Beauty Unburied

zoom

Object No. 36 Ballinderry sword, mid-ninth century

National Museum of Ireland - Archaeology

A beautiful, brutal iron blade from the Rhineland 

With the creators name VLFBEHRT inlaid, 

the blade was obtained and mislaid 

Exhumed in the county of Westmeath 

Crafted in the ninth century 

A silver mounted handle once grasped firmly

in the hand of a vicious Viking as he killed his way to the jewels. 

It travelled all over the world on a ship full of warriors 

To where they stop off only to collect more slaves and riches 

Not a friend to those who stood in its path 

Somehow coming to rest for all to look at 

Once a powerful weapon 

Now a powerful piece of history 

Its name will stand forever as ‘The Ballinderry Sword’