BERGEN, NORWAY — A sword is probably the last thing you’d expect to find on a hike-especially one that’s more than a millennium old.

But that’s what happened to a man in Norway who recently stumbled across a 1,200 year-old Viking sword while walking an ancient route. The find, which dates from approximately 750 AD is in exceptionally good condition, was announced by Hordaland County Council. County Conservator Per Morten Ekerhovd described the discovery as “quite extraordinary.”

“It’s quite unusual to find remnants from the Viking age that are so well preserved … it might be used today if you sharpened the edge,” he continued.

The rusted weapon was lying under some rocks on a well-known path across a high mountain plateau, which runs between western and eastern Norway. The mountains are covered with frost and snow for at least six months of the year and not exposed to humidity in summer which contributed to the sword’s exceptional condition, Ekerhovd said, adding that archaeological remains are often found along the paths.

He speculated that the sword could be from a burial site or may have belonged to a traveler who had an accident or succumbed to frostbite on the high pass.

The artifact has now been handed over to the University Museum of Bergen for preservation work and a research expedition to the discovery site is planned for next spring.

Source: CNN