A sword thought to be from the Crusades has been unearthed in the bottom of the Mediterranean Sea, off Israel’s northern shore. On October 16, 2021, an amateur diver discovered the marine life-encrusted artifact on an outing and turned it over to the Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA).
Shlomi Katzin was diving near Haifa, along the Carmel shore, when he came upon the sword among stone and metal anchors. He pulled the sword ashore and transported it to the IAA’s Robbery Prevention Unit’s northern district office, fearing that other divers would locate and disrupt it before the IAA could study it. After then, it was turned over to the National Treasures Department.
Katzin received a certificate of good citizenship for giving over the firearm to the IAA.
Shlomi Katzin was diving near Haifa, along the Carmel shore, when he came upon the sword among stone and metal anchors. He pulled the sword ashore and transported it to the IAA’s Robbery Prevention Unit’s northern district office, fearing that other divers would locate and disrupt it before the IAA could study it. After then, it was turned over to the National Treasures Department.
Katzin received a certificate of good citizenship for giving over the firearm to the IAA.
The Crusades lasted from 1095 through the 13th century. It saw authorities from several European kingdoms and the Roman Catholic Church deploy fighters – Crusader armies – to the Middle East to retake control of Christian sacred sites such as Jerusalem.
After Muslim ruler Saladin reclaimed Jerusalem from the Crusaders in 1187, King Richard I of England led an army against him, sailing along the Israeli coast from Acre to Jaffa. Richard’s men were ultimately victorious.
“It’s heavy because of the stones cemented to it, and it’s also [an] iron sword and quite large,” said Kobv Sharvit, director of the IAA’s maritime archaeological team. “That suggests the person who wielded this blade and [fought] with it was incredibly strong.
“I’m trying to visualize him on the field with all the armor on him and the sword and fighting with it. He should be in great shape; they may have been bigger than us today, but they were obviously stronger. And it’s incredible,” he continued.
According to Sharvit, the location of the sword was a natural cove utilized as a sanctuary by sailors who crossed the oceans. It’s famous for its rich archaeological findings, and it’s been attracting attention since June 2021.
“The Carmel coast features several natural coves that gave protection for ancient ships in a storm, as well as bigger bays that formed entire settlements and historic port cities,” he added. “The finding of ancient antiquities by swimmers and leisure divers is a developing phenomena in recent years, with the increasing popularity of these activities.
“Even the tiniest storm shifts the sand and exposes portions of the bottom while burying others,” he went on. “It is therefore critically crucial to disclose any such findings and we always endeavour to document them in situ, in order to gather as much archaeological data as possible. Archaeological discoveries at the site indicate that it acted as a modest, temporary harbor for ships seeking refuge.”
The site is thought to have been utilized as a natural anchoring as early as 4,000 years ago, during the Late Bronze Age.
