Posted on 01/21/2024 2:58:22 AM PST by SunkenCiv
Archaeologists in Sweden have discovered the medieval burial of an extremely tall man who was buried with a long sword — one that was nearly two-thirds of his height — and may have been a nobleman who supported the region's ill-fated union with Denmark and Norway.
The sword, which is over 4 feet (1.3 meters) long, seems to have been inlaid with a different metal to form small Christian crosses, excavation leader Johan Klange, an archaeologist with the Halland Cultural Environment, an agency of the local government, told Live Science.
Even taller than the sword was the man in the grave. Klange said he stood about 6 feet, 3 inches (1.9 meters) tall — an impressive height for the turn of the 16th century, when the average male height in Sweden was about 5 feet, 5 inches (1.65 m), according to experts.
An archaeological excavation site of a Franciscan friary graveyard in the center of the Swedish city of Halmsted...
The grave of the tall man was the most prominent found in excavations of the Franciscan friary at the site, which was active from 1494 until it was destroyed in 1531 during the Protestant Reformation, Klange said.
The sword buried alongside the man was the only grave good found among 49 graves at the site and may have signified that the man was a member of the high nobility. The archeologists think the man may have been a wealthy supporter of the Kalmar Union, in which a single king ruled Sweden, Denmark and Norway between roughly 1397 and 1523.
(Excerpt) Read more at livescience.com ...
Archaeologists think the sword in the grave signifies that the man buried there was a noble; and they suggest he may have been a supporter of the Kalmar Union of Sweden, Denmark and Norway.Image credit: Copyright Kulturmiljö Halland, Stiftelsen Hallands länsmuseer
The other GGG topics added since the previous digest ping, alpha sort:
The Black Knight from Monty Python and the Holy Grail?
King Arthur?
imagine... this warrior standing up against a French warrior. the French warrior whips out his sword and says “kneel or I will run you though with my sword!” the other warrior laughs out loud. the french warrior says “why do you laugh in the face of death?” the other warrior replies back as he draws his 4’ sword “because THAT is not a sword...but this is”.
Historically, this southwest coastal part of Sweden was often ruled by Denmark, even without any larger union between the countries.
Sort of like a medieval version of Crocodile Dundee?
If the 4-foot sword was “nearly” 2-thirds the height of this man, how tall was he?
5 foot, 5-inches or maybe a little more?
Did I miscalculate?
Yes, you screwed up the math.
He was 6 feet tall
(Still shorter than you though)
What were you thinking?
Dummy.
The guy was 6’3”, according to the excerpt.
Oh shite Fred!
They found your sword.(grin)
2/3 of 6 feet is 4 feet - that being nearly 2/3s of his height makes him over 6 feet - the article says 6’3”
It’s hard to imagine a time when the average Swede was only tft, 5”. Who did they “comingle” with to become as tall as they usually are today? Perhaps it was the Danes.
The Danes and the Watusi have historically been among the tallest of all.
A very imposing figure indeed!
I'd say that's rather less cordial than expected.
It might be improved nutrtion. I just read somewhere else that people living in what is now North Korea used to be taller then those to their south. But now, after a few generations of communism, South Koreans are on average about 6” taller than North Koreans. Genetics wouldn’t have significantly changed in this length of time.
maybe he watches Sanford and son a lot?
I would suggest that like modern officers, the sword was ornamental and ceremonial
Mighty swordsman. Greatly feared.
Autopsy will show he was shot in the back.
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