Cawood sword
Encyclopedia
The Cawood sword is regarded as "one of the finest Viking sword
s ever discovered". It is nearly 1,000 years old and is the fifth sword of its type ever to be found and by far the best preserved.
The sword was found in the River Ouse
near Cawood
in North Yorkshire
in the late 19th century. It was displayed at the Tower of London
until the 1950s and then sold into private hands. It was acquired by the Yorkshire Museum
, York
in December 2007, where it was on display for two weeks in December 2007 and January 2008. After conservation work it is now back on display in the museum.
Viking sword
The Viking sword is a form of spatha, evolving out of the Migration Period sword in the 8th century, and evolving into the classical knightly sword in the 11th century with the emergence of larger crossguards...
s ever discovered". It is nearly 1,000 years old and is the fifth sword of its type ever to be found and by far the best preserved.
The sword was found in the River Ouse
River Ouse, Yorkshire
The River Ouse is a river in North Yorkshire, England. The river is formed from the River Ure at Cuddy Shaw Reach near Linton-on-Ouse, about 6 miles downstream of the confluence of the River Swale with the River Ure...
near Cawood
Cawood
Cawood is a large village and civil parish in the Selby district of North Yorkshire, England that is notable as the finding-place of the Cawood sword....
in North Yorkshire
North Yorkshire
North Yorkshire is a non-metropolitan or shire county located in the Yorkshire and the Humber region of England, and a ceremonial county primarily in that region but partly in North East England. Created in 1974 by the Local Government Act 1972 it covers an area of , making it the largest...
in the late 19th century. It was displayed at the Tower of London
Tower of London
Her Majesty's Royal Palace and Fortress, more commonly known as the Tower of London, is a historic castle on the north bank of the River Thames in central London, England. It lies within the London Borough of Tower Hamlets, separated from the eastern edge of the City of London by the open space...
until the 1950s and then sold into private hands. It was acquired by the Yorkshire Museum
Yorkshire Museum
The Yorkshire Museum is a museum in York, England. It is the home of the Cawood sword, and has four permanent collections, covering biology, geology, archaeology and astronomy...
, York
York
York is a walled city, situated at the confluence of the Rivers Ouse and Foss in North Yorkshire, England. The city has a rich heritage and has provided the backdrop to major political events throughout much of its two millennia of existence...
in December 2007, where it was on display for two weeks in December 2007 and January 2008. After conservation work it is now back on display in the museum.