2,300-year-old Celtic sword from France Discovered
A 2,300-year-old Celtic sword from France is been discovered and is a striking find. Discovered in 2022 at Creuzier-le-Neuf, this Iron Age relic, adorned with swastika motifs, reveals the skilled metalwork of ancient Celts.
A Spectacular Burial Find
Archaeologists from the French National Institute of Preventive Archaeological Research (INRAP) excavated a Second Iron Age necropolis (450–52 BCE) in central France, uncovering over 100 graves. Acidic soil dissolved skeletons, but metal artefacts endured, including copper-alloy bracelets, iron brooches, and two swords in their scabbards. The standout is a short sword, its copper-alloy sheath gleaming with polished gems, two bearing swastika engravings—symbols of luck and prosperity in ancient cultures, not the later Nazi connotation.
Dated to the early 4th century BCE, the sword’s slender blade and antenna-shaped iron handle suggest it was ceremonial, likely a marker of elite status or military command. X-ray scans revealed blade inlays—a circle and crescent moon—hinting at cosmological beliefs. The sheath, designed for waist wear, features ocelle (eye-like) motifs, a Celtic hallmark. Possibly functional, a second, longer sword was found with fabric traces, perhaps from a warrior’s garb. These finds rival major Celtic sites in Champagne and Burgundy.
The necropolis, linked to the Arverni, Aedui, and Bituriges tribes, reflects a vibrant Celtic crossroads. The swastika-adorned sword, possibly tied to the Celtic sacking of Rome (387 BCE), underscores the era’s cultural and martial prowess.
