12th-13th century AD. An iron double-edged sword of Petersen Type X and Oakeshott Type Xa, its tapering blade with narrow fullers and battle nicks to both edges, one side with inlay; wide guard of Oakeshott Style 1, sturdy tang and tea-cosy pommel. See Petersen, J., De Norske Vikingsverd, Oslo, 1919; Oakeshott, E., Records of the Medieval Sword, Woodbridge, 1991; Oakeshott,E., The sword in the Age of the Chivalry, Woodbridge, 1964 (1994); Gravett, C., Medieval Norman Knight, 950-1204 AD, London, 1993; Peirce, I., Swords of the Viking Age, Suffolk, 2002; practically identical guard and pommel of the sword from Hagerbakken (Petersen, 1919, fig.124"). 1.2 kg, 85.5cm (33 3/4"). From a private family collection; previously acquired from a collection formed before 1990; thence by descent; accompanied by an archaeological report by the military specialist Dr. Raffaele D’Amato; this lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by AIAD certificate number no.10206-167291. This type usually presents a slender blade, generally long in proportion to the hilt with a narrow fuller running for much of the blade’s length to within a few inches of the point. The tea-cosy or Brazil-nut variants were the most popular forms of pommel for this typology, from the late 10th century onwards (Gravett, 1993, p.5"). According to Petersen, this type was not originally of Nordic origin, even if some specimens were forged in the Nordic lands. The sword is found in such large quantities that it exists not only over the whole of Nordic countries, but also over the whole of Central Europe. It was a common Germanic type in Central and Northern Europe during the century preceding the Crusades, and it was still the typical Norman sword of the 12th century.