2,300-Year-Old Sword Decorated With Swastikas Discovered
Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content.
Archaeologists have unearthed an ancient Celtic burial ground and retrieved various artifacts―including a sword that was forged 2,300 years ago and decorated with a swastika motif.
The swastika is an ancient design that has been used by various cultures throughout history, although it is now commonly associated with Nazi Germany after Adolf Hitler appropriated the symbol for his regime.
More than 100 graves were found across a vast site in the town of Creuzier-le-Neuf in central France. The graves were empty of human occupants―the skeletons having crumbled to dust in the area's acidic soil―but dozens of metal objects belonging to the dead were discovered.
Newsweek has reached out by email to France's National Institute for Preventive Archaeological Research (INRAP) seeking further information and comment.
France's INRAP (National Institute for Preventive Archaeological Research) conducts an archaeological dig in Toulouse, southwest France, on August 23, 2024.
France's INRAP (National Institute for Preventive Archaeological Research) conducts an archaeological dig in Toulouse, southwest France, on August 23, 2024.
Patrick Batard / Hans Lucas via AFP and Getty Images
Why It Matters
Although the lack of human remains prevents anthropological study, the hoard of possessions—including bracelets, brooches, ceremonial weapons—that were created around the 3rd or 4th century B.C. provides a treasure trove for researchers.
The discovery may shed new light on the region's historic culture and wealth, as well as the craftsmanship skills of those living within the society at the time.
What To Know
Today, the site lies in the small French town of Creuzier-le-Neuf, but back in the Second Iron Age (around 450 to 52 B.C.) the region was a crossroads of ancient cultures, including the Celts from the Arverni, Aedui and Bituriges tribes.
The necropolis was first discovered in 2022, although details were not revealed until April 15 this year in France and the Smithsonian Magazine shared the news in the U.S. last week.
The 7,000 sq ft site was excavated as work got underway to examine the area. More than 100 graves were found, with metal objects in around half of them. A single cremation burial was also discovered, with the remains of a decorated urn, that has now been painstakingly glued back together.
Two expertly crafted swords, still in their copper-alloy scabbards, were also discovered. One was richly decorated, and included at least two swastikas carved on to polished gems.
The other was almost entirely absent of decoration, but was found with fragments of fabric, which could have come from a material case or the clothes the deceased owner was wearing when buried. The second sword was longer than the first, and was found with a series of metal rings, which would have allowed it to be worn around the waist.
The institute shared a photograph of the decorative sword on X (formerly Twitter), with the translation describing the object as being of "exceptional quality."
Deux épées celtiques retrouvées dans leur fourreau
Des parures métalliques ainsi que des armes d'une facture exceptionnelle ont été mises au jour par l'Inrap dans une vaste nécropole du second âge du Fer à Creuzier-le-Neuf (Allier) 👉 https://t.co/9r0rsJQAvT pic.twitter.com/7hvQM1B3YZ — Inrap (@Inrap) April 15, 2025
What People Are Saying
A translation of a press release published by France's National Institute for Preventive Archaeological Research (INRAP) reads: "Nearly half of the burials contain metal ornaments. Bracelets, either singly or in pairs, are common. Some are simple coiled copper alloy rods, others are more elaborate and decorated. Most are closed rings or rings with hidden clasps (one end fitting into the hollow part of the other). One grave yielded a pair of well-preserved bracelets decorated with circular shapes (ocelli) and long curves."
Two swords were found in their scabbards, and INRAP said: "One is undoubtedly the most spectacular object in the necropolis [...] Its scabbard allowed it to be worn at the waist. The handle and front plate of the scabbard, made of copper alloys, are covered with scrollwork or ocelli. Several cabochons [polished gemstones] adorn the edges of the already richly decorated scabbard. At least two of them feature swastika decorations and probably glass paste. The sword consists of a short, elongated, pointed blade with a handle with antennas, made of iron, combined with spheres made of copper alloys or copper. X-rays revealed inlays on the top of the blade: a circle and a crescent moon separated by a line. The detail of the decorations indicates a design at the very beginning of the 4th century BC."
INRAP archaeologist Vincent Georges told the journal Live Science that swastikas are known to have been widely used by the Celts in mainland Europe in the 4th and 5th centuries B.C., although the significance of the symbol to them is unclear. One of the brooches found at the burial site featured eye-like markings, another design that was "fashionable among Celtic craftsmen" from the fifth and fourth centuries B.C., Georges said.
What Happens Next
Details have just been announced about the findings and it was not immediately clear whether the objects are intended to go on public display in the future. In any case, the discovery will spark excitement among history buffs as well as archaeologists and researchers.
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