A sword dating back to the Crusades spent centuries buried in sand and barracks off the Mediterranean coast of Israel, until a university student discovered its hilt protruding from the seabed.
Shlomi Katzin, a doctoral student at the Department of Maritime Civilizations at the University of Haifa, saw a group of divers with metal detectors while swimming and was concerned that they might be ancient thieves, according to a translated statement from the university. After driving the group away, Katzin noticed the sword’s hilt in the sand.
“This is an extremely rare find that sheds light on the Crusader’s presence on the coast of the country,” Cvikel said in the statement. She noted that “only a handful of similar swords from the Crusader period” (1095 to 1291 AD) are known in the country, and that this “discovery adds greatly to our understanding of the use of maritime anchorages and the lives of warriors during this period.”
During CrusadeChristians from Western Europe led a series of religious wars against Muslims, largely to take control of the Holy Land. These religious wars were led by European knights sanctioned by the Catholic Pope. Artifacts such as swords and shields reveal how fierce the fighting was during this time.
The newly discovered weapon from the 12th century is now giving archaeologists a rare look at the movements of medieval warriors along the Mediterranean coast. Researchers used a hospital CT scan to non-invasively see the inside of the sword without having to scrape away some of the marine buildup that had stuck to the iron core.
The scan revealed how harsh the sea can be on ancient objects, as the blade appeared to be broken and only a small portion of the original iron core remained. However, it showed that the sword was designed for single-handed combat, and its construction indicated that it probably belonged to a crusader, possibly one who was Frankish.
“In the Middle Ages, the sword became a symbol of knights and chivalry, as well as a symbol of the Christian faith.” Sarah Lantosa researcher at the Department of Maritime Civilizations at the School of Archeology and Maritime Civilizations at the University of Haifa, said in the statement. “The discovery and study of such a symbolic and personal object is rare and enriches our knowledge of the material culture of the Crusader period. In addition, they provide us with a unique opportunity to learn about the lives of the Frankish knights in the Holy Land.”
Research on the sword is ongoing. The previous sword uncovered by Katzin in 2021 also dates to the Crusades. Generally, swords were not discarded during that period because their metal was valuable and could be recycled. So it is likely that the owners of these swords lost them at sea, which would probably have been one hardship or even fatal.
