And to maintain that good condition, immediate action had to be taken, Valentijn explains. “It had been in an oxygen-poor environment all that time, which is why it didn’t rust. If you leave it for weeks after the discovery, it will still become one lump of rust and crumble apart. That can happen quickly after 1,000 years in the mud.”
1000 year old sword found in Montfoort: ‘In great condition’
