2,300 years old, and yet it looks almost new: archaeologists have discovered a pair of scissors in a Celtic grave in Munich’s Sendling district that even have a slight sheen. They also found a strangely folded sword, which has several possible explanations for its condition. According to the Bavarian State Office for the Preservation of Monuments (BLfD), other high-quality grave goods prove that the deceased had a high social status.
At the beginning of the current find history was the search for possible explosive devices from the Second World War in the Munich district of Sendling. In doing so, the explosive ordnance disposal team found underground structures that might be of archaeological interest and then informed the BLfD. Subsequent investigations then revealed that the cremation was about 2,300 years old. As the BLfD explains, the local Celts burned their dead and buried the remains in pits together with grave goods.
“Almost new”
The tomb was centrally located in a square structure that had once been highlighted by four individual posts. As it turned out, various items had been placed with the remains of the dead man. One find in particular amazed the archaeologists: a pair of scissors that showed hardly any corrosion and looked almost like new. “A pair of scissors that are more than 2,300 years old and in a condition as if they could still be used today – that’s a very special find,” says Mathias Pfeil from the BLfD. “The fortunate fact that this tool was so excellently preserved is just as impressive as the craftsmanship of this object,” says Pfeil.
According to the experts, it was probably a multifunctional device even then: the scissors could have been used to cut hair or textiles. The Celts may also have used them to shear sheep. “The rest of the grave furnishings also provide a fascinating insight into our past,” Pfeil emphasizes. It is clear that the deceased had a high social status: In addition to the scissors, the archaeologists also found the remains of a shield, a lance tip, a razor, a fibula in the grave – and another highlight: a folded sword.
Why this transformation?
According to the findings, the blade was deliberately heated, folded and thus rendered unusable. Experts can only speculate as to the reason for this reshaping: perhaps the sword was folded simply to fit in the burial pit. Possibly one wanted to protect the tomb from looting by destroying the valuable weapon. However, mythical ideas also come into question as a background: By ritually destroying the sword in this world, it could have been made available to the dead in the afterlife. On the other hand, it could also have been a measure to disarm the possibly restless spirit of the deceased.
Finally, the BLfD states the current discoveries: It is an important, previously unknown testimony to the Celtic past in the region.
Source: Bavarian State Office for the Preservation of Monuments