Monday 10 August 2015

Lets Start The Week With A Puzzle,

not any old puzzle,


 no wait a second it is an old puzzle dating back to the 13th century, the puzzle revolves around an ancient sword, the double-edged steel sword, which belongs to the British Museum, is on loan as part of an exhibit celebrating the 800th anniversary of the Magna Carta, discovered in a river in 1825, the sword dates back to the same time that the Magna Carta was first written and was likely owned by a wealthy knight or a noble, writes Julian Harrison for the British Library’s Medieval Manuscripts blogthis kind of sword was common around the year 1300 and is considered to be a classic ‘knightly’ sword, while it weighs just shy of three pounds, the steel was so strong and flexible it wouldn't shatter in battle,


so where is the mystery I hear you ask, well it is here, on the blade of the sword, written in gold wire inlaid on one side of the blade, is an inscription which has baffled scholars for more than a century, it appears to read “+NDXOXCHWDRGHDXORVI+” and experts believe it has religious significance, writes Harrison, however and this is the kicker, the language it was written in is still a mystery, making it impossible to translate, so your task for this week if you decide to take it is translate +NDXOXCHWDRGHDXORVI+ and let the folks at the British museum know what it says.


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