’s drawings, which attribute to the grave 524 sword a perfectly semicircular and low pommel (Arbman 1943: 160) and the sword from grave 581 a slightly taller pommel with a slight articulation (Arbman 1943: 189).
Peter Johnsson has recently studied the E type sword and, in addition to the pitted decoration on the lower guard observed by Androshchuk, discovered pits on the upper guard and a probable division of the pommel cap (Wåhlander 2023: 120-1). The pits are deep and allow a view into the guard, indicating that the sword belonged to a special group of E and T swords with hollow components filled with fillings covered with decorated wires that were visible through the pits (see Arendt 1936). It is group E2 according to Kainov and can be dated to approximately 875-975 AD (Kainov – Novikov 2024).
Study of E type sword from Bj 581. Source: Wåhlander 2023: 121.
Lilla Djurbo
In Androschchuk’s work, a grave from the Lilla Djurbo site and its inventory are described, while the sword is listed as an unknown type (Androshchuk 2014: 458). It is likely that Androschuk did not personally examine this sword or did not see a photograph of it. We asked the Västmanland County Museum (Västmanlands läns museum) for a photo and the museum willingly helped us. It is clear from the photo that the sword belongs to Petersen’s type Y, a variant with a one-piece pommel. The dimensions given by Androshchuk are correct, the only exception being the length of the hilt (14.5 cm), which is confused with the length of the grip (approx. 10 cm). The sword is stored in the collections of the Västmanland County Museum under inventory number VLM 1179:1.
Sword from the Lilla Djurbo site. Photo kindly sent by Ida Andersson, Västmanland County Museum.
Sword from the Bohuslän Museum
In the book, Androshchuk mentions a sword of an unknown type with a single-edged, broken and repaired blade, which has the inventory number SHM 27001 (Androshchuk 2014: 466). The sword was researched by Tord Bergelin in 2016 and published the same year by Rolf Warming (Warming 2016). The article provides basic metrics, object history, and photographs showing that the hilt is a hybrid type. The base of the hilt consists of guards corresponding to Petersen’s type B, while a semicircular pommel cap divided by two channels into three fields rests on the upper guard. The pommel cap is close to, for example, Petersen’s types V, W or X. The overall tone is similar to a hybrid Norwegian sword C21704 named by Petersen (Petersen 1919: Fig. 84).
Sword from the Bohuslän Museum. Source: Warming 2016, modified.
Gröndal, Öland
In the book, Androshchuk names a cast pommel made of a copper alloy, discovered in Gröndal (Androshchuk 2014: 462). However, he does not name its typological affiliation. In the catalog of the Swedish Historical Museum (SHM 5967) it is assigned to Petersen’s type V. From the only available photograph (Petersson 1964: Fig. 25) it is evident that it is a pommel cap which was a hybrid between types E and W. About the proximity of the type E is best evidenced by pits located on the side lobes (see Kainov – Novikov 2024: 197). The hybridization of types E and W is also documented by other finds (Kainov – Novikov 2024: 185).
The pommel cap from Gröndal. Source: Petersson 1964: Fig. 25.
Skensta, Uppland
The hilt components from Skensta (SHM 6814:3) are published by Androshchuk as type H/I (Androshchuk 2014: 439). SHM curator Sven Kalmring photographed both hilt components for the purposes of our text. The photos show that this could also be a torso of a type V sword (Viskupič 2025). This is evidenced primarily by the height of the upper guard, the shape of the components and the shape of the decoration (narrow, tall rhombuses).
The hilt components from Skensta. Source: Sven Kalmring, SHM.
Curonian type cross-guards from Gotland
In Androshchuk’s catalogue we find a guard from Hemse, Gotland (SHM 12529:1), which belongs to a “special type” according to the description (Androshchuk 2014: 314). In fact, it is a guard of the so-called Curonian type, and the correct typological affiliation was pointed out by both Baltic researchers (Kazakevičius 1997; Tomsons 2012; 2018: 94-103), and Androshchuk himself in his older work (Androščuk 2004). In the Gotland archive, we managed to find another identical and yet unidentified guard, originating from an unknown location (Digitalt Museum 2025). Both artifacts undoubtedly come from the area of present-day Lithuania or Latvia and can be dated to the period of the 11th-13th centuries.
Two Gotland guards (Hemse on the top left) and their Latvian analogy.
Source: SHM; Gotlands Museum; Tomsons 2012: Fig. 2.1.
Kungahälla
The pommel cap from Kungahälla, donated in 1985 by Mats Hugosson to the Bohuslän Museum (inv. no. UM019601:0055A), was described by Androshchuk without details and was incorrectly classified typologically (Androshchuk 2014: 287, Bo 1). He likely did not have the opportunity to work with proper documentation and confined himself to limited published literature (Nancke-Krogh 1987). The cap is 8 cm long, 3.5 cm high, and 2 cm thick (Digitalt Museum 2026k). It is three-lobed and hollow inside. A view of the underside reveals a roughly square or circular aperture beneath the central lobe and deep grooves beneath the side lobes. Androshchuk believed it might belong to Petersen’s Type Z, but based on its morphology and the grooves, the cap can safely be attributed to Type S.
Pommel cap from Kungahälla.
Source: Digitalt Museum 2026j.
Appendices
Mosjö, Närke
The sword from the former Lake Mosjö, which Androschuk lists in his catalog under the number Nä 6 (Androshchuk 2014: 359-360), deserves a more detailed comment. Androshchuk does not provide basic literature on the sword, which is represented by Birgitta von Heland’s article (1971) and supplemented by Rundkvist’s short text (Rundkvist 2021). There are several facts from this literature that Androschuk did not mention: the sword was found by farmer Karl Pettersson in 1920, and its blade is decorated with a lattice of pattern-welded wire, which can be seen on X-ray imaging. In November 2024, our colleague Otto Aberger personally examined the sword and took photos for the purposes of this article, which can be viewed at the following link:
The handle components are decorated with vertical grooves, which are created with a density of approximately 16 grooves per cm. Simple monochrome wires and twisted wires from two different alloys alternate in the grooves so that the resulting effect creates a twig motif. The crossguard and the upper guard are coated on the sides with sheets of copper alloy, which in the case of the crossguard are not riveted. This feature is more typical for the older horizon, although they do appear til about the 2nd quarter of the 10th century. The grip shows the remains of a wooden handle. The sword is stored in the Örebrö County Museum, inv. no. ÖLM 22.137.
The sword from Mosjö. Source: Otto Aberger; Heland 1971.
Håkeby, Bohuslän
The type O sword from Håkeby (SHM 1270:478) is described in text by Androshchuk (Androschuk 2014: 287), but without accompanying pictorial documentation. The SHM catalogue indicated that there was no consensus regarding the material of the guard. For this reason, we contacted the curator Sven Kalmring, who photographed the sword guard from many angles. We can therefore confirm Androshchuk’s observations. The ornament, which is badly damaged, has close analogies in northern Germany (see Hilberg 2022: 138) and Norway (e.g. B691 and B1103).
The crossguard from Håkeby. Source: Sven Kalmring, SHM.
Forsby
The secondarily used pommel from Forsby (GM 5356:1916:136) is included in Androshchuk’s catalogue (Androshchuk 2014: Gä 39). However, the accompanying black-and-white photograph raised doubts as to whether it is indeed a pommel of Petersen’s Type W (Zozulja – Kainov 2022: 108). In connection with mapping Type W pommels, in August 2026 we contacted the Länsmuseet Gävleborg, which kindly sent us colour photographs of the object from multiple angles (see Vlasatý 2020). The photographs confirm Androshchuk’s reading: it is half of a single-piece, thin-walled cast pommel designed for riveting the tang on the upper side, with a clear division of the decoration into a base and a cap, and an unusual decorative pattern consisting of vertical lines. The holes in the wall indicate secondary use.
Secondarily used pommel from Forsby.
Source: Anki Börjeson, Länsmuseet Gävleborg.
Full-resolution photographs can be viewed at the following link:
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