Emily Chan
After a woman found an ancient sword while wading in a river, she went viral on social media. Experts believe the sword dates back two centuries. Jane Eastman, known as @myordinarytreasure on TikTok, documented the find in a video, which has garnered 5.8 million views.
The discovery was made during Eastman’s exploration of a local river in Hampshire, U.K. When she peered through the murky water using a glass-bottomed bucket, she spotted the sword. She carefully pulled it out of the water with a rake.
“Basically, my hobby, or my obsession, is to go in rivers searching for lost history,” Eastman said. “I never dreamed for one minute I would find a saber or sword — it was the most surreal experience. It was just lying there.”
The sword had a long, rusted blade, and its handle was made out of brass. Afterward, Eastman did some research into the weapon, trying to trace its origins. A Belgian sword collector reached out to her on social media to offer her information.
According to the collector, the sword was a Dutch or Belgian Infantry saber. It possibly dates back to 1815. Later, an expert from Easton Antique Arms named Matt Easton confirmed this identification.
“From what I can see, yes, indeed, it is a Dutch Model 1819 briquet, a type of short sword or ‘hanger,’ as it was known in England,” Easton said. “These were used in both the Dutch and Belgian military, and yes, indeed, they were based on the earlier French models.”
He was able to determine that the sword was of Dutch or Belgian origin by the iron rivet pin through the middle of the brass handle. He added that these tools were versatile. Troops used them for clearing away brush or for self-defense.
During that time, muskets and bayonets were mainly used on the battlefield, but swords of this kind were wielded as well.
It is unclear how the weapon ended up in the river. Eastman wonders if the sword belonged to a collector or was brought back from war. Hopefully, further cleaning and inspection will reveal more about its background.
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