Die Plejaden in Gold auf einem keltischen Schwert

Abstract

An old find, a short sword with gold and copper inlays dated to the middle Latene period was found in 1891 while the railroad line near the station of Allach, Munich was under construction. The obverse side of the sword shows a large golden circle, five small circular golden dots, a golden line and a sickle-shaped symbol, all inlaid with gold. The reverse shows a semi-circular arc with marked endpoints and a true triskele within a circle, both inlaid with copper. A previous interpretation of the circular symbols as the sun with the five planets already known in antiquity is rejected and can be replaced due to new knowledge and insight.
The five small circles are identified as five of the seven brightest stars of the Pleiades, two more of these Pleiades stars are no longer visible, but traces of gold at the relevant locations have been clearly detected by surface analyses. The straight line has proved to be longer on its left side as revealed by further gold traces; it is interpreted as the horizon. The large golden circle is thought to represent the moon which does periodically approach the Pleiades. The symbols inlaid with copper on the reverse side can also be found on Celtic coins, but have unknown meanings in mythology. The very light sword does not seem suited for fighting. It may have been a ceremonial sword or perhaps was a status symbol for a Celtic high-ranking personality. Its deeper mythological significance remains as yet unfathomed.