Archaeologists discover 'b******s' dagger at Swedish fortress...with a distinctively-shaped hilt
A team of archaeologists have made a very cheeky discovery in the remains of a 14th-century Swedish fortress.
Researchers discovered a 'b******s' dagger, also known as a ballock or bollock dagger, with a very distinctively-shaped hilt.
But this unique weapon's shape was no accident, as it was deliberately carved to resemble male genitals and suggestively worn at the front of the belt.
However, despite being a raunchy medieval joke, this strange weapon also suggests the area's violent history.
This phallic weapon was found in the remains of Gullberg Fortress, which sits on a cliff overlooking the Göta River in modern-day Gothenburg.
Originally constructed in the 14th century, Gullberg Fortress was a site of frequent bloody battles up until the 18th century.
The broken ballock dagger was found alongside crossbow bolts, arrowheads, and a round lead bullet, suggesting they may have been left there after an attempt to invade the area.
These daggers' rounded spheres would have provided extra grip to push these brutal weapons through the cracks in fallen enemies' armour.
Archaeologists made a very cheeky discovery when they unearthed a 'b******s' dagger, also known as a ballock dagger, at a 14th-century Swedish fort
The dagger was found in the remains of Gullberg Fort, which was constructed during the 14th century and expanded up until the 18th century (artist's impression)
The ballock dagger was found alongside crossbow bolts, cannonballs, and pistol bullets. This suggests it may have been left during an attempt to attack the fort
Anders Altner, an archaeologist from the State Historical Museums, says: 'The early medieval fortresses that existed on Gullberget were built as a counter-defence against the nearby Danish-Norwegian castles on Hisingen and when the Danes controlled Älvsborg Castle.
'The same also applies to 16th-century Gullberg.'
Gullberg Fortress was initially made up of a simple blockhouse surrounded by a palisade wall built during the early 1400s by King Birger Magnusson.
It continually expanded over the years as successive rulers added more fortifications, reaching its peak under the reign of Karl IX of Sweden in the 16th century.
Finally, after being destroyed and rebuilt twice, the Gullberg hill was cleared to make way for the 'Skansen Lejonet' fort, which still stands today.
However, beneath the more recent construction, the site still bears the scars of medieval battles.
'We didn't think there would be as much left as there was,' says Mr Anders.
'The basement room was particularly exciting, with a well-preserved staircase, floor and parts of the walls and ceiling still intact.'
Today, the remains of the 17th-century fortifications are now in modern-day Gothenburg
Alongside the weaponry, researchers also found a number of civilian items like this sand spreader. This would be used to sprinkle sand over letters to prevent the wet ink from smudging
Ballock or bollock daggers were a common weapon of choice from the 1300s to the 1800s across Northern Europe. The rounded spheres would have provided extra grip to force the knife through cracks in armour. Pictured: A British ballock knife from 1450-1500
The archaeologists discovered a number of cannonballs, crossbow bolts, arrows, as well as the ballock dagger, suggesting this was a site of frequent military action.
Guidebooks on armoured fighting published from the 1400s show that these knives were used to deliver the killing blow to armoured combatants who had fallen.
They were also frequently carried as a backup weapon for archers and foot soldiers who would otherwise fight with swords or spears.
Yet the researchers also found fascinating signs of civilian life, including stoppers for beer barrels, a carved sundial, and a device for scattering sand over written pages to prevent wet ink from smudging.
Despite their strange appearance and military uses, the ballock dagger was also an important part of the everyday life of the people who lived at this time.
Ballock daggers are a common style of knife that was worn widely across Northern Europe, including Britain, from the 1300s up until the 1800s.
Although they were used by soldiers, these knives were also worn by large numbers of civilians, especially during the Tudor period.
In Britain, it was illegal for anyone other than the nobility to carry swords in public, so most adult men would carry a knife such as a ballock dagger.
Many ballock knives were found in the wreck of the Mary Rose, a Tudor-period warship which was a favourite of King Henry VIII. The daggers would have been both weapons and tools
Only the nobility were permitted to wear swords, so most men wore a dagger such as a ballock dagger. Pictured: An illustration published between 1489 and 1496 showing a farmer wearing a ballock dagger
Ballock daggers often formed parts of eating sets. Some, such as this 18th-century Scottish dirk, had a sheath with a space for a fork
A large number of ballock daggers and their leather sheaves were found in the wreck of the Tudor warship The Mary Rose, where they would have been both weapons and useful tools.
It was considered fashionable to wear a dagger as part of everyday attire, and a ballock dagger would have often been worn slung from the belt in a leather sheaf.
At a time when cutlery was expensive, men also carried the daggers as part of an eating set for use at mealtimes.
Some surviving sheaves even have pockets for a fork or small set of tools, suggesting they were part of everyday wear.
As for their unique shape, archaeologists believe this was primarily determined by fashion, with their suggestive handle jutting forward from between the legs in a dirty joke and display of virility.
Warning issued to anyone using this smiley face emoji
