Something Special
Olivia could feel her heart pound as the expert examined what she had found. It was clear that it was more than just a weird rock. He told her that it was older than she could ever have imagined at approximately 1,500 years!
But that wasn’t the most amazing part; the expert told her that it was something very special that must have been lost in the lake by a brave warrior centuries ago.
Olivia Nilsson
Olivia Nilsson was an 8-year-old girl that loved adventure. She lived in a small town in Sweden and would always beg her parents to take her out to their local lake. Even though it was the middle of winter, she couldn’t wait.
After a lot of begging, they finally gave in and agreed to take her out the following weekend. But if they knew what she would find, they would have reconsidered taking her.
A Passion
Olivia grew up watching old cartoons about knights and chivalry. She loved playing in her backyard pretended to swing her sword at the forces of evil! She always felt that her back garden wasn’t big enough for her imaginary adventures, though.
Luckily for her, there was a beautiful lake just a few kilometers away from her town. And because of a drought, the level was a lot lower than normal, so she could easily swim in the water without any dangers.
A Trip To The Lake
Her parents decided to take her out to the lake on a Saturday morning since they didn’t have to work and Olivia wouldn’t have school. The drive was only 15 minutes before they had to park their car and walk the rest of the way.
It took a few minutes to get to the spot that Olivia loved. They hadn’t taken her for months, and with the drought, they knew it was safe for her to play in the water.
The Landscape
The drought nearly changed the entire landscape of the lake. Parts that used to be deeply submerged were now the new shoreline. They knew that their daughter would love to go out and explore, but they had to keep an eye on her.
She was an adventurous girl and could easily wander off if they weren’t careful. Still, though, they wanted her to have fun and enjoy herself while they enjoyed a small picnic by the lake.
Working Up A Sweat
Now that they had set up their picnic and sat down on the blanket, they watched Olivia as she played just like she did in their garden. But now, she had the space to let her imagination run wild.
She had fun playing by the shoreline, imagining herself fighting an army of bad guys. Even though it was winter, she worked up a sweat and felt the need to cool off. She decided to swim in the lake, but she wouldn’t be ready for what she found.
Swimming In The Lake
As Olivia waded into the lake, she noticed how shallow it was. Even the eight-year-olds feet could reach the bottom of the lake easily. She splashed along in the water, enjoying the fun of exploring the lake while it was shallow.
But then her foot touched something, a rock? She put her head under to grab it and pull it out before dragging it back to shore. But when she looked at it, she couldn’t believe what she saw.
Taking It Back To Town
She excitedly showed the object to her father, whose eyes went wide as soon as he saw what she was holding. They decided to take it back to town to examine it. They had an idea what it was, but they had to be sure.
Once back in their town, Olivia’s father decided to make a phone call on her behalf. They were clearly out of their depth and needed help. But they never could have expected what would happen next.
Calling In An Expert
They put the object on the dining table while they decided what they would do with it. It was Olivia’s find, after all, so her father wanted to make sure that they did what she wanted at the end of the day.
She wanted him to call someone who knew more about them. So her father got out his phone and called an expert archaeologist who he was sure would know a lot more than them.
Expert Arriving
After the phone call, they had to wait a few hours for him to get there. They sat and imagined who it could have belonged to - a person born possibly centuries before them. It seemed old, that’s all Olivia, and her dad could tell.
Finally, after their wait was over, there was a knock on their door and on the other side was the archaeologist. He greeted them fondly and turned his attention to the object. His eyes lit up as soon as he saw it.
1,500 Years Old!
Olivia could feel her heart pound as the expert examined what she had found. It was clear that it was more than just a weird rock. He told her that it was older than she could ever have imagined at approximately 1,500 years!
But that wasn’t the most amazing part; the expert told her that it was something very special that must have been lost in the lake by a brave warrior centuries ago.
A Sword!
It turns out that the old object was an ancient sword! It was rusted beyond recognition, but it was still an incredible artifact to find in the shallow lake! Olivia was over the moon with her discovery, and it felt like she was a real-life adventurer!
Her father decided to help out, and they decided to put the sword in a bath to try and treat the rust on the sword. They wanted to see if they could bring their new artifact to its former glory.
Sparking Interest
Even though Olivia was more than happy with her find, the local museum and archaeologists wanted to see if they could find anything else in the lake now that it was shallow. They took a team out to explore the area.
The team didn’t search in vain and managed to dig up a brooch in the water. After some cleaning, they managed to date the brooch at 1,800 years old!
Olivia’s Plans
Olivia was offered to help on the project, but she declined due to it being too cold to swim multiple times. She told the reporter that she’d try again in summer when it was warmer. The searches in the lake are ongoing, and who knows what they’ll find.
Olivia didn’t seek money or recognition. She just loved the fact that she had found something out of a storybook or a fantasy tale. And the experience was something she’d have forever.
The Sword
As one could expect, Olivia ended up keeping the sword that she had found that day in the shallow lake. She knew it was worth a fair bit, but she would rather keep the memory and the far more unique item.
She thought that there was no point in selling the sword because money could be earned in any way, but she knew she’d never find something like her