The tomb of a “very powerful” man who was tall and armed with a large sword was reportedly discovered in Sweden in December, making it a rare find from medieval Europe.

Archaeologists believe that medieval aristocrats were around 6 feet 3 inches tall, which is quite an impressive size considering the average height for a 16th century man was around 5 feet 5 inches. according to To live science. But almost as impressive was the man's sword, which was more than four feet long and inlaid with various metals to create the design of a Christian cross, said the excavation team leader. , Johan Klange told the same media.

The giant and his sword were discovered in the center of the city of Halmstad on the west coast of Sweden, near Denmark. In addition to this man, a monastery was also discovered that was active until at least 1494.It is believed that it was destroyed by fire at that time. Protestant Reformation But these dates also hint at the purpose of this aristocracy.

The image of a sword is share It appears surprisingly intact on social media.

A sword over 130 centimeters long was discovered during an archaeological survey in the city of Halmstad on Sweden's west coast.

The sword was in the grave of a tall (about 190 cm) man, placed on his left side. pic.twitter.com/j3jZaI6Z1V

— Archaeo – History (@archeohistories) January 8, 2024

“We hypothesize that he was a member of the Kalmar Union noble family and owned property in both Sweden and Denmark,” Klange told the outlet. “These people have become very powerful.” (Related: Ancient Greek discovery could completely rewrite humanity's story)

Researchers believe that this man may have been one of many duped men who supported a union between Sweden, Denmark and Norway, which apparently did not go very well. The Protestant Reformation, which lasted from about 1527 until his 1593, was a period of massive social upheaval that fundamentally changed the course of history in the countries involved.