thousand or so years later but it poses a question because far too many have been found to have been due to accidental loss. All this points to a persisting sacrificial custom. Deposition of swords in sacred rivers and lakes has been a West European practice from as early as the Bronze Age. Although grave deposition seems to come to an end around 700 CE with the advent of overt Christianity, the ritual deposition of weapons seems to continue in the form of river offerings, perhaps indicating that the new religion had still not taken a firm hold on the warrior-soul.
(Many images kindly provided by Paul Binns Swords)