Ancient sword at Field Museum thought to be a replica turns out to be the real deal
CHICAGO (CBS) – An ancient sword that sat inside the Field Museum for nearly 100 years that was believed to be a replica is actually a 3,000-year-old artifact.
Curators said a European expert noticed the sword and asked to see it while preparing for an exhibit called "The First Kings of Europe."
"I pulled it out and he said after half a minute, this isn't a replica," said Bill Parkinson, curator of anthropology at the Field Museum. "It's a real sword thrown into the Danube River at the end of the Bronze Age."
X-ray testing later confirmed the sword's authenticity. You can see the sword for yourself at "The First Kings of Europe" exhibit which opens on March 31.